Use of reflexive verbs

No se ve nada

As you already know, reflexive verbs are needed to say that an action is directed back to the object that produces this action.

levantarse – to rise up, to raise oneself up

prepararse – to get oneself ready

This is the most important use case of reflexive verbs, but it’s not the only one.

Reflexive verbs have some more very common functions, that need to be explained independently.

1. Action directed to its producer

Let’s start with what you already know.

This is the first and most important feature of reflexive verbs. This is what they appeared for.

Laura mira a Ricardo — Laura looks at Ricardo

Laura se mira al espejo — Laura looks at herself in the mirror

Mi amigo llama a su papá — My friend calls his dad

Mi amigo se llama Juan — My friend is called Juan (calls himself Juan)

Alba lava el pelo a su hija — Alba washes the hair to her daughter

Alba se lava el pelo — Alba washes the hair to herself

Try it yourself:

I cook (prepare) the breakfast

I prepare (myself) for the exam

You comb your son’s hair

You comb your hair

My dad buys a car for my mom

My dad buys a car for himself

2. Mutual actions

Imagine this situation. Daniel and Francisca call each other every day. He calls her, and she calls him.

Daniel y Francisca se llaman – Daniel and Francisca call each other

Here you have some more examples.

Anita y Leo se miran – Anita and Leo look at each other

Carlos y Ricardo se hablan – Carlos and Ricardo talk to each other

Nos amamos – We love one another

There is a huge number of verbs that can be converted into reflexive, meaning a mutual action.

Such actions can be translated into English with the expressions each other and one another. But don’t try to search for Spanish equivalents, like uno a otro. Although, this expression is also quite common, it’s not needed. Just apply a reflexive form of verb.

Try it yourself:

Juan and Maria kiss each other

You see each other every Saturday (vosotros)

We don’t understand each other

As you can see, this second function of reflexive verbs is closely connected to the first function. It’s also about an action directed to its producer. The difference is that it always takes two or more objects to express a mutual action. The verbs are always in plural form.

3. Passive voice

One of the options to use Passive Voice in Spanish is to apply reflexive verbs.

En la tienda se venden frutas – In the shop fruits are being sold

There are many situations in which there is no need to identify the producer of an action. For example, you don’t have to say Sellers sell fruits, or Sr. Garcia sells fruits. You may just say that the fruits are sold by themselves.

Este coche no se vende – This car isn’t available for sale

En mi ciudad se construyen muchas casas – In my city many houses are being built

A lo lejos se ve una fábrica – In the distance a factory is seen

Desde la calle se oye música – Music is heard from the street

¿Cómo se escribe esta palabra? – How is this word written?

Basically, this is nothing else, than an action directed back to its producer. The fruits sell themselves, the houses build themselves, the word writes itself. In Spanish these sentences sound completely right. It’s like the English combination to be + participle.

Try it yourself:

Here flowers are not sold

These buildings are illuminated at night

How is paella made?

How is this sentence translated?

How do you say it in Spanish? (literally, How is it said in Spanish?)

By the way, the last expression is very common. Don’t hesitate to learn it right away.

¿Cómo se dice … ?

¿Cómo se dice love en español? – How do you say love in Spanish?

You should also notice that in all these sentences the object is always in the third person (él, ella, ellos, ellas), and can be either in singular or in plural form.

En esta fábrica se produce una marca de coches – In this factory one car brand is produced

En esta fábrica se producen varias marcas de coches – In this factory various car brands are produced

En este país se habla una lengua

En España se hablan cinco lenguas

4. Impersonal sentences

There can be sentences that don’t have any object, that produces an action, at all.

En Madrid se vive bien

The most suitable translation would be: One lives well in Madrid. Literally, It’s lived well in Madrid. This sentence means that whoever lives in Madrid, lives well.

There is no object to which the verb se vive is connected. The verb itself is used in the third person singular (él, ella).

You can also say:

En Madrid se come mucho – One eats a lot in Madrid. It’s eaten a lot in Madrid

A good way to understand these sentences is using the English impersonal pronoun one, meaning everyone, all the people.

Aquí no se fuma – One can’t smoke here. It’s not allowed to smoke here

La música es muy alta. No se puede oír nada – The music is very loud. One can’t hear anything. It’s not possible to hear anything

se puede – One can. It’s possible

no se puede – One cannot. It’s not possible

¿Cómo es va a la biblioteca? – How to go to the library?

¿Cuánto se tarda en … ? – How long does it take to … ?

¿Cuánto se tarda en llegar de Madrid a Barcelona? – How long does it take to get to Barcelona from Madrid?

Try it yourself:

One works hard in Japan

One can sleep well in this hotel

In Cuba people dance a lot

It’s not allowed to speak on the phone here

In Canada one drinks a lot

6. Different meaning

Sometimes the reflexive pronoun can slightly or even completely change a verb’s meaning.

ir – to go

irse – to go away

Mañana me voy — Tomorrow I’ll go away

¿Te vas o te quedas? — Will you go away or stay?

llevar – to carry, to take

llevarse – to take away

Llevo mi ropa en la maleta – I’m carrying my clothes in the suitcase

Mira, alguien se lleva tu maleta — Look, someone is taking away your suitcase

dormir – to sleep

dormirse – to fall asleep

poner – to put

ponerse – to put on

quitar – to remove

quitarse – to take off

comer – to eat

comerse – to eat something up

These verbs sometimes resemble English phrasal verbs. You just have to memorize them.

Try it yourself:

We are already going away

When will you go away? (usted)

I fall asleep immediately

I will take this shirt

Every morning Carlos eats (up) one apple