Spanish Reflexive Verbs: Rules, Conjugation, and 100 Examples

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are key for describing actions that people do to themselves. Unlike in English, where we might use "to do" or "to make," Spanish uses reflexive pronouns to show that the subject and object of the action are the same. With reflexive verbs, you can easily talk about daily routines and personal actions. Without further ado, let’s look deep into them now!

What Are Reflexive Verbs?

Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject performs an action on itself. They are accompanied by reflexive pronouns, which reflect the action back to the subject. The reflexive pronouns in Spanish are:

How to Form Reflexive Verbs

To correctly use reflexive verbs, follow these steps:

1. Determine the infinitive form of the reflexive verb
2. Remove the reflexive ending “-se” and conjugate the verb based on the subject.
3. Position the correct reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb.

Here are some examples:

• Infinitive Form: "ducharse" (to shower oneself)
  • Conjugated: "Me ducho" (I shower myself)
    Here, the verb "duchar" has been conjugated to match the first-person singular subject "I," and the reflexive pronoun "me" is used to indicate that the action is performed by the subject on itself.
  • Gerund Form: "Estoy duchándome" (I am showering myself)
    The gerund form of "ducharse" is "duchándose." Combined with the auxiliary verb "estar," it becomes "estoy duchándome," meaning "I am showering myself." The reflexive pronoun "me" is attached to the gerund form to maintain the reflexive meaning.
• Infinitive Form: "afeitarse" (to shave oneself)
  • Conjugated: "Te afeitas" (You shave yourself)
    This verb "te afeitas" translates to "you shave yourself." This shows that the action is being done by the subject on themselves.

Common Reflexive Verbs and Their Uses

Here are some commonly used reflexive verbs along with practical examples to show how they are used in everyday Spanish.

• Despertarse (to wake up)
  • Spanish: Me despierto a las seis de la mañana.
  • English: I wake up at six in the morning.
• Levantarse (to get up)
  • Spanish: Nos levantamos temprano.
  • English: We get up early.
• Vestirse (to get dressed)
  • Spanish: Ella se viste rápidam.
  • English: She gets dressed quickly.
• Cepillarse (to brush [one's teeth, hair])
  • Spanish: Se cepilla los dientes.
  • English: He/she brushes his/her teeth.
• Acostarse (to go to bed)
  • Spanish: Nosotros nos acostamos a las diez.
  • English: We go to bed at ten.

Reflexive Verbs in Different Tenses

Reflexive verbs follow the same conjugation patterns as regular verbs but with reflexive pronouns. Here’s how they work in various tenses:

• Present Tense:
  • Spanish: Me lavo las manos.
  • English: I wash my hands.
• Preterite Tense:
  • Spanish: Te duchaste ayer.
  • English: You showered yesterday.
• Imperfect Tense:
  • Spanish: Nosotros nos levantábamos tarde.
  • English: We used to get up late.
• Future Tense:
  • Spanish: Ellos se afeitarán mañana.
  • English: They will shave tomorrow.

Common Expressions with Reflexive Verbs

In addition to the usual uses mentioned above, here are some common expressions that feature reflexive verbs:

• "Conocer a fondo": To know deeply or thoroughly.
  • Spanish: Conozco a fondo la historia de la empresa.
  • English: I know the company’s history thoroughly.
• "Conocer de vista": To know someone by sight.
  • Spanish: Lo conozco de vista, pero nunca hemos hablado.
  • English:I know him by sight, but we’ve never spoken.
• "Conocer en persona": To meet someone in person.
  • Spanish: Finalmente conocí en persona a mi colega.
  • English: I finally met my colleague in person.
• "Conocer algo como la palma de la mano": To know something like the back of one’s hand.
  • Spanish: Conozco la ciudad como la palma de mi mano.
  • English: I know the city like the back of my hand.

How do you feel about Spanish reflexive verbs now? With more practice, you'll gain confidence in using them, and your Spanish skills will improve significantly!

100 Common Spanish Reflexive Verbs

Use this categorized list to expand your vocabulary after reviewing how reflexive verbs and pronouns work.

