What is a Reflexive Verb?

A verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same.

I wash myself.
subject: I
verb: wash
object: myself

Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive.

I wash the car.
subject: I
verb: wash
object: car

Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

Here's another example of how a verb can be either reflexive or non-reflexive.

I scratch myself.
subject: I
verb: scratch
object: myself

Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive.

I scratch the dog.
subject: I
verb: scratch
object: dog

Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

When a verb is reflexive, the infinitive ends in "se."

lavar
to wash (non-reflexive)

lavarse
to wash oneself (reflexive)

rascar
to scratch (non-reflexive)

rascarse
to scratch oneself (reflexive)

There is one reflexive verb you have been using since you began studying Spanish.

llamarse - to call oneself

¿Cómo se llama usted?
What do you call yourself?

Me llamo Juan.
I call myself Juan.

Note: A more "natural" translation would be "What is your name?" and "My name is Juan."

When you learned to conjugate regular verbs, you need to learn a set of pronouns called "subject pronouns."

lavar (presente) yo lavo tú lavas él, ella, ud. lava nosotros lavamos vosotros laváis ellos, ellas, uds. lavan

lavar (pretérito) yo lavé tú lavaste él, ella, ud. lavó nosotros lavamos vosotros lavasteis ellos, ellas, uds. lavaron

To learn to conjugate reflexive verbs, you need to learn a different set of pronouns called "reflexive pronouns." These pronouns are positioned before the verb, while the ending "se" is dropped and the verb is conjugated normally.

lavarse yo me lavo I wash (myself) tú te lavas you wash (yourself / informal) él se lava he washes (himself) ella se lava she washes (herself) usted se lava you wash (yourself / formal)

nosotros nos lavamos we wash (ourselves) nosotras nos lavamos we wash (ourselves / feminine) vosotros os laváis you-all wash (yourselves / informal) vosotras os laváis you-all wash (yourselves / informal, feminine) ustedes se lavan you-all wash (yourselves / formal) ellos se lavan they wash (themselves) ellas se lavan they wash (themselves / feminine)

In the preterit, it is the same idea.

lavarse yo me lavé I wash (myself) tú te lavaste you wash (yourself / informal) él se lavó he washes (himself) ella se lavó she washes (herself) usted se lavó you wash (yourself / formal)

nosotros nos lavamos we wash (ourselves) nosotras nos lavamos we wash (ourselves / feminine) vosotros os lavasteis< you-all wash (yourselves / informal) vosotras os lavasteis you-all wash (yourselves / informal, feminine) ustedes se lavaron you-all wash (yourselves / formal) ellos se lavaron they wash (themselves) ellas se lavaron they wash (themselves / feminine)

The reflexive pronouns are not subject pronouns; rather they are object pronouns.

me        (myself)
te          (yourself)
se         (himself, herself, yourself)
nos       (ourselves)
os         (yourselves)
se         (themselves, yourselves)

The purpose of the reflexive object pronouns is to show that the action of the verb remains with the subject.

Juan se lava la cara.
Juan washes his face. (reflexive)

Juan lava su carro. (non-reflexive)
Juan washes his car.

Note: When referring to body parts, use the definite article, thus "la cara" not "su cara".

Note that many, many verbs can be made reflexive. All it means when a verb is reflexive is that the action remains with the subject.

wash the dog (non-reflexive)
wash your face (reflexive)

raise the book (non-reflexive)
raise your arm (reflexive)

put the baby to bed (non-reflexive)
go to bed (reflexive)

wake up your son (non-reflexive)
wake up yourself (reflexive)

Verbos Reflexivos
Verbo: dormirse		Tiempo: Presente
yo	me duermo	nosotros	nos dormimos
tú	te duermes	vosotros	os dormís
él ella usted	se duerme	ellos ellas ustedes	se duermen

Verbos Reflexivos
Verbo: irse		Tiempo: Pretérito
yo	me fui	nosotros	nos fuimos
tú	te fuiste	vosotros	os fuisteis
él ella usted	se fue	ellos ellas ustedes	se fueron

When we have two verbs and the second verb is reflexive, you take it in the infinitve form but change the "se" to the appropriate reflexive pronoun.

Yo necesito lavarme las manos.

Tú quisiste acostarte temprano.

El va a vestirse rápido.

Nosotros tuvimos que ponernos el equipo deportivo.

Vosotros esperáis despertaros a tiempo.

Ellos supieron cepillarse los dientes.