Zorg SpaceReflexive verbs
The rule
When the action comes back to the person doing it, Spanish marks it with a pronoun: me, te, se, nos, se. Me levanto, te duchas, se acuesta. The pronoun goes in FRONT of a conjugated verb and ON THE END of an infinitive: me voy a duchar and voy a ducharme are both right. One trap worth learning now: with a part of your own body Spanish uses the ARTICLE, not the possessive — me lavo las manos, never me lavo mis manos.
me / te / se / nos / se + verbo · ducharme, ducharte…
Examples
Me despierto a las siete todos los días.
I wake up at seven every day.
Los niños se cepillan los dientes después de cenar.
The children brush their teeth after dinner.
Voy a ducharme antes de salir.
I am going to shower before going out.
Keep in mind
Me lavo las manos.
The article, not "mis manos" — the pronoun already says whose.
Practice questions
Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.
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1Fill in the gap.
_____ despierto a las siete.
- Nos
- Me
- Se
- Te
Show answer
Answer: B Me despierto a las siete.
yo takes me.
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2Fill in the gap.
¿A qué hora _____ acuestas entre semana?
- nos
- se
- te
- me
Show answer
Answer: C ¿A qué hora te acuestas entre semana?
tú takes te.
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3Fill in the gap.
Mi padre _____ afeita todas las mañanas.
- se
- me
- nos
- te
Show answer
Answer: A Mi padre se afeita todas las mañanas.
Third person takes se.
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4Fill in the gap.
_____ mudamos a este piso hace tres años.
- Se
- Te
- Nos
- Me
Show answer
Answer: C Nos mudamos a este piso hace tres años.
nosotros takes nos.
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5This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.
Me lavo mis manos antes de comer.
- Me lavo las manos antes de comer.
- Me lavo mis manos mías antes de comer.
- Lavo mis manos antes de comer.
- Me las lavo mis manos antes de comer.
Show answer
Answer: A Me lavo las manos antes de comer.
With your own body Spanish uses the article.
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6This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.
Voy a me duchar.
- Voy me a duchar.
- Voy a duchar me.
- Me voy a me duchar.
- Voy a ducharme.
Show answer
Answer: D Voy a ducharme.
On an infinitive the pronoun is attached to the end, written as one word.
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7Choose the correct sentence.
Which form is right?
Los domingos _____ la siesta después de comer.
- me duerme
- duermo
- se duermo
- me duermo
Show answer
Answer: B duermo
dormir la siesta is not reflexive; dormirse means to fall asleep.
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8Choose the correct sentence.
Which form is right?
Quítate el abrigo, aquí _____ calor.
- hace
- te hace
- se hace
- hace se
Show answer
Answer: A hace
hace calor is impersonal and takes no pronoun.
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9Put the words in the right order.
visto desayunar antes Me de
Show answer
Answer: Me visto antes de desayunar.
The pronoun comes before the conjugated verb.
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10Put the words in the right order.
manos lavan niños las Los se
Show answer
Answer: Los niños se lavan las manos.
se for the third person plural, and the article on manos.
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