Spanish Reflexive Pronouns: Saying 'I Hurt Myself' and Other Same-Subject Actions
Learn to use Spanish reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos) when the subject and object are the same person, and see how they differ from ordinary object pronouns.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Spanish, when the person doing an action is also the person receiving it, you normally add a reflexive pronoun before the verb: me, te, se, or nos. This is the key difference from ordinary object pronouns, which point to a different person or thing. Compare 'Me lavo' (I wash myself) with 'Lo lavo' (I wash it). In this lesson you will learn the reflexive pronouns, where they go in a sentence, and how to use them with common everyday verbs such as lavarse, lastimarse, and sentirse.
By the end, you can…
- name the Spanish reflexive pronouns me, te, se, and nos.
- use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object are the same person.
- tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an ordinary object pronoun in a simple sentence.
- talk about everyday actions like washing, hurting, and calming myself using reflexive verbs.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Me lavo las manos.
I wash my hands.
meh LAH-voh lahs MAH-nohs
The reflexive me shows that I am washing myself, not someone else. Spanish normally uses the definite article las, not a possessive, with body parts.
Me lastimé el brazo.
I hurt my arm.
meh lahs-tee-MEH el BRAH-soh
The pronoun me comes before the conjugated verb. Use el brazo, not mi brazo, with a body part after a reflexive verb.
¿Te sientes bien?
Do you feel okay?
teh SYEN-tehs byehn
Sentirse is reflexive in Spanish. The te changes to match the person you are speaking to.
Se cortó el dedo.
He cut his finger. / She cut her finger.
seh kor-TOH el DEH-doh
Se is used for él, ella, and also usted. Context or a noun makes the subject clear.
Nos divertimos mucho.
We had a lot of fun.
nohs dee-veer-TEE-mohs MOO-choh
Divertirse is reflexive. Nos shows that we are the ones having fun.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Reflexive pronouns go before a conjugated verb: me lavo, te lavas, se lava, nos lavamos. They match the subject: yo me, tú te, él/ella/usted se, nosotros nos. With an infinitive, you can attach the pronoun to the end: Voy a lavarme. The pronoun still refers to the same person as the subject. Compare this with object pronouns: Lo lavo means 'I wash it,' while Me lavo means 'I wash myself.'
When to use it
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject does something to itself, or when the verb is normally reflexive in Spanish, such as sentirse, divertirse, or lastimarse. For example, Me corté means 'I cut myself,' but Lo corté means 'I cut it' or 'I cut him.' If the object is a different person or thing, use an ordinary object pronoun instead. Many Spanish verbs are reflexive where English is not, so learn each verb with its pronoun.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
¿Te lastimaste?
Did you hurt yourself?teh lahs-tee-MAHS-tehSí, me lastimé la pierna.
Yes, I hurt my leg.see, meh lahs-tee-MEH lah PYER-nah¿Puedes caminar?
Can you walk?PWEH-dehs kah-mee-NARSí, pero me duele un poco.
Yes, but it hurts a little.see, PEH-roh meh DWEH-leh oon POH-kohA little context goes a long way
In Latin American Spanish, usted also takes se: ¿Se lastimó? is the polite way to ask an older person or a stranger if they hurt themselves. In Spain, vosotros takes os: ¿Os lastimasteis? Latin American Spanish normally uses ustedes with se instead.
One thing to watch for
Using an ordinary object pronoun when the subject and object are the same: Lo lavo for 'I wash myself.'
Try this instead: Use the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject: Me lavo. Use lo only when the object is a different person or thing, as in Lo lavo, 'I wash it.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Complete: Yo ___ cepillo los dientes. (I brush my teeth.)
Show a sample answer
me
Me matches yo and shows the action is reflexive. The full sentence is Me cepillo los dientes.
2What does 'Te lavas' mean: 'You wash yourself' or 'You wash it'?
Show a sample answer
You wash yourself.
Te is the reflexive pronoun for tú, so the subject and object are the same person. For 'You wash it,' Spanish would use lo or la.
3Rewrite with the pronoun attached to the infinitive: Voy a lavar + me.
Show a sample answer
Voy a lavarme.
With an infinitive, the reflexive pronoun attaches to the end: lavarme. The standard form is Voy a lavarme.
Use me, te, se, or nos when the subject and object are the same person; use lo, la, los, or las when they are not.
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