Why would I say " I brush the hair" ?

Question

Me cepillo el pelo. I brush the hair. Me cepillo los dientes. I brush the teeth. Me lavo el pelo. I wash the hair.

My question is, why wouldn't I say: Me cepillo mi pelo. I wash MY hair. Me cepillo mis dientes. I brush MY teeth. Me lavo mi pelo. I wash MY hair?

Answer 1

One must use the definite article instead of mi or su or tu because in spanish it is understood that it is your hair that you are brushing. This makes more sense with reflexive verbs (infinitive with se at the end) like cepillarse or lavarse because, by adding the reflexive, the verb now means to brush oneself or to wash oneself. I hope that this helps! It is kind of just something you have to get used to. Good luck!

excelente:), welcome to the forum, - 00494d19, Oct 24, 2011

Answer 2

One must use the definite article instead of mi or su or tu because in spanish it is understood that it is your hair that you are brushing.

To whom the hair (in this example) belongs is understood by the indirect personal pronoun, ie: "Me cepillo ..." so since this is established, an article must be used "... el pelo" because Spanish grammar dictates that body parts not show possession: "Me cepillo el pelo."

Me is a reflexive pronoun in reflexive useage. (it is not an i.o.p.) Se cepilla; not le cepilla. - 0074b507, Oct 24, 2011

You're right - wrong choice of grammatical terms - 005faa61, Oct 25, 2011

Answer 3

good question lol (no sarcasm)