When to use verbo reflexivos or infinitivo

Question

It is unclear to me as to when to use "verbo reflexivos" or infinitivo. For example the verb levantarse.

One can say: "Me levanto" (I get up) but One can also say: yo levantarme

Is there anyone who could explain the difference to me or provide me with some guidelines?

Thank you so much! Marjo

Answer 1

"Me levanto" is a pronominal verb conjugated in present indicative.

"Levantarse" is the infinitive of the same pronominal verb in the third person singular, and if you want to use it as a noun, it must go with another verb, e.g. "Voy a levantarme".

Answer 2

Reflexive verbs are used when the action is being done to the subject.

I wash my hair --- Me lavo el pelo.

I am washing my own hair. I am doing the action and receiving the action.

The infinitive of a verb is the verb entirely un-conjugated.

He told me to wash my hair --- Me dijo lavarme el pelo

With reflexive verbs, you can add the reflexive pronoun to the infinitive.

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"Yo levantarme" is very incorrect. You cannot have "yo" because the verb is an infinitive, and therefore, doesn't take on a subject pronoun.

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Answer 3

One cannot say "yo levantarme". You need to conjugate the verb to "Me levanto". You could use the infinitive if there was another verb already conjugated in the sentence such as "voy a levantarme/me voy a levantar (I'm going to get up).

Infinitives are in the form of "to [action]" for a given verb. Comer = to eat.

Use a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se depending on the noun) with a verb if the action is being performed by the subject on/to/for the subject. With your example, using levantar reflexively or not changes the meaning of the sentence:

Me levanto = I get up (I lift myself essentially)

Levanto ____ = I lift ____