Verbos reflexivos (Reflexive verbs)

In Spanish, instead of saying I get washed and I get dressed you say I wash myself and I dress myself.  Those verbs are called Verbos Reflexivos: The subject and object are the same. And usually are verbs that affect our body as wash yourself, brush your teeth…

The different between “lavar” (to wash) and “lavarse” (to wash oneself) is that you use “lavar” when you want to wash something and you use “lavarse” when action happen over you, so, you are washing yourself

Yo lavo el coche: I wash a car

Yo me lavo las manos (I wash my hands) or Yo me lavo means that you wash your body by yourself.

We use reflexive verbs with reflexive pronouns to indicate that they are object pronouns.

The reflexive pronouns in Spanish are:

Me: Myself

Te: yourself

Se: himself, herslf, yourself

Nos: ourselves

Os: yourselves

Se: themselves, yourselves

Form of Reflexive verb:

Infinitive: DUCHAR + SE  (To Shower)

Simple Present:

Pronombre Reflexivo + forma verbal del presente

Yo me ducho                                      Nosotros nos duchamos

Tú te duchas                                      Vosotros os ducháis

Él se ducha                                          Ellos se duchan

Present continuous

Pronombre reflexivo + forma verbal  estar + gerundio

Yo me estoy duchando                      Nosotros nos estamos duchando

Tú te estás duchando                         Vosotros os estáis duchando

Él se está duchando                              Ellos se están duchando

Simple future :

Pronombre reflexivo + future

Yo me ducharé                                     Nosotros nos ducharemos

Tú te ducharás                                      Vosotros os ducharéis

Él se duchará                                         Ellos se ducharán

Other reflexive verbs are:

Despertarse: to wake up

Levantarse: to get up

Peinarse: comb one’s hair brush

Cepillarse: to brush

Lavarse: to wash oneself

Vestirse: get dressed

Ponerse: to put on

Dormirse: fall asleep

Mirarse: look oneself

Secarse: to dry oneself

Maquillarse: pun on makeup

Afeitarse: shave oneself