Why is 'irse' reflexive???
I don't understand how leaving can be reflexive. It's not as if you leave yourself, as in you actually go away from yourself. It seems comparable to making 'comer' reflexive. I mean eating seems just as reflexive to me as leaving. There are lots of other verbs in Spanish that are reflexive that I don't see how they are reflexive.
I understand that reflexive means that the object of the sentence is the same being as the subject; with verbs such as washing or shaving this makes sense to me. But why is 'hablar' not reflexive, when the action is done by and 'to/of' the same 'being'.
I am not getting a feel for this at all, I think I am just going to have to learn what verbs in Spanish take the reflexive rule and try to remember rather than be able to intuitively tell.
Anyone else having this problem or just me?
Thanks.
7 Answers
From a previous post by Lazarus:
"voy" stresses the destination, whereas "me voy" focuses more on the idea of leaving (...to go downtown).
However, a sentence like "I'm leaving" can only be translated as "Me voy", since only the thing that really matters is that we're no longer going to be at the present location (I'm leaving / going away). Only "me voy" accepts complements like "de + ". Ej.: "Me voy de este sitio."; you cannot say "Voy de este sitio".
When the means of transportation or the destination are the main topic, and there is no specific place "to leave", you have to use "voy": Voy en tren, Voy a ir a su casa mañana.
When you're leaving a place, and going to another one that it is going to be mentioned, you can use either.
Well, we all struggle with different aspects a bit, but I think most of us, by large, have troubles with the same things (assuming we´re talking about the same native language), since the same things are different for us.
In this case, remember that IR is not exactly to leave, but to go (a subtle difference). using the reflexive form is what makes it into LEAVE. It´s not too big of a stretch to think that ¨going-yourself¨ is equivalent to ¨leaving¨
Hang in there. It will come (the feel). That takes time with every new language.
Buena suerte.
I believe that this is a common problem. It does become more intuitive with time, but I think this is really because you learn what verbs are reflexive and which ones aren't. I don't think that there is a single problem with learning Spanish that only one person experiences. In my experience, any problem that you are having is pretty common to others. We just need to start "thinking" like the people think who speak the language, and this takes time.
I hope this helped. It always makes me feel better when I know that I am not alone.
Good luck!
But why is 'hablar' not reflexive? Well in that respect you can use decirse e.g. Quizás un poco de aire libre me venga bien, me dije a mi mismo. Perhaps a little fresh air will do me good I said to myself.
to leave
Irse --> to leave; Ir --> to go. Most Romance languages have the same nuance (French: aller --> to go; s'en aller --> to leave; Italian: andare --> to go; andarsene --> to leave).
I hope this helps!
I believe that irse is reflexive just to put more emphasis on who is leaving