1-20: Daily Routines

1. Despertarse – to wake up
   Spanish: Me despierto a las seis de la mañana.
   English: I wake up at six in the morning.
2. Levantarse – to get up
   Spanish: Nos levantamos temprano para ir al trabajo.
   English:We get up early to go to work.
3. Vestirse – to get dressed
   Spanish: Ella se viste rápidamente antes de salir.
   English:She gets dressed quickly before leaving.)
4. Cepillarse – to brush (teeth/hair)
   Spanish: Se cepilla los dientes después de cada comida.
   English: He/she brushes his/her teeth after every meal.
5. Ducharse – to take a shower
   Spanish: Me ducho cada mañana.
   English: I take a shower every morning.
6. Afeitarse – to shave
   Spanish: Te afeitas todas las mañanas.
   English: You shave every morning.
7. Maquillarse – to put on makeup
   Spanish: Ella se maquilla antes de salir.
   English: She puts on makeup before going out.
8. Peinarse – to comb hair
   Spanish: Él se peina antes de ir al trabajo.
   English: He combs his hair before going to work.
9. Acostarse – to go to bed
   Spanish: Nosotros nos acostamos a las diez de la noche.
   English: We go to bed at ten in the evening.
10. Desayunarse – to have breakfast
    Spanish: Nos desayunamos antes de salir.
    English: We have breakfast before leaving.
11. Alistarse – to get ready
    Spanish: Me alisto para la fiesta.
    English: I get ready for the party.
12. Relajarse – to relax
    Spanish: Después del trabajo, me relajo viendo televisión.
    English: After work, I relax by watching television.
13. Arreglarse – to get ready (appearance)
    Spanish: Ella se arregla para la reunión.
    English: She gets ready for the meeting.
14. Dormirse – to fall asleep
    Spanish: Me duermo rápidamente después de un día largo.
    English: I fall asleep quickly after a long day.
15. Cuidarse – to take care of oneself
    Spanish: Es importante cuidarse durante el invierno.
    English: It's important to take care of oneself during the winter.
16. Cambiarse – to change clothes
    Spanish: Me cambio antes de ir al gimnasio.
    English: I change clothes before going to the gym.
17. Desvestirse – to undress
    Spanish: Nos desvestimos antes de tomar una ducha.
    English: We undress before taking a shower.
18. Higienizarse – to sanitize oneself
    Spanish: Nos higienizamos las manos antes de comer.
    English: We sanitize our hands before eating.
19. Ponerse – to put on (clothing)
    Spanish: Me pongo un abrigo porque hace frío.
    English: I put on a coat because it’s cold.
20. Secarse – to dry oneself
    Spanish: Después de la ducha, me seco con una toalla.
    English: After the shower, I dry myself with a towel.

21-40: Personal Care

21. Enfermarse – to get sick
    Spanish: Me enfermé después de estar en la lluvia.
    English: I got sick after being in the rain.
22. Curarse – to heal
    Spanish: Él se curó rápidamente de su resfriado.
    English: He healed quickly from his cold.
23. Desintoxicarse – to detox
    Spanish: Ella se desintoxica con un régimen de frutas y verduras.
    English: She detoxes with a fruit and vegetable regimen.
24. Higienizarse – to sanitize oneself
    Spanish: Debemos higienizarnos las manos frecuentemente.
    English: We should sanitize our hands frequently.
25. Acomplejarse – to become self-conscious
    Spanish: Se acompleja fácilmente sobre su apariencia.
    English: He/she becomes self-conscious easily about their appearance.
26. Relajarse – to unwind
    Spanish: Me relajo con una taza de té.
    English: I unwind with a cup of tea.
27. Mirarse – to look at oneself
    Spanish: Se miró en el espejo antes de salir.
    English: He/she looked at himself/herself in the mirror before leaving.
28. Cansarse – to get tired
    Spanish: Me canso después de correr cinco kilómetros.
    English: I get tired after running five kilometers.
29. Sufrir – to suffer
    Spanish: Se sufre mucho durante una enfermedad grave.English: One suffers a lot during a serious illness.
30. Preocuparse – to worry
    Spanish: Me preocupo por los exámenes finales.
    English: I worry about the final exams.
31. Enamorarse – to fall in love
    Spanish: Se enamoró de su compañero de clase.English: He/she fell in love with his/her classmate.
32. Ofenderse – to take offense
    Spanish: Se ofendió cuando le dijeron eso.English: He/she took offense when that was said to him/her.
33. Cortarse – to cut oneself
    Spanish: Me corté el dedo mientras cocinaba.English: I cut my finger while cooking.
34. Quemarse – to burn oneself
    Spanish: Se quemó con el café caliente.English: He/she burned himself/herself with the hot coffee.
35. Cuidarse – to look after oneself
    Spanish: Debes cuidarte durante el embarazo.English: You should look after yourself during pregnancy.
36. Dedicarse – to dedicate oneself
    Spanish: Se dedica a estudiar todos los días.English: He/she dedicates himself/herself to studying every day.
37. Enfermarse – to become ill
    Spanish: Me enfermé después de estar en el frío.
    English: I became ill after being in the cold.
38. Tranquilizarse – to calm down
    Spanish: Tranquilízate, todo va a estar bien.English: Calm down, everything will be okay.
39. Alegrarse – to be glad
    Spanish: Se alegra mucho cuando ve a sus amigos.
    English: He/she is very glad when he/she sees his/her friends.
40. Lastimarse – to hurt oneself
    Spanish: Se lastimó el tobillo al caer.English: He/she hurt his/her ankle when he/she fell.

