Reflexive verbs made easy ; Or are they ?
I found this to be a great help in understanding reflexive verb usage>
3 Answers
“Se” for beginners.
“Se” (note-no accent) means various things, depending on context. It can mean, “himself/herself/yourself-usted/yourselves-ustedes/themselves.
The first usage is with what is called in US textbooks “reflexive” verbs. Sometimes called
“pronominal verbs” by others. I will use the US terminology (mainly because that’s all I know. 
A reflexive verb is one in which the action reflects or acts upon the subject (doer) of a sentence.
English examples: I wash myself. I see myself in the mirror. Sam hurt himself. People injure themselves when they attempt dangerous sports. There are others but these will suffice for now
Spanish examples Me lavo. Me veo en el espejo. Samuel se dañó. María se peinó. (Peinarse means to comb one’s hair)
These verbs are usually identified in the dictionary or in your textbook by the addition of “se” to the infinitive. “levantarse, divertirse, llamarse, pararse, acostarse and so forth. I don’t have time or space to give the English for all these, so get your dictionaries out if you need to .
Some verbs can be used transitively (with a direct object) or reflexively.
Transitively. “Lavo mi carro” (I wash my car) Reflexively: Me lavo. (I wash myself)
Transitively. “Acuesto a mi hijo” (I put my son to bed) “Me acuesto” (I put myself to bed or I go to bed.)
“La mamá acuesta a sus hijos.” (The mom puts her kids to bed) “Los chicos se acuestan” (The kids go to bed.)
There are a lot of verbs that are reflexive in Spanish but are NOT so in English. In English they are a verbal phrase usually starting with “get”
Examples. casarse con (lit. to house yourself with)--to get married to. divorciarse de-(lit. to divorce yourself from. - to get divorced from
Examples. Juan se casó con María hace tres años. Juan got married to María two years ago. Ellos se divorciaron hace dos meses. They got divorced two months ago. (Lit. they divorced themselves.)
Other reflexive verbs with “get” as their starter verb in English.
Despertarse (lit. to awaken one’s self) = to wake up. Pancho se despierta a las seis de la mañana. (I.e., he wakes up)
Levartarse.(lit to lift one’s self) –to get up. Pancho se levanta a la seis y media. (He gets up.)
Enojarse to get angry. Anita siempre se enoja con su hermano menor.
Enfermarse to get sick. Me enfermé esta mañana. ¡Ay, qué lástima! hubo un examen de algebra esta mañana
Mejorarse to get better. Por la tarde me mejoré. Un angel decenció del cielo y me tocó y ¡Un milagro!
There are maybe a hundred more of these, but these are the most common. A Google search will get the rest.
Thanks Ray76, It was really helpful! Gracias
Members please take note !
We are all so lucky to have someone of the calibre of " Daniela " helping us
with our Spanish .Just look at the answer that she gave on this post it is
not only concise informative and correct but it has been written in a manner
and language that is easily understood by beginners .I thank her from the
bottom of my heart , she never castigates me for my feeble efforts to teach
but she quietly adds to my threads and enhances them with a superior method.
My friend and "feisty Yank sheila" Daniela.
"And hast thou killed the Jabberwock?"
"O, come to my arms my beamish boy!"
"O, fabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
Twas brillig and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the boroughgoves
And the mome raths outgrabe
Exerpt from "Through the Looking Glass"
By Lewis Carrol.
