Sofia · Learn Spanish Learn Spanish — Guides & Tips Reflexive Verbs in Spanish Explained (With Examples)
Reflexive verbs in Spanish are verbs where the subject performs the action on itself, and they use a matching reflexive pronoun — me, te, se, nos, os, se — placed before the conjugated verb. For example, me lavo means “I wash myself,” while plain lavo would mean “I wash (something else).” The giveaway is the infinitive ending in -se, like lavarse (to wash oneself) or levantarse (to get up).
They sound abstract, but you already use them constantly in English — you wake yourself up, get dressed, sit down. Spanish just marks these more explicitly. Once you see the pattern, they’re one of the most learnable parts of the language. Here’s exactly how they work.
What Makes a Verb Reflexive
A reflexive verb loops the action back onto the subject. Compare:
- Lavo el coche. (I wash the car.) — normal verb, acting on the car.
- Me lavo. (I wash myself.) — reflexive, acting on myself.
In the dictionary, reflexive verbs are listed with -se stuck to the infinitive: ducharse (to shower), vestirse (to get dressed), despertarse (to wake up). That -se is your signal: “this action comes back to the person doing it.”
The Reflexive Pronouns
There are six, one for each subject. You’ll notice they mostly match the object pronouns you may already know.
| Subject | Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me | myself |
| tú | te | yourself |
| él / ella / usted | se | himself / herself / yourself |
| nosotros | nos | ourselves |
| vosotros | os | yourselves |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se | themselves |
The key move: the pronoun must agree with the subject. If yo does the action, you use me; if ellos do it, you use se.
How to Conjugate: Step by Step
Take levantarse (to get up). Two things happen at once — you conjugate the verb normally and add the matching pronoun in front.
| Subject | Pronoun + verb | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me levanto | I get up |
| tú | te levantas | you get up |
| él / ella / usted | se levanta | he/she gets up / you get up |
| nosotros | nos levantamos | we get up |
| vosotros | os levantáis | you all get up |
| ellos / ustedes | se levantan | they/you all get up |
So the recipe is: pick the pronoun for your subject → conjugate the verb as usual → place the pronoun right before it.
- Me despierto a las siete. (I wake up at seven.)
- ¿A qué hora te acuestas? (What time do you go to bed?)
- Nos vestimos rápido. (We get dressed quickly.)
Where the Pronoun Goes
Usually the pronoun sits before the conjugated verb, as above. But with infinitives, gerunds, and commands, you can attach it to the end.
| Structure | Two correct options |
|---|---|
| Infinitive | Me voy a duchar. / Voy a ducharme. (I’m going to shower.) |
| Gerund (-ing) | Se está peinando. / Está peinándose. (She’s combing her hair.) |
| Affirmative command | ¡Levántate! (Get up!) |
Both versions in the first two rows are equally correct — pick whichever feels natural. Notice that attaching the pronoun sometimes adds a written accent (peinándose, levántate) to keep the stress in the right place.
Common Reflexive Verbs (Daily Routine)
Reflexive verbs dominate when you describe your morning and night. This is the single most useful set to memorize.
| Reflexive verb | English |
|---|---|
| despertarse | to wake up |
| levantarse | to get up |
| ducharse | to shower |
| bañarse | to bathe / shower |
| lavarse | to wash (oneself) |
| cepillarse (los dientes) | to brush (one’s teeth) |
| peinarse | to comb one’s hair |
| vestirse | to get dressed |
| maquillarse | to put on makeup |
| afeitarse | to shave |
| acostarse | to go to bed |
| dormirse | to fall asleep |
A full routine sounds like this: “Me despierto, me levanto, me ducho, me visto y me voy.” (I wake up, get up, shower, get dressed, and leave.) — notice me repeating with each reflexive verb.
Beyond Routine: Emotions and Change
Reflexives aren’t only about washing and dressing. Many describe changes of state or emotion, where English would use “get” or “become.”
| Reflexive verb | English |
|---|---|
| sentirse | to feel |
| enojarse | to get angry (Mexican; Spain uses enfadarse) |
| alegrarse | to become happy |
| preocuparse | to worry |
| aburrirse | to get bored |
| casarse | to get married |
| divertirse | to have fun / enjoy oneself |
- Me siento bien hoy. (I feel good today.)
- No te preocupes. (Don’t worry.) — a phrase you’ll hear all the time in Mexico.
- Nos divertimos mucho. (We had a lot of fun.)
A very Mexican one to know: enojarse (to get angry). In Mexico you’ll hear “no te enojes” (don’t get angry) far more than the Spain version enfadarse.
Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive: The Key Contrast
The same verb often exists in both forms, and the meaning shifts depending on who receives the action.
| Non-reflexive | Reflexive |
|---|---|
| Lavo los platos. (I wash the dishes.) | Me lavo. (I wash myself.) |
| Despierto a mi hijo. (I wake up my son.) | Me despierto. (I wake up.) |
| Acuesto al bebé. (I put the baby to bed.) | Me acuesto. (I go to bed.) |
The logic is consistent: if the action stays on the subject, it’s reflexive; if it lands on someone or something else, it’s not.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Forgetting the pronoun entirely. Levanto a las seis is incomplete — you need me levanto. Dropping the pronoun changes or breaks the meaning.
Mismatching pronoun and subject. It’s me with yo and se with él/ellos. Saying “yo se levanto” is wrong — it must be yo me levanto.
Overusing the reflexive. Not every verb is reflexive. You wash the car (lavo el coche), not “me lavo el coche” unless you literally mean washing yourself.
Wrong pronoun placement in commands. In affirmative commands it attaches to the end (levántate), but in negative commands it goes before (no te levantes).
FAQ
What is a reflexive verb in Spanish?
A reflexive verb is one where the subject does the action to itself, marked by a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Its infinitive ends in -se, like ducharse (to shower). Me ducho means “I shower (myself),” with the action looping back to yo.
What are the reflexive pronouns in Spanish?
They are me (myself), te (yourself), se (himself/herself/yourself formal), nos (ourselves), os (yourselves, Spain), and se (themselves/yourselves). The pronoun must match the subject of the sentence.
Where do I put the reflexive pronoun?
Usually right before the conjugated verb: me levanto. With an infinitive or gerund you may attach it to the end instead: voy a levantarme or estoy levantándome. In affirmative commands it attaches to the verb (levántate); in negative commands it goes before (no te levantes).
What’s the difference between “lavo” and “me lavo”?
Lavo means “I wash” something else — lavo el coche (I wash the car). Me lavo means “I wash myself.” The reflexive pronoun me signals the action returns to the subject rather than landing on an external object.
Are all daily-routine verbs reflexive in Spanish?
Most are, because you perform them on yourself: despertarse, ducharse, vestirse, acostarse. But the same verbs turn non-reflexive when you do the action to someone else — despierto a mi hijo (I wake up my son) has no pronoun because the action lands on my son, not on me.
Reflexive verbs click once you narrate your own day out loud, pronoun by pronoun. Sofia, an AI Spanish teacher, lets you describe your morning routine — me despierto, me ducho, me visto — in real Mexican-Spanish conversation and catches a missing me or a mismatched se the moment it slips, so the pattern becomes automatic.