The Reflexive Construction

Question 1

What is the reflexive construction?

Answer 1

It is the combination of:

a reflexive pronoun + reflexive verb

Question 2

What is a reflexive verb?

Answer 2

A reflexive verb indicates that the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action) is the same.

Think about youself looking in the mirror. You see your own reflection.

a) Reflexive:

I put on my jacket.

b) Non-reflexive:

I put the jacket in the closet.

I put the jacket on my little brother.

Question 3

What are the reflexive pronouns?

Answer 3

yo me

tú te

ud., él, ella se

nosotros or nosotras nos

uds., ellos, ellas se

Question 4

How do I recognize a reflexive verb?

Answer 4

There are two ways to recognize reflexive verbs:

1- the verb ends in se > cepillarse

2. • it belongs to one of the following groups:
     a) personal hygiene
     * ducharse, lavarse, afeitarse*
     b) daily routines
     * vestirse, acostarse, levantarse*
     c) reciprocal actions
     * escribirse, hablarse, pintarse*

Question 5

Give a quick summary of what you have learned so far about reflexive verbs.

Answer 5

1- Use reflexive verbs to indicate that the performer of the action is also the one receiving that action of the verb.

2- Each subject pronoun has its own reflexive pronoun.

3- A reflexive verb ends in se. So, when I come accross a verb ending is se, I have to use the reflexive pronouns.

4- Reflexive verbs belong in one of three categories:

personal hygiene, daily routines, reciprocal actions.

Question 6

Can you give examples for:

a) personal hygiene verbs
b) daily routine verbs
c) reciprocal action verbs

Answer 6

a) personal hygiene

afeitarse, bañarse, cepillarse los dientes, ducharse

lavarse, secarse, peinarse, cepillarse el pelo

b) daily routines

acostarse, arreglarse, cortarse las uñas,

cortarse el pelo, vestirse, ponerse, despertarse

levantarse, pintarse, prepararse, vestirse,

c) reciprocal actions

hablarse, escribirse

Question 7

Reflexives apply to any verb tense. That is reflexive verbs conjugate in the present, the imperfect, the preterit (the past), the future, and compound tenses.

For the purpose of this lesson, you need to review the conjugations for the present tense. What are they?

Answer 7

1) -ar ending verbs
- o, -as, -a, -amos, -an
2) -er ending verbs
- o, -es, -e, -emos, -en
3) -ir ending verbs
- o, -es, -e, -imos, -en

Question 8

Conjugate ducharse

Ducharse is an -ar ending verb. Notice the bold and underlined coded changes on the reverse card.

Answer 8

Yo me ducho

Tú te duchas

Ud., él, ella se ducha

Nosotros or nosotras nos duchamos

Uds., ellos, ellas se duchan

Question 9

What is so particular about

acostarse, despertarse, vestirse?

Answer 9

These are stem changing reflexive verbs.

Their stems change accordingly:

1) acostarse > o to ue (all forms except nosotros, -as)
2) despertarse > e to ie (all forms except nosotros, -as)
3) vestirse > e to i (all forms except nosotros, -as)

Question 10

How would you conjugate

acostarse?

Answer 10

Yo me acuesto

Tú te acuestas

Ud., él, ella se acuesta

Nosotros or nosotras nos acostamos

Uds., ellos, ellas se acuestan

Question 11

How would you conjugate

despertarse?

Answer 11

Yo me despierto

Tú te despiertas

Ud., él, ella se despierta

Nosotros or nosotras nos despertamos

Uds., ellos, ellas se despiertan

Question 12

How would you conjugate

vestirse

Answer 12

Yo me visto

Tú te vistes

Ud., él, ella se viste

Nosotros or nosotras nos vestimos

Uds., ellos, ellas se visten

Question 13

What is the placement of the reflexive pronoun?

Answer 13

The placement of the reflexive pronoun is as follows:

1) if you only have one verb in the sentence, it goes

before the conjugated verb.

Pancho se afeita.

2) if you’re using an infinitive, you have two options:
a) before the first conjugated verb

Pancho se** quiere afeit**ar.

b) attached to the infinitive

Pancho quiere afeit_arse_