Reflexive Verbs

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by xamaicano

Quiero bañarme y quiero ducharme.

These are good examples of relexive verbs (new topic) - where the action of the verb is on the subject, bañarse being the infinitive and in this case it's bañar+me not just quiero bañar, since you have to refer back to yourself. You could say quiero bañar mi hija - I want to wash by daughter not reflexive.

Other examples: irse vs. ir (to go away vs. to go), Me voy a ir or Voy a irme for I am going leave (vs. Voy a ir - I am going to, say the store - but coming back).

Levantarse - to get up (Levantate! - Get up -good for kids)
Vestirse - to put on clothes (though you sometimes use ponerse for specific clothes)
Despertarse - to wake
Quitarse - to take off clothing
Lavarse - to wash (a body part) Lavar is to wash something

[mkohn]

I'm pretty sure when we bathe someone it's bañarle _a_ uno. Like Voy a bañarle a mi hija.
But, Voy a darle un baño is ok without the direct object. Algo semejante.
mkohn

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by mkohn

I'm pretty sure when we bathe someone it's bañarle _a_ uno. Like Voy a bañarle a mi hija.
But, Voy a darle un baño is ok without the direct object. Algo semejante.
mkohn

But "le" is not a pronoun for a reflexive verb - "se" would be for third person. So voy a bañarle is saying I am going to bathe to her ......

[Chirimoya]

"Lo/La voy a bañar" - or - "Voy a bañarlo/a". I'm going to bathe him/her.

"Voy a a bañarlo a mi hijo" is a redundancy - the 'lo' suffix in bañarlo already refers to the son.

"I'm going to bathe my son" is "Voy a bañar a mi hijo.

[ricktoronto]

E.g. it is not reflexive unless you are bathing yourself , hence what reflexive verbs mean. Or him to himself, etc.

[Lesley D]

Not all verbs that take the pronoun "se" are considered reflexive in Spanish. The pronoun "SE" is termed as "plurifuncional" meaning it has many functions ie. reflexive actions being one of them. As you continue to study Spanish you will further understand that verbs that have forms with "se" are best termed as "Pronominal verbs" and then you can break the usage into categories such as:

1) Reflexive- the subject is the "doer" and "receiver" of the action of the verb. Example "se lava" 2) Reciprocal- both receive the action. Example "se aman"
3) Grammatical (when an indirect and direct object appear in the same phrase) etc. Example "no se lo diga"

-there are at least eight distinct categories for the usage of "se".

In Ricktoronto's example above ir vs. irse there is nothing reflexive about the usage of "irse".

For example if I say:

Juan se va= Juan is leaving. (There is no reflexive action. "Juan no va a Juan" ).

This is a classic example of a verb that has a pronominal form (se) BUT its usage is not reflexive but rather to distinguish between the meaning of ir= to go and irse =to leave.

Here are some examples of "reflexive" verbs in the true sense of the word:

1) lavar(se)
2) vestir (se)
3) llamar (se)
4) poner (se)
5) enojar (se)


BTW Ricktoronto "Voy a irme" and "Me voy a ir" sound very strange to me. You can say "me voy" (if it's now) and to express future time or later on you can add on words or short phrases. For example "me voy mañana" or "me voy el lunes" etc.


LDG.