41-60: Emotional and Social Interactions

41. Divertirse – to have fun
    Spanish: Nos divertimos mucho en la fiesta.
    English: We had a lot of fun at the party.
42. Aburrirse – to get bored
    Spanish: Me aburro cuando no tengo nada que hacer.
    English: I get bored when I have nothing to do.
43. Sentirse – to feel
    Spanish: Me siento cansado después del trabajo.
    English: I feel tired after work.
44. Reírse – to laugh
    Spanish: Nos reímos mucho durante la comedia.
    English: We laughed a lot during the comedy show.
45. Llorar – to cry
    Spanish: Se pone a llorar cuando está triste.
    English: He/she starts crying when he/she is sad.
46. Asustarse – to get scared
    Spanish: Se asustó con la película de terror.
    English: He/she got scared with the horror movie.
47. Ponerse – to become (emotional state)
    Spanish: Se puso nervioso antes de hablar en público.
    English: He/she became nervous before speaking in public.
48. Hacerse – to become (profession or role)
    Spanish: Se hizo médico después de muchos años de estudio.
    English: He/she became a doctor after many years of studying.
49. Quejarse – to complain
    Spanish: Siempre se queja del trabajo.
    English: He/she always complains about work.
50. Despedirse – to say goodbye
    Spanish: Nos despedimos antes de irnos.
    English: We say goodbye before leaving.
51. Enfadarse – to get angry
    Spanish: Se enfada fácilmente cuando no obtiene lo que quiere.
    English: He/she gets angry easily when he/she doesn’t get what he/she wants.
52. Fijarse – to notice
    Spanish: Se fijó en el detalle del cuadro.
    English: He/she noticed the detail in the painting.
53. Reponerse – to recover
    Spanish: Se repuso de la enfermedad rápidamente.
    English: He/she recovered from the illness quickly.
54. Sentirse – to feel (physical or emotional state)
    Spanish: Se siente feliz con su nuevo trabajo.
    English: He/she feels happy with his/her new job.
55. Comportarse – to behave
    Spanish: Se comporta muy bien en la escuela.
    English: He/she behaves very well at school.
56. Envidiarse – to envy
    Spanish: Se envidia el éxito de sus colegas.
    English: He/she envies the success of his/her colleagues.
57. Olvidarse – to forget
    Spanish: Se olvidó de comprar el pan.
    English: He/she forgot to buy the bread.
58. Molestarse – to get annoyed
    Spanish: Se molesta cuando la gente habla alto.English: He/she gets annoyed when people talk loudly.
59. Sentarse – to sit down
    Spanish: Me siento en la silla cómoda.
    English: I sit down in the comfortable chair.
60. Mojarse – to get wet
    Spanish: Se mojó durante la lluvia.
    English: He/she got wet during the rain.

