I think I actually get this..!
Ok... I swear this is the last time I'm going to ask a question about this..
I think I actually get it this time!!
So a reflexive verb is combined with a reflexive pronoun to express actions that are done by the subject, right?
And the verb is conjugated if the reflexive pronoun is in the front of the verb, but if it's added to the end of the verb, it stays as an infinitive, and you just add the reflexive pronoun at the end, right?
So, for example, lets say.. the verb lavar(=to wash).
I would conjugate it like this;
(Yo) me lavo --> (Yo) lavarme. (Tú) te lavas --> (Tú) laverte. (Ella) se lava --> (Ella) lavaerse. (Nosotros) nos lavamos. --> (Nosotros) lavarnos (??) (Vosotros) os laváis --> (Vosotros) lavaros (??) (Ellas) se lavan --> (Ellas) lavarse.
I tink I was confused because The "Yo" had been hidden, thus confusing the "Yo" and the "me".
Am I right so far?
If I don't use it to do it for me,(use it to indicate myself, hisself, etc.) then I would just use it like any other verb, right? But you would have to put "a" in front of whatever is being the object of the verb right?
Also, I've been studying on my own, and I've seen that the "a" comes no matter what the conjugation is... am I right?
For instance, if I waked myself up, I would say "(Yo) Me levanto", or "(Yo) Levantarme".(I think.) and if I woke my mother up, I would say "(Yo) levantas a mi madre." I think I'm right.. Could you check on this and see if I'm understanding it correctly? And thank you so much, everyone for helping me out!
4 Answers
Ok... I swear this is the last time I'm going to ask a question about this..
Ask until you understand it, don't worry.
So a reflexive verb is combined with a reflexive pronoun to express actions that are done by the subject, right?
Not quite. A normal verb combines with a reflexive pronoun so that the action stays with the subject. There are no reflexive verbs.
And the verb is conjugated if the reflexive pronoun is in the front of the verb, but if it's added to the end of the verb, it stays as an infinitive, and you just add the reflexive pronoun at the end, right?
That's right
(Yo) me lavo --> (Yo) lavarme. (Tú) te lavas --> (Tú) laverte. (Ella) se lava --> (Ella) lavaerse. (Nosotros) nos lavamos. --> (Nosotros) lavarnos (??) (Vosotros) os laváis --> (Vosotros) lavaros (??) (Ellas) se lavan --> (Ellas) lavarse.
The forms "(yo) me lavo", "(tú) te lavas"... are correct, but "(yo) lavarme" doesn't make sense. If you want to practice your infinitives, do it with another verb:
Quiero lavarme
Quieres lavarte
Quiere lavarse
...
If I don't use it to do it for me,(use it to indicate myself, hisself, etc.) then I would just use it like any other verb, right?
Right!
But you would have to put "a" in front of whatever is being the object of the verb right?
Only for people and when they are specific. Not with objects.
Also, I've been studying on my own, and I've seen that the "a" comes no matter what the conjugation is... am I right?
If you mean that the letter "a" will be part of the verb in certains conjugated forms, yes.
For instance, if I waked myself up, I would say "(Yo) Me levanto", or "(Yo) Levantarme".(I think.) and if I woke my mother up, I would say "(Yo) levantas a mi madre." I think I'm right.. Could you check on this and see if I'm understanding it correctly? And thank you so much, everyone for helping me out!
Well, you don't say "I waked myself up", but "I woke up", without "myself". "[yo] Me levanto" is correct, but you can't use an infinitive on its own like in "(yo) levantarme"; it is incorrect. The sentence with your mother would be "Levanté a mi madre".
The Hidden Yo
I tink I was confused because The "Yo" had been hidden, thus confusing the "Yo" and the "me".
I'm glad you noticed the hidden yo. That is difficult for us English speakers. Me is me in English and Spanish. Me is never I (yo) in Spanish...but it does usually come before the verb which makes it look like it is being used like I to us.
Pronominal Verbs
Verbs listed in the dictionary with the -se ending are pronominal verbs (they have a pronoun stuck on them). They can be reflexive but might not be. Pronomial verbs will give you heartburn. 
For example, comer means to eat. Comerse is a pronominal verb in which there is a shift in meaning due to the use of the pronoun. It is not reflexive (except in the most unusual of circumstances).
Como la comida = I ate the food
Me como la comida = I ate up the food (now there's none left).
Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs...well, like Lazarus says, they don't exist. But there are reflexive pronouns, which are pronouns used for the direct object when the subject and the direct object are the same.
So, a sentence like (Yo) Me levanto does use "me" in a reflexive way. I am waking myself up.
I wake up my mother = (Yo) levanto a mi madre
That's not reflexive. That's you (the subject) waking up your mother (the direct object). For it to have been reflexive, either you would have to wake yourself up, or your mother would have to wake herself up.
Also, that's "personal a" in front of madre. Spanish puts an "a" in front of named direct objects if the direct object is a person or a pet (and some other situations).
My mother wakes (herself) up = Mi madre se levanta.
I wake (myself) up = (Yo) me levanto.
You wake (yourself) up = (Tú) te levantas.
He wakes (himself) up = (Él) se levanta.
Etc.
Infinitives
There is no way to tell if levantarme is reflexive or not. You have to see the whole sentence to know.
(Tú) No debes levantarme antes de tarde = You must not wake me up before this afternoon. (Not reflexive)
(Tú) No debes levantarte antes de tarde = You must not wake (yourself) up before this afternoon. (Reflexive)
Hi Sakura.
Here is my (probably incomplete) attempt to explain the difference between the usage of me lavo and lavarme. I have not studied language per se and lack the technical understanding and phraseology that the above maestros command. Any corrections welcome.
Lavarse = to wash oneself
In conjugating the verb part of the word and using the appropriate reflexive pronoun?, you get me lavo, te lavas etc. I think you understand this usage.
In keeping the infinitive and changing the pronoun, the effect is similar to that in English:
Lavarme - to wash me/myself
Lavarte - to wash you/yourself
Lavarse - to wash you/yourself / them/themselves / him/himself / her/herself
Lavarnos - to wash us/ourselves
The use of the infinitive form is also similar to that in English:
I wash myself - me lavo
I want to wash myself (infinitive) - quiero lavarme
You wash yourself - te lavas
You have to wash yourself (infinitive) - tienes que lavarte
He washes himself - Se lava
She must wash herself - Debe lavarse (must wash herself = is obliged to wash herself)
We wash ourselves - Nos lavamos
We want to wash ourselves - Queremos lavarnos
Sakura, have you viewed the video on reflexive verbs and pronouns? Here is a link. It was helpful to me.
Some verbs can be used in the reflexive form when the subject and object of the verb are the same.
