Trouble With Distinguishing Reflexive Sentences
Hey! I'm having trouble with reflexive verbs and distinguishing between the following:
So when the ending is el carro, would the beginning be Lavo or Me lavo. ...los dientes- Cepillo or Me cepillo ...al niño- Acuesto or Me acuesto ...a un amigo- Llamo or Me llamo ...Roberto- Llama or Se llama
I really appreciate any help! Gracias!
2 Answers
You use a reflexive pronoun (me/te/se/nos/se) whenever the action is being done to the same person doing it (aka: the action is reflecting back onto the person).
For example: "I brush my hair." Who's doing the brushing? I am. Who's being brushed? I am. So I need a reflexive pronoun: "Me cepillo el pelo." (which literally translates to: On myself I brush the hair.)
Also - because I have the reflexive pronoun, there is no doubt who's hair is being brushed, so I would say "the hair" instead of "my hair".
When an action is being done onto someone else, then there will be no reflexive pronoun.
Common verbs which are reflexive:
duchar(se) - to shower (oneself)
bañar(se) - to bathe (oneself)
lavar(se) - to wash (oneself)
afeitar(se) - to shave (oneself)
secar(se) - to dry (oneself)
cepillar(se) - to brush (oneself)
peinar(se) - to comb (oneself)
maquillar(se) - to put makeup on (oneself)
poner(se) - to put on (oneself) used for clothing, or deoderant, etc.
vestir(se) - to dress (oneself)
despertar(se) - to wake up (oneself)
levantar(se) - to get up (oneself) can also be used to say someone raises their hand
acostar(se) - to put (oneself) to bed
There are more abstract uses of reflexive pronouns, such as "perder(se)" which means "to lose (oneself)". This is used in place of saying "to get lost". Example:
"I got lost in the woods." = "Me perdí en el bosque."
Hope this helps!
