Reflexive Verbs: Me ducho ... (00)Me ducho por la mañana. means I shower myself in the morning. ME DUCHO is a reflexive verb, ME is a reflexive pronoun.
Me ducho por la mañana.
Me ducho is an example of a reflexive verb. Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject and the object is the same. In other words, the subject is doing something to itself. The sentence "Me ducho por la mañana" says that I am doing something to myself.
Reflexive verbs are very common in Spanish. Their infinitive form has attached the reflexive pronoun SE. LEVANTARSE = to get up (Yo) me levanto a las seis de la mañana. = I get up at six o´clock in the morning. (me levanto = I get myself up)
Me levanto a las seis de la mañana.
Reflexive verbs always have a reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns are not subject pronouns, they are object pronouns. We don´t need to use the subject pronouns (YO, TÚ, ÉL, ELLA,...) since we are already using the corresponding reflexive pronoun indicating the subject. Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive verbs are conjugated like other verbs. We remove the reflexive pronoun SE, change it into the corresponding reflexive pronoun and place it before the conjugated verb. Reflexive verb conjugation: LAVARSE = to wash oneself
VESTIRSE = get dressed (Él) se viste solo. = He gets dressed by himself. (se viste = he dresses himself)
Se viste solo.
LAVARSE = to wash oneself (Yo) me lavo antes de comer. = I wash myself before eating. (me lavo = I wash myself)
Me lavo antes de comer.
CASARSE = to get married (Nosotros) nos casamos en verano. = We get married in the summer. (nos casamos = we marry each other)
Nos casamos en verano.
DESPERTARSE = to wake up oneself (Usted) se despierta a las siete de la mañana. = You wake yourself up at seven o´clock in the morning. (se despierta = you wake up yourself)
Se despierta a las siete de la mañana.
SENTARSE = to sit oneself down (Ustedes) se sientan para dejarse cortar el cabello. = You sit down yourselves to get a haircut. (se sientan = you sit down yourselves)
Se sienta para dejarse cortar el cabello.
ENFERMARSE = to become ill Alicia se enferma a menudo. = Alicia often becomes ill. (se enferma = she herself becomes ill )
Alicia se enferma a menudo.
CANSARSE = to get tired (Tú) te cansas rápidamente. = You get tired quickly. (te cansas = you tire yourself)
Te cansas rápidamente.
DIVERTIRSE = to have fun (Ellos) se divierten los fines de semana. = They have fun on the weekends. (se divierten = they entertain themselves)
Se divierten los fines de semana.
SECARSE = to dry oneself (Nosotros) nos secamos las manos con una toalla. = We dry our hands with a towel. (nos secamos = we dry ourselves)
Nos secamos las manos con una toalla.
MIRARSE = to look at oneself (Tú) te miras en el espejo. = You look at yourself in the mirror. (te miras = you look at yourself)
Tú te miras en el espejo.
PEINARSE = to comb oneself (Yo) me peino cada mañana. = I comb myself every morning. (me peino = I comb myself)
Me peino cada mañana.
QUITARSE = to take off ¿Por qué se quita los zapatos usted? = Why do you take your shoes off yourself? (se quita = you take off yourself)
¿Por qué se quita los zapatos usted?
BAÑARSE = to bathe oneself Silvia se baña todas las noches. = Silvia bathes herself every night. (se baña = she bathes herself)
Silvia se baña todas las noches.
DESPEDIRSE = to say goodbye (Tú) te despides de Elena. = You yourself say goodbye to Elena. (te despides = you yourself say goodbye)
Te despides de Elena.
In sentences with multiple verbs (phrases containing an infinitive) we can place the corresponding reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb or we can attach it to the infinitive.
En verano tenemos que ducharnos dos veces al día. En verano nos tenemos que duchar dos veces al día. = We have to take a shower twice a day in summer. (nos tenemos que duchar/tenemos que ducharnos = we have to shower ourselves)
En verano tenemos que ducharnos dos veces al días. En verano nos tenemos que duchar dos veces al días.
No se va a subir a un carro viejo. No va a subirse a un carro viejo. = She isn´t going to get in an old car. (no se va a subir/no va a subirse = she isn´t going to get herself in the car)
No se va a subir a un carro viejo. No va a subirse a un carro viejo.
Tienes que probarte el vestitdo. Te tienes que probar el vestido. = You have to try the dress on. (te tienes que probar/tienes que probarte = you have to try on yourself)
Tienes que probarte el vestido. Te tienes que probar el vestido.
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