Reflexive Verbs — Defined

Reflexive Verbs — Defined

This term, which sounds more difficult than it really is, simply means that the verb flexes back upon the noun or pronoun that is its subject. In English the reflexive pronoun always has -self on its end, and we do not use the construction very frequently. In other languages, however, reflexive forms may be used more frequently, and in ways that do not seem very logical to an English speaker. Examples of English reflexive sentences: "He washes himself. " "He seated himself at the table."

In English we say I got up at seven, I washed, shaved, and dressed. In Spanish, however, each of these verbs (got up, washed, shaved, dressed) must be used with a special reflexive pronoun; they are called reflexive verbs.

When the action of a verb is received by the subject (which in Spanish may be either expressed or simply understood), the verb is called reflexive. The object pronoun and the subject refer to the same person, thus me levanto, I get up, means literally I raise myself, and nos levantamos, we get up, means we raise ourselves.

Reflexive verbs are indicated in the dictionary by -se attached to the infinitive: levantarse, lavarse, vestirse.

A verb is made reflexive by the use of one of the following reflexive pronouns. Reflexive pronouns are in the same person as the subject of the verb.

Table of Reflexive Object Pronouns

	Singular	Plural
1st person	me, myself	nos, ourselves
2nd person	te, yourself (thyself)	os, yourselves (familiar)
3nd person	se, himself, herself yourself, itself	se, themselves, yourselves