The present tense and reflexive verbs
reflexive verbThese are verbs where the action is done to the same person who is doing it, eg I wash myself. are formed in the same way as regular -ar / -er / -ir verbs but include a reflexive pronoun (eg me, te, se).
Reflexive verbs are often used to describe actions that we do to ourselves. They are particularly useful when talking about daily routine. For example:
- acostarse - to go to bed
- ducharse - to have a shower
- despertarse - to wake up
- vestirse - to get dressed
The reflexive pronoun
The reflexive pronoun is attached to the end of the infinitive (eg bañarse - to have a bath).
In the present tense, the pronoun comes before theverbA 'doing' word; a word expressing action. 'Walk', 'talk', 'come', 'go', 'eat' and 'sleep' are all verbs. and changes according to the person (eg me baño - I have a bath, nos bañamos - we have a bath).
| levantarse (to get up) | |
| (yo) | me levanto |
| (tu) | te levantas |
| (él/ella/usted) | se levanta |
| (nosotros/as) | nos levantamos |
| (vosotros/as) | os levantáis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | se levantan |
| (yo) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | me levanto |
| (tu) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | te levantas |
| (él/ella/usted) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | se levanta |
| (nosotros/as) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | nos levantamos |
| (vosotros/as) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | os levantáis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | |
| levantarse (to get up) | se levantan |
When used to talk about relationships with other people, these verbs are instead known as reciprocal verbs because two subjects perform the action towards each other.
For example:
- casarse - to get married
- llevarse bien - to get on well
- divorciarse - to get divorced
- pelearse - to argue
