Reflexive Verbs in Spanish: Rules, Conjugation & QUIZ
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Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject does the action to themselves — I wash myself, she gets dressed, we wake up. They’re everywhere in everyday Spanish: your morning routine, your emotions, your relationships. This guide covers what they are, how to conjugate them, when to use them, and the mistakes learners actually make.
Key Takeaways
- A reflexive verb includes a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that refers back to the subject. Yo me lavo = I wash myself.
- To conjugate: remove the *-se* from the infinitive, conjugate the verb normally, add the matching pronoun. Lavarse → lavar → lavo → me lavo.
- Pronoun placement: before a conjugated verb (me levanto), or attached to an infinitive/gerund (voy a lavarme, está cepillándose). With modal verbs, both positions are correct.
- Some verbs change meaning when reflexive: dormir (to sleep) → dormirse (to fall asleep); ir (to go) → irse (to leave).
- Body parts take definite articles, not possessives: Me lavo las manos, not me lavo mis manos.
What Are Reflexive Verbs?
A reflexive verb is a verb whose action reflects back on the subject. The subject and the object are the same person or thing.
- Lavarse (to wash oneself) → Yo me lavo. (I wash myself.)
- Levantarse (to get up) → Ella se levanta temprano. (She gets up early.)
- Vestirse (to get dressed) → Nosotros nos vestimos. (We get dressed.)
The reflexive pronoun changes with the subject. Without it, the verb is no longer reflexive — and often means something different.
How to Conjugate Reflexive Verbs
Three steps:
- Remove the *-se* from the infinitive. Lavarse → lavar.
- Conjugate the verb normally for the subject. Yo → lavo.
- Add the matching reflexive pronoun before the verb. Yo → me → me lavo.
Present Tense Conjugation: Lavarse (to wash oneself)
| Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | me | me lavo | I wash myself |
| Tú | te | te lavas | You wash yourself |
| Él / Ella / Usted | se | se lava | He / She / You (formal) wash(es) |
| Nosotros | nos | nos lavamos | We wash ourselves |
| Vosotros | os | os laváis | You all wash yourselves (Spain) |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | se | se lavan | They / You all wash themselves |
Note: the reflexive pronoun for él, ella, usted, ellos, ellas, and ustedes is se in all cases. Context tells you who the subject is.
Preterite Tense Conjugation: Lavarse
| Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | me | me lavé | I washed myself |
| Tú | te | te lavaste | You washed yourself |
| Él / Ella / Usted | se | se lavó | He / She washed |
| Nosotros | nos | nos lavamos | We washed ourselves |
| Vosotros | os | os lavasteis | You all washed yourselves |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | se | se lavaron | They washed themselves |
Imperfect Tense Conjugation: Lavarse
| Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | me | me lavaba | I used to wash myself |
| Tú | te | te lavabas | You used to wash yourself |
| Él / Ella / Usted | se | se lavaba | He / She used to wash |
| Nosotros | nos | nos lavábamos | We used to wash ourselves |
| Vosotros | os | os lavabais | You all used to wash yourselves |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | se | se lavaban | They used to wash themselves |
The reflexive pronoun stays the same across tenses. Only the verb changes.
Pronoun Placement Rules
The reflexive pronoun goes in one of two places, depending on the verb form.
Before a conjugated verb:
- Me levanto temprano. — I get up early.
- Ella se ducha por la mañana. — She showers in the morning.
- Nos abrazamos. — We hug each other.
Attached to an infinitive or gerund:
- Voy a lavarme. — I’m going to wash myself.
- Está cepillándose los dientes. — He’s brushing his teeth.
- Quiero levantarme temprano. — I want to get up early.
With modal verbs (ir a, querer, poder, deber), both positions are correct:
- Me voy a lavar. ✅
- Voy a lavarme. ✅
Both mean the same thing. The pronoun can go before the conjugated verb or attach to the infinitive. Learners often think only one is correct — both are.
With negative commands, the pronoun goes before the verb:
- No me levanto tarde. — I don’t get up late.
- No te preocupes. — Don’t worry.
With affirmative commands, the pronoun attaches to the verb:
- Lávate las manos. — Wash your hands.
- Siéntese, por favor. — Sit down, please.
