Is my sentence correct?

Question

Okay... so I learned about reflexive verbs (somewhere in section 2) and how to use them...

1) I just want to clear this part first... "levarse" means "to wash oneself," so you'd say me levo (i was myself) right?

2) eflexive verbs is if someone is doing something to themselves... so if you wanted to use llevarse in tu form, you'd say te levas (you wash yourself) right?

3) why are they so complicated and adding me (myself), te (yourself) etc.? why don't they just say yo levo or tu levas?

4) "callarse" is a reflexive verb, but you wouldn't say te callas, you'd say cállate... can you explain this to me thoroughly?

5) also with the callarse... why isn't it callas + te because callas is tu form and te is tu form? calla + te... calla is usted/él/ellos, but te is tu form? can you explain this to me more thoroughly too?

please answer all of my questions (:

Answer 1

3) why are they so complicated and adding me (myself), te (yourself) etc.? why don't they just say yo levo or tu levas?

Why all those complicated preposition in phrasal verbs in English, like "wash up", "end up", "finish up"... Why not just "wash", "end" and "finish"? Find the answer in English and apply it to Spanish, because it is exactly the same: it provide changes of meaning and nuances!

4) "callarse" is a reflexive verb, but you wouldn't say te callas, you'd say cállate... can you explain this to me thoroughly?

"Callarse" is not a reflexive verb (there are no reflexive verbs anyway), but a pronominal verb, which is quite different, because you are not doing anything to yourself. With pronominal verbs you are not even allowed to say "a mí mismo" (myself). "Callar" is used when you simply remain silent, whereas "callarse" is used when you are consciously and purposefully trying not to talk.

"Llevar" is used when you are interested in knowing the place where you are taking things to, and "llevarse" is used when the destination is unimportant, when you are "taking it with you". So "llevar" means "take something to a place" and "llevarse" is "take something with you".

If you are using a book that tells you that "callarse" is a reflexive verb, throw into the chimney or the bin, and get yourself a decent one… if you really want to learn.

5) also with the callarse... why isn't it callas + te because callas is tu form and te is tu form? calla + te... calla is usted/él/ellos, but te is tu form? can you explain this to me more thoroughly too?

The pronoun splits from the verb when you use it in most tenses:

me callo

te callas

se calla

nos callamos

We're still awaiting your book on Spanish grammar. Correct all of these misnomers. - 0074b507, Dec 16, 2010

Answer 2

I believe the verb is "lavarse." So it'd be "yo me lavo."

As for 3... It's the same thing in english. If you want to say that you wash yourself, you say "I wash myself." Not just "I wash." In Spanish, "lavo" means "I wash." "Me lavo" means "I wash myself." Hooray for indirect objects.

On 4 and 5... I'm going to guess and say that it's a command...but I'll let someone more fluent than I am give you a better answer. It's been awhile since I've reviewed the finer points of reflexive verbs (:

Answer 3

colours speak life

Answer 4

lavarse - to wash oneself

llevarse is like me lo llevo...i will take it. Its like you bought something and you will take it home.

me lavo te lavas se lava nos lavamos se lavan

they put se lavan las manos because if yuou put elllos lavan it could mean something like they wash someone elses hand or something else.

you can say que te callas, but callate is more heard. (but its heard between friends) "te" is a reflexive thing.

Answer 5

the verb for "to wash oneself" is actually lavarse, not levarse. so. . . 1) in the present tense, you would say me lavo 2) you would say te lavas 3) you have to add the me, te, etc. because it clarifies who you are washing (or whatever verb). i mean, usually you do wash yourself, but who knows? you could wash someone else. 4 and 5) you would say "cállate" because it is a command that you are giving. you are commanding someone to be quiet. Have you learned about commands yet? If not, you will. It may seem confusing now, but later, when you learn about them, you will get it, and you will understand why it is cállate and not te callas.