Reflexive pronouns and verbs (me, te, se, nos)

What are Reflexive Verbs?

Reflexive verbs indicate that the person doing the action is also the one receiving it—in other words, doing something to yourself. They are commonly used for daily routines like waking up, washing, or going to bed.

You can spot a reflexive verb in its dictionary form because it ends with the pronoun -se:

Reflexive Pronouns

To conjugate these verbs, use a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject. These pronouns usually go directly before the conjugated verb.

Notice that se is used for both singular and plural third-person subjects, as well as the formal "you" (usted and ustedes).

Body Parts and Routine Items

In English, we say "I wash my face." In Spanish, because the reflexive pronoun already shows that you are performing the action on yourself, you simply use the definite article (el, la, los, las) for body parts instead of a possessive word (like mi or tu).

Reflexives with Infinitives

When a reflexive verb is used with another conjugated verb (like tener que, meaning "to have to"), you have two choices for where the reflexive pronoun goes:

• Placed before the first conjugated verb.
• Attached directly to the end of the infinitive.

Attaching the pronoun to the infinitive is very common and natural: