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.