Reflexive Verbs - Me acuesto vs acostarme

Question

Reflexive verbs -

What's the difference between

Yo me acuesto

or...

Yo acostarme

Are they the same? When is the right time to use either one?

Answer 1

One is conjugated, one is not.

Me acuesto- I go to bed

Acostarme- to put myself to bed.

You really do not need to use the yo, the me provides that info, so unless there is a contrast with prior- like, one guy says I am staying up, the next says well I am going to bed.

(Yo) me acuesto. I go to bed.

(Yo) quiero acostarme. I want to go to bed.

(Yo) tengo que acostarme. I have to go to bed.

The infinitive is generally going to be used when there is another primary conjugated verb in the clause. The conjugated form when it is serving as the primary conjugated verb in the clause.

Oh, because it is a verb. I see. Thanks! - algunTiempo, Jan 23, 2016

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Jan 23, 2016

Although keep in mind, in Spanish, the infinitivo can function as a noun. In English the infinitive or gerund can. In Spanish the gerundio cannot. :) - bosquederoble, Jan 23, 2016

@bosquederobl So what is the difference between acostar and acostarse? Since they are both infinitives, when is the right time to use them? - algunTiempo, Jan 23, 2016

Great answer, Bosque :) - FELIZ77, Jan 23, 2016

Sorry, I had visit my mother for a while. Felix has answered your additional question quite nicely though. :) - bosquederoble, Jan 24, 2016

Answer 2

Hello algúntiempo.

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You originally asked:

Reflexive Verbs - Me acuesto vs acostarme What's the difference between Yo me acuesto or...Yo acostarme Are they the same? When is the right time to use either one?

Me acuesto is the conjugated from of:the verb acostarse and means: I go to bed

me te, se, nos, os, and. se, are the reflexive endings which can also be attached to:

1.the infinitve form of verbs, eg: Quiero acostarME ahora = I want to go to bed, now.

2.the imperative / command forms ¡DígamE! = Tell me! or ¡Explícamelo, por favor! = Explain it to me, please!

3 the gerund forms of verbs: eg: Está vistiendose ahora = She is getting dressed now.

You also asked::

@bosquederoble So what is the difference between acostar and acostarse? Since they are both infinitives, when is the right time to use them?

It seems, from reading your questions in the comments section below Bosque's great answer, that you are still not clear/still don't fully understand about the difference between the two verbs:acostar and acostarSE ..so I will attempt to clarify the situation for you!

In Spanish, the difference in use bwtween acostar and acostarSE is that...

you would use the verb: acostarSE when you are talking about yourself: because the reflexive pronoun ending se attached to the verb clearly indicates that you are doing the action to yourself which is why people call them reflexive, although it is the endings which are reflexive!

Here are two examples:

Me acuesto = I go to bed

Me ducho todos los días = i shower every day

but you would the verb acostar when you are talking about dong the action to somebody else eg:

Mother:: " I must put the children (kids) to bed , now!" = La madre: ¡Tengo que acostar a los niños, ahora!"

Summary: This applies to all reflexive verbs vs non reflexive verbs: Reflexive action means you are doing the action to yourself eg; lavarse whereas a verb without the se endng in the infinitive means that you are doing the cation to somebody/something else! Eg: Lavamos los platos = We are washing the dishes.

I hope this helps/I hope this is clearer now!

Corrijan mi español, si es necesario, por favor