"se" reflective

Question

Hi,

Can someone please tell me why, where and how we use "se" this has really got me confused, And if possible simplified as much as you can?

Many Thanks

Answer 1

Here's the simplest explanation (be forwarned there are other uses of "se"):

When the person doing the action also receives the action, such as when I brush my teeth, we use a reflexive pronoun.

Spanish, English, and Literally

Me lavo los dientes. I brush my teeth. I wash myself the teeth.

Te lavas los dientes. You brush your teeth. You wash yourself the teeth.

El se lava los dientes. He brushes his teeth. He washes himself the teeth.

Ella se lava los dientes. She brushes her teeth. She washes herself the teeth.

Usted se lava los dientes. You (formal) brush your teeth. You wash yourself the teeth.

Nos lavamos los dientes. We brush our teeth. We wash ourselves the teeth.

Vos laváis los dientes. You (plural) brush your teeth. You wash yourselves the teeth.

Ellos se lavan los dientes. They brush their teeth. They wash themselves the teeth.

Ellas se lavan los dientes. They (female) brush their teeth. They wash themselves the teeth.

Ustedes se lavan los dientes. You (plural) brush your teeth. You wash yourselves the teeth.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Short version: Think of the bathroom routine. In other words, things that one does to him/herself. The subject and the object are the same: I wash my hands. I get dressed- literally, I dress myself. 'Me lavo las manos' and 'Me visto.'

Much more to it, but that's a start.