Elma Eagles  

 

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Grammar Summary

Spanish-3 Unidad 1 Etapa 3

Reflexive Verbs

Remember that you use reflexive verbs to describe a person doing something that involves himself or herself.  These verb use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os).  The reflexive pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb OR after and attached to the infinitive if there is onel.

You will often use reflexive verbs to refer to emotions, feelings, and reactions. (to become encouraged, to apply oneself to something, to get discouraged, to get excited, to oppose something, to get nervous, to feel frustrated, etc.)

Reflexive verbs are also used to describe reciprocal actions.  This is usually translated in English as "each other."   (Nos vimos ayer.  We saw each other yesterday.)  You can also add the phrase el uno al otro (la una a la otra) to emphasize the reciprocal meaning.  Sometimes the reciprocal meaning in Spanish is not translated as "each other," but rather implied:  Ellos se saludaron.   They said hello (they greeted each other).

Notice that reflexive verbs used reciprocally will always have a plural ending (nosotros, vosotros, ellos, ustedes) because the situation always involves more than one person).

Here are some reflexive erbs that are often used reciprocally:

apoyarse to support each other
ayudarse to help each other
conocerse bien/mal to know each other well/poorly
contarse secretos/chismes to tell each other secrets/gossip
llevarse bien/mal (con) to get along well/badly with
odiarse to hate each other
pelearse to fight (with each other)
perdonarse to forgive each other
quejarse to complain (to each other)
saludarse to say hello (greet each other)
telefonearse to phone each other

Impersonal Constructions with se

You can use the pronoun se in order to avoid specifying the person who is doing the action of the verb.  For example, se alquila apartamento means "apartment for rent", as opposed to saying alquilo un apartamento "I am renting an apartment."

When you use this construction, the verb is always in the 3rd person.  If the noun that follows the verb is singular, use the él/ella form and if the noun is plural, use the ellos/ellas form.

Se habla español.  Se venden mapas a las casas de las estrellas.