Topic 8
Reflexive verbs
The rule, in plain English
Reflexive verbs act on the subject itself. The infinitive ends in -se (levantarse). You conjugate the verb and put the matching pronoun (me/te/se/nos/os/se) before it: me levanto, te levantas, se levanta. Many daily-routine verbs are reflexive.
Why it's hard for English speakers
English rarely marks the 'self' ('I get up', not 'I get myself up'), so the extra pronoun feels redundant until it becomes automatic.
levantarse (to get up)
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | me levanto |
| tú | te levantas |
| él/ella/usted | se levanta |
| nosotros | nos levantamos |
Examples
- Me llamo Ana.My name is Ana. (lit. I call myself)
- Se ducha por la mañana.He showers in the morning.
- Nos acostamos tarde.We go to bed late.
- Voy a levantarme temprano.I'm going to get up early. (pronoun on the infinitive)
Common mistakes
- Yo levanto a las sieteMe levanto a las sieteNeeds the reflexive 'me'.
- Me llamo es AnaMe llamo AnaNo 'es' — 'me llamo' already means 'I'm called'.
Practice
Exercises: 0 / 0 correct
I get up early = ___ levanto temprano.
Ella ___ ducha.
We go to bed = ___ acostamos.
Voy a ___ (levantarse).