what verbs are never reflexive in spanish?

Question

what verbs are never reflexive in spanish? An example of a few would be helpful.

Answer 1

Hi there

Well technically I guess most verbs can be used reflexively - all that means is that the doer of the action is also the receiver of the action.

Eg - I brush my teeth. Me cepillo los dientes.

I'm brushing my teeth and it's my teeth that are getting brushed.

on the other hand you could have

La madre le cepilla los dientes al bebe. The mother brushes the baby's teeth.

The mother is doing the brushing but it's not reflexive because she's brushing someone else's teeth - the action is not reflecting back on herself.

So I guess if you can come up with an action that you can't perform on yourself that'd be your verb that can't be used reflexively, off the top of my head I can't think of any, I can think of some strange reflexive scenarios but not impossible ones lol. All the best!

What about intransitive verbs Kiwi? - territurtle, Dec 7, 2011

I checked before. Both intransitive and transitive verbs can be reflexive. - 0074b507, Dec 7, 2011

I can find lists of always reflexive verbs, but not of never reflexive verbs. - 0074b507, Dec 7, 2011

Hey Terri, same dealio for intransitive verbs - such as alegrarse, escaparse, irse, llegarse etc :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 8, 2011

Thanks Q and Kiwi!! Guess it was a dimwitted question now that I see the examples! ;) - territurtle, Dec 8, 2011

not at all - questions are good, don't ask, don't learn :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 8, 2011

Hmm...I tried but can't think of any such verbs either! - --Mariana--, Dec 8, 2011

Answer 2

I can think of some of them:

Existir

Nacer

Caminar

Caber

Vivir

Consistir

Soñar

Great, Cogumela!! I really needed those examples! - territurtle, Dec 8, 2011

Answer 3

Hey guys, I just found this link where it states:

Any transitive verb may be made reflexive if the meaning permits it.

And in a few other places I vaguely remember that intransitive verbs can be made reflexive only if they can refer to a person or bodily part, e.g., dormirse.

But then we have desenrollarse? Would the distinction here be that desenrollarse is not strictly used "reflexively," but only pronominally

I've got a copy of the new RAE Grammar, but my Spanish is not good enough to use it to "flatten" this question. What say you? [Note to nonnative English speakers! The language used is this paragraph is NOT grammatically correct!!]

Answer 4

This was very helpful! Thank You!

You're welcome ) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 8, 2011