1. Page 18 Avancemos 3 – Lección Preliminar
Reflexive Verbs

2. What are reflexive verbs?
Reflexive pronouns work with a reflexive verb to
Indicate that a person is performing the action
toward or for him- or herself.
These types of verbs are not very common in English,
but are used frequently in Spanish.
Many actions related to personal care or daily routines
are reflexive, but other verbs can be reflexive as well.

3. What are reflexive verbs?
The subject is performing the action on him- or herself, making the object of the verb, the same as the subject. Compare two sentences in which one is reflexive and one is not.
I wash myself. (Me lavo.) - myself is the object of wash
I wash the dog. (Lavo el perro.) - the dog is the object of wash
REFLEXIVE
NOT REFLEXIVE

4. Reflexive Pronouns nos (to or for ourselves) me (to or for myself)
os (to or for you all)
se (to or for themselves, you all, or each
other)
me (to or for myself)
te (to or for yourself)
se (to or for himself, herself, itself)

5. Placement of reflexive pronouns
ReflexivePronouns, me, te, se, nos, os and se are placed either before a conjugated verb or attached to the end of an infinitive.

6. Before the conjugated verb
Te alegras de hablar español.
(It makes you happy to speak Spanish.)
Se aburre en la clase de matemáticas.
(He gets bored in Math class.)

7. After & attached to the infinitive
Voy a acostarme a las 10.
(I am going to bed at 10.)
Ellos quieren peinarse.
(They want to brush their hair.)

8. Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs have two parts: a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) 2. and a verb form.

9. LAVARSE(to wash oneself)
Reflexive Verbs
LAVARSE(to wash oneself)
Verb
Form
Reflexive
Pronoun

10. Reflexive Verbs
In English, we really don’t identify with reflexive verbs. So these will seem strange to you.

11. Think of it like a mirror

12. Reflexive Verbs
In English, a sentence using a “so called” reflexive verb might be…
Lauren brushes her hair.
Scott bathes himself.

13. Reflexive Verbs
You must remember that these are actions being done to oneself, by oneself. For example:
I wash my (my own) hair.

14. TO WASH ONESELF I wash myself You wash yourself
He, She, It washes himself, etc.
We wash ourselves
Ya’ll wash yourselves
They wash themselves

15. LAVARSE
me lavo
te lavas
se lava
nos lavamos
os laváis
se lavan

16. CEPILLARSE me cepillo te cepillas se cepilla nos cepillamos
os cepilláis
se cepillan

17. DUCHARSE
me ducho
te duchas
se ducha
nos duchamos
os ducháis
se duchan

18. DON’T USE IT WHEN…
You do not use a reflexive pronoun or reflexive verb when the action is not performed on one self. If you are bathing yourself… that’s reflexive. If you are bathing your friend… NOT REFLEXIVE

19. Reflexive Verbs
When using reflexive verbs to talk about parts of the body, use the definite article. (the el, la, los, las that mean “the”)

20. Reflexive Verbs
Nos lavamos el pelo.
¿Te cepillas los dientes?

21. Let’s practice Matt y Maria dry their hair together.
BE CAREFUL!
Matt y Maria dry their hair together.
You brush your teeth in the morning.
I brush my dog’s teeth.
Sam and I wash our hands.
Ya’ll get dressed in the morning.
I dress my husband in the morning.