I don't understand why verbs like "Abrir" and "Quedar" are also reflexive

Question

Why is using the reflexive version of the verbs Abrir and Quedar necessary. It doesn't make any sense to me.

A reflexive verb by definition is used when the subject both performs and receives the action, or another words, when the subject IS both the indirect object pronoun and direct object pronoun.

So for example, this sentence here: " La mujer se levanta" The woman is washing herself, which makes sense.

On the other hand, this sentence: "El banco se abre hoy" doesn not make any sense to me. How can the bank open itself?

Please help someone. Examples would be really appreciated as well.

welcome to the forum ! - 00b6f46c, Aug 10, 2010

Welcome to the forum indeed! :D - hseminati, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 1

When you see verb + se it doesn't always mean it is reflexive in the sense that it does something to itself. Try translating it like this:

El banco se abre hoy = The bank is opened today.

¿Cómo se escribe la palabra? = How is the word written?

Also, a lot of verbs will change meaning because of the "se." For example: dormir and dormirse. - hseminati, Aug 10, 2010

Oh! I should mention that that is going from active (it opens) to passive (it is opened) while in the same tense (present). - hseminati, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 2

Maybe you can try understanding languages by feeling, but not the exact definitions of the grammar points. Try not to prison your understanding of Spanish by those "rules". They would help you to get started, but the more you know about the language, the more you would feel it's the general flow that matters, not the rules themselves.

Don't even try to understand the use of the verbs by applying the exact grammar points to the real use. Take a look at the grammar and those definition, generalize them, grab the general flow, then try to you build the "feeling" about how those words work in contact.

For now, forget about the grammar rules, and find 10 different sentences of each word that confuses you, try to understand its use in the sentences themselves. I don't know if my "theory" makes sense to you, but hope it would be helpful.

I formatted your post to fit the page. - Goyo, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 3

Hi Cguirguis, welcome to the forum.

Hsemenati is correct. The case of se abre is a use of the "passive se". See this article in our reference section.

And also see a great explanation by Samdie about yesterday's word of the day, percatarse. I found that very helpful and I hope you do too.