Download Reflexive and Reciprocal Actions

Reflexive and Reciprocal
Actions
The reflexive verb construction
How to conjugate the reflexive verb
 The reflexive verb is identified in the infinitive
by the presence of the reflexive pronoun “se”
 So infinitives will look like this:
LAVARSE
LAV (stem)-AR (ending) SE (reflexive pronoun)
Conjugation into indicative
 When you conjugate a reflexive you
assign the verb to each person (1st,
2nd , 3rd, singular or plural) by making
a change to the ending and/or stem.
 Then, you assign the appropriate
reflexive pronoun in front of the
verb.
 The finished conjugation results in
two words.
Examples
LAVARSE
(one word infinitive)
Me lavo
Nos
lavamos
ACOSTARSE (o ue)
Me acuesto
Nos
acostamos
Te lavas
Os laváis
Te acuestas Os acostáis
Se lava
Se lavan
Se acuesta
Two word conjugated
action
Se
acuestan
The infinitive
 Sometimes the reflexive verb will stay
in the infinitive when used in
“+ infinitive” constructions
 In those cases, the reflexive pronoun
can also go before or after the
construction and must agree with the
subject of the sentence…
Examples of the “+ infinitive”
 Voy a lavarme. (3 word sentence)
 Me voy a lavar. (4 word sentence)
 Ella va a acostarse.
 Ella se va a acostar.
Examples of the “+ infinitive”
 Tienes que ducharte.
 Te tienes que duchar.
 Pensamos cepillarnos los dientes.
 Nos pensamos cepillar los dientes.
The GERUND
 When using the constructions that include
the gerund (the progressives) the reflexive
pronoun can go before or after the
construction




Me estoy lavando.
Estoy lavándome.
Ella se está acostando.
Ella está acostándose.
 Just make sure the reflexive pronoun
agrees with the subject of the sentence.
Uses of the reflexive verb
 True reflexive action: action done
and received by the same person.
 Subject = Object
Example verbs include:
 lavarse
 vestirse
 afeitarse
to wash oneself
to dress oneself
to shave oneself
 Actions in the daily routine (ex. grooming)
Uses of the reflexive verb
 Reciprocal Reflexives: the same
action reciprocated between two
individuals or two groups.
 Actions will be done to…
 …themselves or each other
 3rd person plural (ellos or ellas)
 …ourselves
 1st person plural (nosotros)
 BESARSE, ABRAZARSE
Reciprocal Reflexives
 QUERERSE
 Se querían mucho, es una lástima que se
divorciaron.
 VERSE
 Sin embargo, ellos se ven (el uno al
otro) cada dos semanas.
 REUNIRSE
 ¿Cuándo vamos a reunirnos para
estudiar?
Uses of the reflexive verb
 Pseudo-reflexive action: express a
change of emotion (to get… or to
become…)
Example verbs are:
aburrirse- to get bored
alegrarse- to become happy
cansarse- to get tired
dormirse- to fall asleep
enojarse- to become angry
olvidarse –to forget
enfermarse – to get sick
estoy aburrido/a
estoy *alegre
estoy cansado/a
estoy enojado/a
estoy enfermo/a
Uses of the pseudo-reflexive
verb, con’t.
 You can also use some verbs with an adjective to
describe changes in mood/disposition:
 PONERSE + adjetivo



nervioso/a – Me pongo nerviosa en la clase.
pálido/a - Se puso pálido por la sorpresa.
rojo/a - Se está poniendo rojo por el chiste.
 VOLVERSE + adjetivo


loco/a – Casi me volví loca estudiando para el examen.
imposible – Mi novio se ha vuelto imposible. ¡No lo soporto!
 HACERSE + profesión ; LLEGAR a ser


Rafael se hizo abogado.
Y su esposa, Lola llegó a ser profesora también.