Reflexive Verbs in Spanish: Master 30 Essential Verbs with Real-World Examples
Key Takeaway
Reflexive verbs in Spanish indicate that the action is performed on oneself. Marked by “-se” at the end (levantarse, bañarse), they’re incredibly common in daily conversation. Master just 10 essential reflexive verbs, and you’ll handle 70% of everyday situations.
Table of Contents
What Are Reflexive Verbs?
A reflexive verb is one where the action is directed back at the subject—the person doing the action also receives it. The subject acts upon themselves.
In English: We use reflexive pronouns like “myself,” “yourself,” “himself” to show this (I hurt myself, he baths himself).
In Spanish: Reflexive verbs are marked with “-se” attached to the infinitive (levantarse = to get up, literally “to lift oneself”). The reflexive pronoun changes based on the subject.
Why matter: Many Spanish verbs have both reflexive and non-reflexive forms with different meanings:
- Lavar (to wash something) vs. Lavarse (to wash oneself)
- Dormir (to sleep) vs. Dormirse (to fall asleep)
- Acordar (to agree) vs. Acordarse (to remember)
The Anatomy of a Reflexive Verb
Let’s break down levantarse (to get up):
- Levant- = the verb stem (lift)
- -a- = the conjugation marker (first conjugation)
- -r- = infinitive marker
- -se = reflexive indicator (marks it as a reflexive verb)
When you conjugate a reflexive verb, two things change: the verb ending (based on tense and subject) AND the reflexive pronoun (based on subject).
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun | Levantarse (Present) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | Me | Me levanto | I get up |
| Tú (You informal) | Te | Te levantas | You get up |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | Se | Se levanta | He/She/You (formal) get(s) up |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Nos | Nos levantamos | We get up |
| Ellos/Ustedes | Se | Se levantan | They/You all get up |
Top 10 Essential Reflexive Verbs
Learn these 10, and you’ve covered ~70% of everyday reflexive verb usage:
- Levantarse (to get up) → “Me levanto a las 7am” (I get up at 7am)
- Acostarse (to go to bed) → “Me acuesto a las 11pm” (I go to bed at 11pm)
- Bañarse (to bathe) → “Se baña en la mañana” (She bathes in the morning)
- Ducharse (to shower) → “Me ducho después del trabajo” (I shower after work)
- Lavarse (to wash oneself) → “Te lavas las manos antes de comer” (You wash your hands before eating)
- Llamarse (to be named) → “Me llamo Carlos” (My name is Carlos)
- Sentarse (to sit down) → “¿Quieres sentarte?” (Do you want to sit down?)
- Dormirse (to fall asleep) → “El niño se durmió” (The child fell asleep)
- Despertarse (to wake up) → “Se despertó a las 6am” (He woke up at 6am)
- Acordarse (to remember) → “¿Te acuerdas de mí?” (Do you remember me?)
Complete List of 30 Common Reflexive Verbs
Daily Routine & Hygiene (7)
- Levantarse (to get up)
- Acostarse (to go to bed)
- Bañarse (to bathe)
- Ducharse (to shower)
- Lavarse (to wash oneself)
- Peinarse (to comb one’s hair)
- Arreglarse (to get ready)
Mental/Emotional (8)
- Acordarse (to remember)
- Olvidarse (to forget)
- Enojarse (to get angry)
- Alegrarse (to be happy)
- Preocuparse (to worry)
- Sentirse (to feel)
- Equivocarse (to make a mistake)
- Atreverse (to dare)
Movement & Position (6)
- Sentarse (to sit down)
- Levantarse (to stand up)
- Acercarse (to approach)
- Alejarse (to move away)
- Caerse (to fall down)
- Moverse (to move)
Sleep & Rest (3)
- Dormirse (to fall asleep)
- Despertarse (to wake up)
- Relajarse (to relax)
Identity & Relationships (6)
- Llamarse (to be named)
- Enamorarse (to fall in love)
- Casarse (to get married)
- Divorciarse (to get divorced)
- Conocerse (to meet/know each other)
- Pelearse (to fight)
Conjugation Guide with Pronoun Placement
Present Tense Conjugation
In the present tense, the reflexive pronoun comes BEFORE the conjugated verb:
Bañarse (to bathe) – Present Indicative
- Me baño (I bathe)
- Te bañas (You bathe)
- Se baña (He/She bathes)
- Nos bañamos (We bathe)
- Se bañan (They bathe)
Preterite (Past) Conjugation
Bañarse – Preterite
- Me bañé (I bathed)
- Te bañaste (You bathed)
- Se bañó (He/She bathed)
- Nos bañamos (We bathed)
- Se bañaron (They bathed)
Infinitive & Gerund Pronoun Attachment
When using infinitives or gerunds, the reflexive pronoun ATTACHES to the verb:
- Infinitive: “Quiero bañarme” (I want to bathe myself)
- Gerund: “Estoy bañándome” (I’m bathing myself)
Common Reflexive Verb Mistakes & Fixes
❌ Mistake #1: Omitting the Reflexive Pronoun
Wrong: “Levanto a las 7” (I lift at 7)
Right: “Me levanto a las 7” (I get up at 7)
Rule: Reflexive verbs ALWAYS require the reflexive pronoun
❌ Mistake #2: Wrong Pronoun-Verb Order
Wrong: “Baño me” (wrong order)
Right: “Me baño” (I bathe)
Rule: Pronoun comes BEFORE the conjugated verb
❌ Mistake #3: Confusing Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive Verbs
Wrong: “Lavo a mi hermano” when you mean “My brother gets washed” vs “I wash my brother”
Right: “Mi hermano se lava” (My brother bathes himself) vs “Lavo a mi hermano” (I wash my brother)
Rule: Reflexive = action done to oneself, non-reflexive = action done to something/someone else
Practice Reflexive Verbs Daily
The best way to master reflexive verbs is to use them repeatedly in your daily routine. Every morning, narrate your morning in Spanish using reflexive verbs:
“Me despierto a las 7am. Me levanto, me ducho, me visto, me peino. Desayuno y me voy a trabajar.”
Do this for 2 weeks straight, and reflexive verbs will become second nature. Your brain will automatically know which verbs are reflexive and which pronouns to use.
Master Conversational Spanish Fluency
Reflexive verbs are essential to sounding natural. Join thousands of learners mastering them with daily practice.
Written by Carlos Rivera
Carlos is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires with 10+ years teaching experience. He specializes in making Spanish grammar intuitive for English speakers through real-world examples and conversational context.
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