Spanish Grammar Lessons with Reflexive Verbs
===================================
by Patrick Jackson
Patrick Jackson - All Rights Reserved 2004
http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com
===================================
Spanish Grammar Lesson
Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns
This Spanish Grammar lesson covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish,
a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object
(the receiver of the action) are the same.
Here s an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:
I wash myself.
In the above sentence the verb wash is considered reflexive because the subject or the
one performing the action ( I ) and the object or the one receiving the action ( myself )
are the same. On the other hand, if I said I wash the baby, the verb wash is no longer
reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action ( I ) and the object or
the one receiving the action ( baby ) are not the same.
Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun. The following are
reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs.
me myself
teyourself (t form)
seyourself (usted form)
nosourselves
sethemselves, yourselves
When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before
the reflexive verb.
Me ba o.
I wash myself
However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either comes
right before the first verb or follows the second verb.
Quiero ba arme.
I want to wash myself.
Me quiero ba ar.
I want to wash myself.
Here are some examples using reflexive verbs.
Me afeito
I shave myself
Te duchas
You take a shower
Se llama Juan
He calls himself John
Nos dormimos
We fall asleep
No nos sentamos
We don t sit down
Se enojan
They get mad
Se levantan
All of you get up
Te cepillas los dientes
You brush your teeth.
Literally, los dientes means the teeth and not your teeth. Since we are using the
reflexive pronoun te it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about.
Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.
acostarse to go to bed
afeitarseto shave oneself
ba arseto bathe oneself
casarse (con alguien)to get married, to marry someone
cepillarseto brush oneself
despertarse (ie) to wake up
desvestirse (i)to get undressed
divertirse (ie)to enjoy oneself
dormirse (ue)to fall asleep
ducharseto take a shower
enfermarse to get sick
lavarseto wash oneself
levantarseto get up
llamarseto be named, to be called
mirarseto look at oneself
peinarseto comb (one s hair)
quitarse (la ropa)to takeoff (one s clothes)
secarseto dry one s self
sentarse (ie)to sit down
sentirse (ie)to feel
vestirse (i)to get dressed
Now let s try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish.
The answers follow the questions.
1.My name is Patrick
2.You brush your hair every evening. (Use tu form)
3.You can wash your feet. (Use t form)
4.Do you take a shower or do you take a bath in the morning? (Use the usted form)
5.He takes off his pants.
6.We wash our hands before dinner.
7. The wake up very late.
Answers.
1.Me llamo Patrick.
2.Te cepillas el pelo cada noche.
3.Te puedes lavar los pies. Puedes lavarte los pies.
4. Se ducha o se ba a en la ma ana?
5.Se quita los pantalones.
6.Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena.
7.Se despiertan muy tarde.
=======================================
Who else wants to Learn How to Speak Spanish like a real
Latin American? Patrick Jackson is the founder of Learning
Spanish Like Crazy. A unique method of that combines
recorded lessons and live tele-classes.
Subscribe today to his Free Learning Spanish Grammar Ezine:
mailto: pvjax-82930@autocontactor.com
Website: http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com
=======================================
Reprint Guidelines:
**Attn Ezine Editors/Site Owners **
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety
in your ezine or on your web site so long as you
leave all links in place, do not modify the content and
include my resource box listed above.
If you need additional Spanish lessons, check
out my lessons archive for fresh, new, content
that you can use in your ezine or on your
web site FREE!
http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com/archive/
=======================================
Feel free to replace your Learning Spanish Like Crazy
Affliate Link in my resource box. Affliate Details at:
http://learningspanishaffiliate.com
About the Author
Patrick Jackson is the founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy. A unique method of that combines recorded lessons and live tele-classes.
Subscribe today to his Free Learning Spanish Grammar Ezine:
mailto: pvjax-82930@autocontactor.com
Website: http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com
That was another interesting and useful article about Spanish language and culture. To learn Spanish can be fun and not at all difficult if you have the right Spanish learning materials, and of course a good Spanish tutor. We also report on the latest techniques in language learning and give details of Spanish courses around the world, as well as of course in Spain. We hope you find this information useful.
We consider all articles published on this site to be republished with the permission of their author whose copyright we acknowledge. All articles are reproduced in the form originally provided. If you are the author of this article and consider there to be material errors, please advise us.
We are constantly requiring new material related to learning the Spanish language, Spanish culture and Spanish tuition in general. If you are a professional in the teaching of Spanish, a Spanish tutor or Spanish language school, or are a specialist in Spanish culture and have original written material available for publication, we would be pleased to hear from you at Learn Spanish Now