Lesson 7: REFLEXIVE CONSTRUCTIONS / CONSTRUCCIONES REFLEXIVAS (pp.

179-81)
1. A reflexive construction is one in which the subject both performs and receives the action
expressed by the verb, e.g.: I wash my hands / I get up / I brush my teeth / I take a bath (myself).
2. In Spanish, the verb in a reflexive construction is always accompanied by a reflexive pronoun.

Subject Pron. Reflexive Pronouns Verb (Ponerse / to put on)

Yo (no) me (myself) *pongo mi traje azul (I put on my blue suit) [1st pers. irregular]
Tú te (yourself) pones el vestido verde (You put on the green dress)
Ud, él, ella *se (Yourself/Himself/Herself) pone el abrigo negro
Nosotros/as nos (ourselves) ponemos las pantimedias grises
Vosotros/as os (yourselves) ponéis las faldas amarillas
Uds, ellos/as *se (yourselves/themselves) ponen los zapatos rosados

a) The reflexive pronoun refers to the same person as the subject of the sentence does, e.g., Yo me baño.
b) Note that the 3rd person singular and plural have the same form, “se;” it doesn’t show gender or number.
c) With the exception of “se”, reflexive pronouns have the same forms as direct & indirect obj. pronouns.
d) Unlike in English, in Spanish the definite articles el, la, los, las is used when referring to parts of the body,
instead of the possessive.

English: I wash my hands.

Spanish: Yo me lavo las manos.

2. Some verbs change meanings when used with a reflexive pronoun:

Non reflexive Reflexive (one self) stem-changes

Aburrir (bore) Aburrirse (to be bored)
Acostar (to put to bed) Acostarse (to go to bed) [o > ue]
Afeitar, Rasurar (to shave) Afeitarse, Rasurarse (to shave oneself)
Bañar (to bathe) Bañarse (to bathe oneself)
Cepillar (to brush) Cepillarse (to brush one’s teeth/ one’s hair)
Despertar (to wake up) Despertarse (to wake up oneself) [e > ie]
Divertir (to entertain) Divertirse (to amuse oneself) [e> ie]
Dormir (to sleep) Dormirse (to fall asleep) [o > ue]
Duchar(to shower) Ducharse (to take a shower)
Lavar (to wash) Lavarse (to wash oneself)
Levantar (to lift) Levantarse (to get up)
Llamar (to call) Llamarse (to be called (named)
Peinar (to comb, to clear out) Peinarse (to brush/comb one’s hair, get one’s hair styled)
Poner (to put, to place) Ponerse (to put on, to become)
Probar (to try) Probarse (to try on) [o > ue]
Quitar (to remove) Quitarse (to take off)
Sentar (to sit) Sentarse (to sit down) [e > ie]
Vestir (to dress) Vestirse (to get dressed) [e >i]
Ejemplos:
a) Non reflexive: Yo cepillo mis zapatos. (I brush/clean my shoes)
Reflexive: Yo me cepillo *los dientes/ el pelo. (I brush *my teeth / my hair)

b) Non refl.: Me estás aburriendo con tus quejas. (You are boring/tiring me with you complains)
Refl: Mi profesor de español me aburre. (My Spanish professor bores me).

c) Non refl.: Ellos levantaron la mesa. (They lifted the table)

Refl.: Ellos se levantaron muy tarde esta mañana. (They got up very late this morning)

d) Non refl.: Ella llama a su mama todos los días. (She calls her mom everyday)
Refl.: Ella se llama Marta Fernández Paz. (Her name is Marta F.P. / or literally, “She calls herself…)

Conjugation of some verbs with stem-change in the present tense

Subject Refl. P. Vestirse (e>i) Despertarse (e>ie) Acostarse (o>ue)

Yo me visto despierto acuesto

Tú te vistes despiertas acuestas
Ud./él/ella se viste despierta acuesta
Nosotros/as nos vestimos despertamos acostamos
Vosotros/as os vestís despertáis acostáis
Uds. ellos/as se visten despiertan acuestan

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Tarea
I. Workbook: H (p. 67).
II. Textbook: E (p.213) Answers in p. 361

III. Conjugate the verbs in parentheses (preterite or present according to the context). [Answers at the end]
1.¿Tú (levantarse) ____________________________ temprano ayer?
—No, yo (levantarse) _________________________ tarde.
2.¿A qué hora Uds. (acostarse) _________________________________ todos los días?
—Nosotros (acostarse) _____________________________ usualmente (usually) a las doce.
3. ¿Tu papá (afeitarse) ___________________________________ por las mañanas?
4. Esta mañana mis hermanas (despertarse) _________________________________ a las seis de la mañana, y
yo (despertarse) ___________________________________ a las ocho.
5. ¿Vosotras (vestirse) ____________________________ elegantemente (elegantly) y (maquillarse)
___________________________ cuando van a las fiesta?
—Sí, nosotras (vestirse) __________________________________ pero nunca
(maquillarse)____________________________.
6. Señor, ¿Ud. ya (already) (bañarse) __________________________ y (cepillarse)
_____________________________ los dientes?

IV. Translate

1. I dress my children every morning.

2. I’ll get dressed immediately.
3. He never combs (brushes) his hair.
4. They combed the garden and found the ring.
5. My uncle amuses himself (has fun) when he goes fishing.
6. The comedian amuses (entertains) the public
Answers
III. 1.¿Tú te levantaste?— yo me levanté
2. ¿Uds. se acuestan? — Nosotros nos acostamos
3. ¿Tu papá se afeita?
4. mis hermanas se despertaron — yo me desperté
5. ¿os vestís — y os maquilláis?— nos vestimos pero nunca nos maquillamos.
6. Señor, ¿Ud. ya (already) se bañó y se cepilló los dientes?

IV. 1. (Yo) Visto a mis hijos todas las mañanas.

2. (Yo) Me visto inmediatamente.
3. Él nunca se peina.
4. Ellos peinaron el jardín y encontraron el anillo.
5. Mi tío se divierte cuando va a pescar.
6. El cómico (comediante) divierte el público.