5 Key Rules for Reflexive Verbs
1. Some verbs change meaning when reflexive
Many verbs have a non-reflexive meaning and a different reflexive meaning.
| Non-reflexive | Reflexive |
|---|---|
| Dormir (to sleep) | Dormirse (to fall asleep) |
| Ir (to go) | Irse (to leave) |
| Poner (to put) | Ponerse (to put on / to become) |
| Quitar (to remove) | Quitarse (to take off) |
| Llevar (to carry) | Llevarse (to take away / to get along with) |
Example: Voy a dormir (I’m going to sleep) vs. Me voy a dormir (I’m going to fall asleep) — subtle, but different.
2. Body parts and clothing take definite articles, not possessives
In Spanish, you don’t say “my hands” when the reflexive verb already shows whose hands they are.
- ✅ Me lavo las manos. — I wash my hands.
- ❌ Me lavo mis manos.
- ✅ Se pone el abrigo. — He puts on his coat.
- ❌ Se pone su abrigo.
The reflexive pronoun (me, se) already tells you whose body part or clothing it is. The definite article (el, la, los, las) replaces the possessive.
3. Reciprocal actions use nos and se
When two or more subjects act on each other, use the plural reflexive pronouns.
- Nos abrazamos. — We hug each other.
- Se saludan. — They greet each other.
- Se quieren. — They love each other.
Note: Nos abrazamos can also mean “we hug ourselves” — context tells you which. Most of the time, with plural subjects and social verbs, it’s reciprocal.
4. Some verbs are always reflexive
Some verbs only exist with the reflexive pronoun. Without it, they don’t make sense (or mean something else).
- Arrepentirse (to regret) — Me arrepiento. (I regret it.)
- Quejarse (to complain) — Se queja mucho. (He complains a lot.)
- Atreverse (to dare) — No me atrevo. (I don’t dare.)
These verbs must be memorized with their reflexive pronoun.
5. Reflexive pronouns match the subject, not the object
The pronoun agrees with the subject of the verb, not the thing being acted on.
- Yo me lavo las manos. — I wash my hands. (me = I, the subject)
- Ella se lava las manos. — She washes her hands. (se = she, the subject)
Even though the hands are the object, the pronoun matches the person doing the washing.
Common Reflexive Verb Categories
Daily Routines
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Despertarse | to wake up |
| Levantarse | to get up |
| Ducharse | to shower |
| Vestirse | to get dressed |
| Cepillarse los dientes | to brush one’s teeth |
| Acostarse | to go to bed |
| Dormirse | to fall asleep |
Emotions and Feelings
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Alegrarse | to become happy |
| Enojarse | to get angry |
| Preocuparse | to worry |
| Asustarse | to get scared |
| Aburrirse | to get bored |
Reciprocal Actions
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abrazarse | to hug each other |
| Saludarse | to greet each other |
| Besarse | to kiss each other |
| Ayudarse | to help each other |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Dropping the reflexive pronoun.
✗ Levanto temprano.
✓ Me levanto temprano.
2. Using a possessive with body parts.
✗ Me lavo mis manos.
✓ Me lavo las manos.
3. Putting the pronoun in the wrong place with an infinitive.
✗ Voy a me lavar.
✓ Me voy a lavar. / Voy a lavarme.
4. Forgetting the accent on the attached pronoun.
✗ Voy a lavarme (correct) — but cepillándose needs the accent: cepillándose, not cepillandose.
5. Confusing reflexive and non-reflexive meanings.
✗ Me voy a dormir = I’m going to sleep.
✓ Voy a dormir = I’m going to sleep (neutral). Me voy a dormir = I’m going to fall asleep (emphasis on the transition).
Quick Reference Chart
| Situation | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conjugation | Remove *-se*, conjugate, add pronoun | Lavarse → me lavo |
| Before conjugated verb | Pronoun before the verb | Me levanto temprano. |
| With infinitive | Pronoun before conjugated verb OR attached | Me voy a lavar. / Voy a lavarme. |
| Body parts | Definite article, not possessive | Me lavo las manos. |
| Reciprocal | Nos / se for “each other” | Nos abrazamos. |
| Meaning change | Some verbs change meaning when reflexive | Dormir → dormirse |
| Always reflexive | Some verbs require the pronoun | Arrepentirse, quejarse |
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