Reflexive verbs: me, te, se
Some verbs come with a little pronoun that points back to the person: I get (myself) up, I wash (myself).
Theory
The pronoun changes with the person; the verb ending works as usual.
levantarse = to get up
| Who | levantarse |
|---|---|
| yo | me levanto |
| tú | te levantas |
| él / ella / usted | se levanta |
| nosotros/as | nos levantamos |
| vosotros/as | os levantáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se levantan |
Your daily routine
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Me despierto a las siete. | I wake up at seven. |
| Me ducho por la mañana. | I shower in the morning. |
| Te lavas los dientes. | You brush your teeth. |
| Se viste muy rápido. | She gets dressed very fast. |
| Nos acostamos tarde. | We go to bed late. |
| Se llama Ana. | Her name is Ana. |
Pronoun before the verb
Me levanto. = I get up.
¿Te duchas? = Do you have a shower?
Not levanto me.
Or joined to an infinitive
Voy a ducharme. = I’m going to have a shower.
= Me voy a duchar.
Both are correct.
Body parts: el / la
Me lavo el pelo. = I wash my hair.
Not me lavo mi pelo.
With or without the pronoun
Lavo el coche. = I wash the car.
Me lavo. = I wash (myself).
se for él, ella, usted, ellos
Se levanta. = He / She gets up.
Se levantan. = They get up.
¿Usted se llama…? = Is your name…?
Some change the stem too
despertarse → me despierto = to wake up → I wake up
acostarse → me acuesto = to go to bed → I go to bed
vestirse → me visto = to get dressed → I get dressed
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