Nuance Reflexive Verbs
Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 16.30.1
Verbos reflexivos - Reflexive Verbs
In some instances, the meaning of the verb changes when it becomes a reflexive.
Reflexive Verbs
- Caerse and pararse are examples of nuance reflexive verbs.
- Reflexive verbs have the word se + conjugated verb.
- We have several types of reflexive verbs.
- Verbs that always go with se
- Verbs that change the meaning when they are reflexive
- Verbs that add a nuance with se
Reflexive pronouns
- The pronoun se needs to agree with the subject.
- Yo me
- Tú te
- Él/ella se
- Nosotros nos
- Vosotros os
- Ellos/ellas se
Verbs that change their meaning
- Some examples of verbs that change their meaning when reflexive are:
- encontrar/encontrarse - to find/to feel
- ir/irse - to go/to leave
- llamar/llamarse - to call/to be called
- perder/perderse - to lose/to get lost
- volver/volverse - to come back/to become
Verbs that are always reflexive
- Some of examples of verbs that are always reflexive are the following:
- arrepentirse - to regret
- acurrucarse - to cuddle
- adueñarse - to take over
Nuance Reflexive Verbs
- These are the most common reflexive verbs. Some examples are the following:
- caerse - to fall
- pararse - to stop
- dormirse - to fall asleep
- cansarse - to get tired
- despertarse - to wake up
- ducharse - to take a shower
Examples
- Se paró cuando hubo un atasco de tráfico cerca de su casa.
- He stopped when there was a traffic jam near his house.
- Me canso mucho cuando hace mucho calor en el verano.
- I get very tired when it’s very hot in the summer.