Reflexive Verbs in Spanish | The Language Tutor *Lesson 37*

Summary

In this educational video, the host teaches viewers about reflexive verbs in Spanish, which are common but not frequently used in English. They explain that reflexive verbs indicate actions done to oneself, such as 'me lavo las manos' (I wash my hands). The host guides viewers on how to identify reflexive verbs by looking for an '-se' ending and demonstrates conjugation in the present tense with examples like 'me baño' (I bathe myself). The lesson also covers conjugation with different pronouns and provides tips for using reflexive verbs in context. The host encourages further practice and hints at upcoming lessons on stem-changing verbs.

Takeaways

• 😀 Reflexive verbs in Spanish are used when the action is performed by the subject on themselves.
• 🔍 Identifying reflexive verbs can be done by looking for verbs ending in -se in Spanish dictionaries.
• 📚 The infinitive form of a reflexive verb ends in -se, indicating the action is done to oneself.
• 📝 Conjugating reflexive verbs involves adding reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) before the conjugated verb.
• 👤 The pronoun 'me' is used for the first person singular reflexive action, as in 'me baño' (I bathe myself).
• 👥 For the first person plural, 'nos' is used, as in 'nos bañamos' (we bathe ourselves).
• 👩‍🏫 The pronoun 'se' is used for third person singular and plural, and can also refer to 'you' in formal or plural contexts.
• 👚 The structure of reflexive verbs in Spanish differs from English, where you wouldn't typically say 'put on me the clothes'.
• 📖 Practicing reflexive verbs, especially those that are stem changers, is encouraged for better language proficiency.
• 🔄 The process of conjugating reflexive verbs can be applied to other tenses besides the present, following a similar pattern.

Q & A

What is a reflexive verb in Spanish?

A reflexive verb in Spanish is a verb that implies an action is being done to oneself. For example, 'me lavo' (I wash myself) or 'te desnudas' (you undress yourself).

How can you identify a reflexive verb in Spanish?

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are often identifiable by the presence of 'se' at the end of the verb's infinitive form, such as 'baniarse' (to bathe oneself).

What is the infinitive form of a reflexive verb?

The infinitive form of a reflexive verb in Spanish typically ends with '-se', like 'baniarse'. Without the '-se', the verb is in its basic form, such as 'banyar' for 'to bathe'.

How do you conjugate reflexive verbs in the present tense?

To conjugate reflexive verbs in the present tense, you conjugate the verb without 'se' and then add the appropriate reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) before the conjugated verb.

What is the reflexive pronoun used for the first person singular?

The reflexive pronoun used for the first person singular (yo) is 'me', as in 'me banyo' (I bathe myself).

Can you provide an example of conjugating a reflexive verb in the third person singular?

For the third person singular (él/ella/usted), the reflexive pronoun 'se' is used. For example, 'se baña' means 'he/she/baths himself/herself'.

What is the purpose of using reflexive pronouns in reflexive verbs?

Reflexive pronouns are used to indicate that the subject and the object of the verb are the same person, emphasizing that the action is being done to oneself.

How do reflexive verbs differ from non-reflexive verbs in conjugation?

In conjugation, reflexive verbs require the addition of a reflexive pronoun before the verb, whereas non-reflexive verbs do not. The reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject in person and number.

What is a stem-changing verb, and how does it relate to reflexive verbs?

A stem-changing verb is a verb that has a different stem in certain tenses. When it is also a reflexive verb, you conjugate it as a reflexive verb but also account for the stem change.

Can you give an example of using a reflexive verb in a sentence with a different tense?

While the script focuses on the present tense, an example in the past tense could be 'me lavé' (I bathed myself), where 'lavé' is the preterite form of 'lavar' and 'me' is the reflexive pronoun for the first person singular.

How do you conjugate reflexive verbs in the plural forms, such as 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'?

For 'nosotros', you use 'nos' and for 'vosotros', you use 'os'. For example, 'nos bañamos' (we bathe ourselves) and 'os bañáis' (you (plural) bathe yourselves).