Lesson 13 · 7 min read
Spanish Reflexive Verbs and Daily Routines
Reflexive verbs describe actions you do to yourself — waking up, getting dressed, going to bed. Spanish marks this with a small pronoun (me, te, se…) attached to the verb, which is why they always end in "-se" in the dictionary form.
1. What makes a verb reflexive
Reflexive pronouns are me, te, se, nos, os, se — one for each subject. The pronoun usually goes right before the conjugated verb.
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| levantarse | to get up | Me levanto a las siete. — I get up at seven. |
| ducharse | to shower | Se ducha por la mañana. — He/She showers in the morning. |
| vestirse | to get dressed | Nos vestimos rápido. — We get dressed quickly. |
| acostarse | to go to bed | Me acuesto a las once. — I go to bed at eleven. |
| lavarse | to wash (oneself) | |
| peinarse | to comb one's hair |
2. Conjugating levantarse (to get up)
The pronoun changes with the subject, and the verb itself still conjugates normally.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| yo me levanto | I get up |
| tú te levantas | you get up |
| él/ella se levanta | he/she gets up |
| nosotros nos levantamos | we get up |
| ellos se levantan | they get up |
3. A typical morning
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Me despierto a las seis y media. | I wake up at six thirty. |
| Me ducho y me visto. | I shower and get dressed. |
| Ella se maquilla antes de salir. | She puts on makeup before leaving. |
| ¿A qué hora te acuestas? | What time do you go to bed? |