61-80: Routine Actions and Self-Care

61. Arreglarse – to get ready (appearance)
    Spanish: Se arregla antes de salir para el trabajo.English: He/she gets ready before going to work.
62. Enfocarse – to focus
    Spanish: Se enfoca en sus estudios.English: He/she focuses on his/her studies.
63. Calmarse – to calm down
    Spanish: Se calma después de un largo día.
    English: He/she calms down after a long day.
64. Dividirse – to divide (oneself)
    Spanish: Se divide entre el trabajo y la familia.
    English: He/she divides time between work and family.
65. Odiarse – to hate oneself
    Spanish: A veces se odia por errores pasados.
    English: He/she sometimes hates himself/herself for past mistakes.
66. Encontrarse – to find oneself
    Spanish: Se encuentra en una situación difícil.English: He/she finds himself/herself in a difficult situation.
67. Despertarse – to wake up
    Spanish: Se despierta temprano todos los días.English: He/she wakes up early every day.
68. Aventurarse – to venture
    Spanish: Se aventura en nuevas experiencias.English: He/she ventures into new experiences.
69. Fijarse – to pay attention
    Spanish: Se fija en los pequeños detalles.English: He/she pays attention to the small details.
70. Engañarse – to deceive oneself
    Spanish: Se engaña pensando que todo está bien.English: He/she deceives himself/herself by thinking that everything is fine.
71. Hacerse daño – to hurt oneself
    Spanish: Se hace daño al caerse.English: He/she hurts himself/herself by falling.
72. Concentrarse – to concentrate
    Spanish: Se concentra en el examen final.English: He/she concentrates on the final exam.
73. Envejecer – to age
    Spanish: Se envejece con dignidad.
    English: He/she ages with dignity.
74. Perderse – to get lost
    Spanish: Se perdió en el centro de la ciudad.English: He/she got lost in the city center.
75. Relajarse – to relax
    Spanish: Se relaja con una buena lectura.
    English: He/she relaxes with a good book.
76. Disculparse – to apologize
    Spanish: Se disculpa por el error.English: He/she apologizes for the mistake.
77. Llamarse – to be named
    Spanish: Me llamo Juan.English: My name is Juan.
78. Reponerse – to recover
    Spanish: Se repone de la cirugía.English: He/she recovers from the surgery.
79. Sujetar – to hold (oneself)
    Spanish: Se sujeta al pasamanos para no caer.
    English: He/she holds onto the handrail to avoid falling.
80. Quejarse – to complain
    Spanish: Se queja del mal servicio.
    English: He/she complains about the bad service.

81-100: Special Cases and Idiomatic Expressions

81. Chocarse – to crash (into)
    Spanish: Se chocó contra la pared.
    English: He/she crashed into the wall.
82. Pelearse – to fight
    Spanish: Se pelean cada vez que discuten.
    English: They fight every time they argue.
83. Pasearse – to stroll
    Spanish: Se pasea por el parque cada tarde.
    English: He/she strolls through the park every afternoon.
84. Aprovecharse – to take advantage of
    Spanish: Se aprovecha de las ofertas especiales.
    English: He/she takes advantage of the special offers.
85. Desahogarse – to vent
    Spanish: Se desahoga con sus amigos.
    English: He/she vents to his/her friends.
86. Olvidarse – to forget
    Spanish: Se olvida de los detalles importantes.
    English: He/she forgets the important details.
87. Quejarse – to complain
    Spanish: Se queja de los problemas en el trabajo.
    English: He/she complains about the problems at work.
88. Probarse – to try on (clothing)
    Spanish: Se prueba el vestido antes de comprarlo.
    English: He/she tries on the dress before buying it.
89. Desnudarse – to undress
    Spanish: Se desnuda antes de irse a dormir.
    English: He/she undresses before going to sleep.
90. Mojarse – to get wet
    Spanish: Se moja bajo la lluvia sin paraguas.
    English: He/she gets wet in the rain without an umbrella.
91. Hacerse – to become (role)
    Spanish: Se hace profesor después de años de estudio.
    English: He/she becomes a teacher after years of study.
92. Exponerse – to expose oneself
    Spanish: Se expone a nuevas ideas.
    English: He/she exposes himself/herself to new ideas.
93. Quejarse – to complain
    Spanish: Se queja de la comida en el restaurante.
    English: He/she complains about the food at the restaurant.
94. Confundirse – to get confused
    Spanish: Se confunde con las instrucciones.English: He/she gets confused with the instructions.
95. Asegurarse – to ensure
    Spanish: Se asegura de que todo esté listo.English: He/she ensures that everything is ready.
96. Volverse – to become (state or condition)
    Spanish: Se vuelve más tranquilo con el tiempo.English: He/she becomes calmer over time.
97. Darse cuenta – to realize
    Spanish: Se da cuenta de su error.English: He/she realizes his/her mistake.
98. Sufrir – to suffer
    Spanish: Se sufre cuando se pierde a un ser querido.
    English: One suffers when losing a loved one.
99. Concentrarse – to concentrate
    Spanish: Se concentra en mejorar sus habilidades.
    English: He/she concentrates on improving his/her skills.
100. Reflexionar – to reflect
     Spanish: Se reflexiona sobre sus decisiones.
     English: He/she reflects on his/her decisions.

Feeling more confident with reflexive verbs now? By familiarizing yourself with these 100 common reflexive verbs, you’ll significantly improve your understanding of various aspects of Spanish, including daily routines, personal care, and social interactions.