Reflexive pronoun usage
When you use a reflexive pronoun, the word ends in -se.
I have 2 questions about this.
- Why does it end in -se?
- Why can't we just say "Yo levanto"??? Do you have to say uh... "Yo levantarse?"
- Am I even understanding this right..?
- Why do you put "a" in the sentence? ex) Bañar "a" me hijo.
I don't understand the usage...
6 Answers
- Why does it end in -se?
If you mean why is "se" being used with certain verbs, try this: why don't you say "The wall painted" instead of "The wall got painted"? Our "se" in Spanish is not that different from your "got" in English. "(Yo) levanto" sounds as incomplete or absurd as "The wall paints" - paints what? raises what?
- Why can't we just say "Yo levanto"??? Do you have to say uh... "Yo levantarse?"
Because you are not specifying what you are raising (levantar = to raise). While it is possible to say "I dress in the morning", most people tend to say "I get dressed", which is the equivalent of "Me visto".
- Why do you put "a" in the sentence? ex) Bañar "a" me hijo.
Hard to explain if you are not really familiar with Spanish, but the reason is most likely because word order in Spanish is much more flexible than English, and without this "a" it would be extremely hard to understand who does what. For example, without "a", in a sentence like "Pedro sigue Luis", we wouldn't know whether Pedro follows Luis or Luis follows Pedro. Write "Pedro sigue a Luis", and the ambiguity is solved.
The why concerning pronominal usage (used with a reflexive pronoun) is probably better answered by a native with grammar understanding like Lazarus.
Pronominal usage serves many functions in Spanish: passive voice, reciprocity, to convey a meaning of completeness, suddenness, accidently, reflexive usage, to detransitize verbs, to create impersonal expressions, to show possession or ownership, and probably 100 other uses that I don't know yet.
Why does Spanish use a object pronoun to distinguish between raising an object (levanto la copa....la levanto) and a reflexive pronoun to say that I am raising myself (me levanto)? I don't know. Let someone more knowledgeable explain it to you. It is difficult enough to recognize the different usages, let alone, try to figure out how the usage ever came about.
I hope that did answer your other question however.
Why can't we just say "Yo levanto"??? Do you have to say uh... "Yo levantarse?"
The answer to the question is that you do, indeed, say Yo levanto.....when you are raising something other than yourself (e.g. the cup)
But when the subject and object coincide you include the reflexive pronoun (yo me levanto). Él se levanta, tú te tevantas...etc. (remember, for it to be reflexive the subject and the reflexive (object) pronouns must be the same grammar person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
If it is not reflexive, the reflexive or object pronoun may be a different grammar person than the subject pronoun.
The se that follows the infinitive indicates that the verb is reflexive. Most verbs can be made into reflexive verbs, it just changes their meaning a bit. They usually express actions that one does to or for oneself. Here are a few examples: mirar - to look, mirarse - to look at oneself or to look at each other. Bañar - to bathe, bañarse - to bathe oneself or to bathe each other. Levantar - to lift or to raise, levantarse - to get up or to rise. Levanto la mano - I raise my hand. Suelo levantarme de la cama a las tres de la madrugada - I usually get out of bed at three in the morning. Also, there are some verbs that can only be reflexive because only you can do them to yourself. Suicidarse is a good example because only you can kill yourself. You have to use el "a" personal in a sentence like: Baño a mi hijo because the direct object mi hijo is a specific person and according to proper Spanish grammar a specific person or personified thing must be preceded by a.
In your example, think of levantar as 'to raise'. You are saying 'I raise', you are not saying what you raise. '(Yo) me levanto' means 'I raise myself' - 'I get up'.
Baño - I bathe. What are you bathing? Me baño - I bathe myself.
etc.
Usage-wise, reflexive constructions are commonly used instead of passive constructions.
e.g. Whereby in English you'd say 'the house was built (passive) in 1066', In Spanish you'd say 'the house built itself in 1066' - 'la casa se construyó en 1066'.
(No se si hay que decir 'en el año 1066')
I have been told that the above is generally the case for Latin American Spanish whereas passive constructions are used in Spain.
With reflexive verbs you need to use the correct reflexive pronoun. You would not say 'Yo levanto', but 'me levanto'.
I think you need to check out that lesson again.
When you use a reflexive pronoun, the word ends in -se.
That statement is wrong, which is probably why some of your examples are incorrect.
In reflexive use (contrast with pronominal) the subject and the object of the sentence refer to the same person (object).
Therefore, the subject pronoun and the object pronoum must be the same person (grammar person: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd).
Yo me levanto ... (yo and me are both 1st person)
If the subject and the object pronoun are different grammar person then you do not have a reflexive usage. (it could still be promoninal or the pronouns could be object pronouns rather than reflexive pronouns.)
The last question pertains to the personal "a". (When the d.o. of the sentence is a person or pet).
You should try not to ask questions on several topics in a single thread. You should ask about the personal "a" in a separate thread. You will get better answers that way. (and there may be previous threads on each separate topic).
