Present tense of reflexive verbs

 

  • Conceptually, the difference between standard verbs and reflexive verbs is this:
     
  • An action is reflexive when the person doing the action and the person receiving the action are the same person. This is often (but not always) expressed via pronouns that end in -self or -selves in English, as in:
     
  • My son dresses himself (ie, I don't dress him anymore)

In the sentence "My son dresses himself", the person performing the action (my son) and the person receiving the action (my son) are the same person.

  • This sentence would require the reflexive verb "vestirse" in Spanish.
  • The Spanish sentence would be "Mi hijo se viste".
  • The "se" is the Spanish reflexive pronoun that means "himself" (in this context--it has many other possible meanings).

 

Contrast this with this sentence: "I dress my son".

  • Here, the person performing the action ("I") and the person receiving the action (my son) are two different people. 
  • This sentence would use non-reflexive "vestir": "Yo visto a mi hijo". 
  • See? No reflexive pronoun before the verb. Just the subject pronoun "yo", because I'm being emphatic here.

Step-by-step instructions for conjugating reflexive verbs in the present tense.

 

1. Always deal with the reflexive pronoun first. To do this, look at the subject (located to the left of verb):

  • If subject is not "yo", "tú" or "nosotros" (or equivalent to nosotros, like "mi amiga y yo"), your reflexive pronoun will be "se".
     
  • If subject is "yo", your reflexive pronoun is "me"
     
  • If subject is "tú", your reflexive pronoun is "te"
     
  • If subject is "nosotros" or equal to nosotros, your reflexive pronoun is "nos" 

2. Once you've identified the right reflexive pronoun, conjugate your verb in the present tense.

Follow these steps:

  • 1. Derive the stem by removing the -AR, -ER or -IR ending.
     
  • 2. Rely on your studying to know if the verb you're working with stem-changes or not.
     
  • --If it doesn't stem change, great--leave the stem alone and move on to Step 3.
     
  • --If it does stem change, but the subject is "nosotros" (or equal to nosotros), also great--leave the stem alone and move on to Step 3. 

Follow these steps, con't:

 

  • 2 (con't). --If the verb you're working with does stem change and the subject is not "nosotros", you must make the appropriate change to the stem vowel.
     
  • 3. Finally, no matter what you did to the stem, you finish by adding the correct conjugated ending for the subject and the type of verb (-AR, -ER or -IR) you're conjugating.

Exam-format practice:

1. Mi madre ________________ (acostarse) a las ocho y media.

Step 1: deal with the reflexive pronoun. Use this as an initial weed-out step.

Step 2: conjugate the verb in the present tense on your own, then double-check your conjugation against the remaining (post-weed-out) options.

  • se acosta
  • se acuesta
  • me acuesta
  • le acostamos

Remember:

Exam-format practice:

1. Mi madre ________________ (acostarse) a las ocho y media.

Step 1: deal with the reflexive pronoun.

  • Subject is not yo, tú or nosotros.
  • We know our reflexive pronoun is se .

Use this as a rule-out:

  • se acosta
  • se acuesta
  • me acuesta
  • le acostamos

Exam-format practice:

1. Mi madre ________________ (acostarse) a las ocho y media.

Step 2: conjugate the verb in the present tense yourself.

Derive the stem by removing the -AR ending: "acost"

  • Remember whether or not this verb stem changes: it does. The change is o-ue.
  • Check to make sure the subject is not nosotros. It isn't.
  • Change the stem: "acuest"

Add the correct present-tense ending for this -AR verb.

  • Subject is 3rd-person singular--ending is "a": acuesta"

We know the correct answer is "se acuesta".
We'll practice with the Reflexivos section of the Recapitulación, which was not assigned.

  • se acosta
  • se acuesta
  • me acuesta
  • le acostamos