Reflexive/Pronomial Usage..
I'm stumped on when to use the reflexive in Spanish...If I brush my teeth, I know to say Me cepillo los dientes, but if I found my headphones, would I say, Me encontré los audífonos or Encontré mis audífonos ?
In attempt to speak correctly, Thanks in advance. :D
4 Answers
When referring to parts of the body and to clothing you put on or take off your body, the expressions are usually reflexive, as your example.
Me cepillo los dientes. Literally, I brush my self the teeth.
Me cepillo el pelo, I brush myself the hair.
Me lavo la cara/las manos I wash myself the face/the hands
Clothing:
Me pongo la camisa, I put on myself the shirt.
Me quito los pantalones. I take off myself the pants.
Spanish is a little funny at times. I tell my students the literal versions of these expressions and they have a good chuckle, but never forget.,
If you find your earphones, It's proper to say; Encontré mis audífonos.
But if you put them on your head it's Me puse los audífonos.
I put on myself the earphones.
Chau, y buena suerte,
Daniela
To all those that added to my posts: Your comments are quite correct. It's that I did not want to add to the learner's confusion about how we use reflexives other than what is common knowledge in the books. I only wanted to give him the very very basic information.
When academic overload occurs, the brain freezes, especially when it comes to language leaning. You will notice that in my responses I just give a little bit at a time. You don't feed a baby a big T-bone steak.
No doubt there are those on the site whose Spanish is better than mine. However I have been highly trained in how to impart my "less than absolutely perfect" Spanish to young eager minds (and some not so eager) and bring them to a degree of fluency whereby they can understand and be understood by Spanish speakers. I also have been able to take young Latinos whose Spanish is fluent, but flawed and make them better Spanish speakers.
End of rant.
To add to what Daniela stated...
If you find your earphones, It's proper to say; Encontré mis audífonos.
If you find some/these earphones you can say (Me) encontré unos/estos audífonos
Edit:
What Daniela stated correctly and properly "I found my earphones = Encontré mis audífonos"
So you see, nothing stoic about it in English or Spanish.
The Daniela post is almost correct.
The use or not use of the reflexive forms most of the times, depends of the way that you want to express the sentece. The examples that Daniela wrote are totally correct and the part :
When referring to parts of the body and to clothing you put on or take off your body, the expressions are usually reflexive,
is also correct, but they are not the only context where you can use reflexive.
In Spanish you can turn to reflexive almost everything (when you talk about yourself, obviously), depending of the way you said:
Fui a ver un partido de hockey : I went to watch a hockey match
Me fui a ver un partidode hockey : I went to watch a hockey match
Both mean the same.
He comprado una tele nueva : I have bought a new TV
Me he comprado una tele nueva : I have bought a new TV
Also both mean the same.
These are ramdom examples, but there are thousands.
I only can tell: Practice, practice and practice.
