A reflexive pronoun ( pronombre reflexivo ) is used as part of a reflexive verb ( verbo reflexivo ) to indicate that someone or something is performing an action on or for itself.
Many actions related to personal care or daily routines are reflexive, but other verbs can be reflexive as well. In the sentences below, the subject performs the action on itself, and the subject and object of the verb refer to the same entity.
Me ducho cada mañana. Te peinas antes de salir. Se hablaba. Yo me veo en el espejo.Now, compare two sentences in which one is reflexive and one is not. In the reflexive sentence, the subject and object refer to the same entity.
Yo me lavo. Yo lavo el perro.When the object of the verb is the same entity as the subject, you will need to use a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject of the verb in both number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). In the first table below, you'll find the different forms Spanish reflexive pronouns take.
| Person | Singular Pronouns | Plural Pronouns |
|---|---|---|
| First Person | me (matches with yo ) | nos (matches with nosotros ) |
| Second Person | te (matches with tú ) OR se (matches with usted ) | os (matches with vosotros ) OR se (matches with ustedes ) |
| Third Person | se (matches with él or ella ) | se (matches with ellos or ellas ) |
Just to make sure you've got these down, the next table shows you the Spanish reflexive pronoun forms, along with example sentences showing how they may be used. Remember, the reflexive pronoun will always be the same number and person as the subject of the sentence.
Reflexive pronouns have the same forms as indirect object pronouns, with the exception of se , which is used instead of le and les for the third person.