Question 1

Why do we need the word se in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Se is a reflexive pronoun. The verb peinarse means to comb oneself. Because she is combing her own hair, we need the pronoun se to show that the action reflects back to her (Ella). Without se, it would sound like she is combing someone else's hair.

Question 2

Why does the Spanish sentence say el pelo (the hair) instead of su pelo (her hair)?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, when you do an action to your own body parts or clothing, you use a definite article like el or la instead of a possessive word like su (her) or mi (my). The reflexive pronoun se already tells us whose hair it is!

Question 3

Does siempre have to go before the reflexive pronoun and verb?

Accepted Answer

Yes, adverbs like siempre (always) usually go before the verb phrase. When you have a reflexive pronoun like se, the adverb goes before the pronoun. You can never separate the pronoun and the conjugated verb, so it must be siempre se peina, never se siempre peina.

Question 4

Is it also correct to say por la mañana instead of en la mañana?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Both en la mañana and por la mañana mean in the morning. En la mañana is extremely common in Latin American Spanish, while por la mañana is heard more often in Spain. Both are perfectly correct to use.

Question 5

Could I just say Ella siempre se peina without adding el pelo?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can! The verb peinarse specifically means to comb one's hair, so el pelo is already implied. Adding el pelo is just a common habit for extra detail or rhythm in the sentence, but leaving it out is also perfectly natural.

Ella siempre se peina el pelo en la mañana.

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