Spanish Reflexive Pronouns: Me, Te, Se, Nos and Os
Learn how Spanish reflexive pronouns show that the subject and object refer to the same person. This guide explains me, te, se, nos, os and se, reflexive verbs, word order and the difference between reflexive and non-reflexive meaning.
Why Spanish reflexive pronouns matter
Reflexive pronouns are essential because many everyday Spanish verbs use them: levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, acostarse, llamarse. They also change meaning in many verb pairs: dormir means “to sleep”, while dormirse means “to fall asleep”. Understanding reflexive pronouns helps you describe daily routines, personal actions, emotions and changes of state.
How to use this page
Use this page after learning personal pronouns and basic Spanish verbs. First study the reflexive pronoun forms, then learn where they go in the sentence and how they work with reflexive verbs.
Use me with yo, te with tú, se with él/ella/usted, nos with nosotros, os with vosotros and se with ellos/ustedes.
Put reflexive pronouns before conjugated verbs: Me lavo. Attach them to infinitives and gerunds: lavarme, lavándome.
Some verbs are clearly reflexive actions. Others change meaning: ir “to go” vs irse “to leave”.
The core system: me, te, se, nos, os, se
Same subject and object
Reflexive pronouns show that the action returns to the subject.
Me lavo. — I wash myself.
They match the subject
The reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject person.
yo me · tú te · él se · nosotros nos
Position matters
Before conjugated verbs, but attached to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands.
Me levanto. · Voy a levantarme.
Spanish reflexive pronouns at a glance
Reflexive pronouns correspond to the subject of the verb.
| Subject | Reflexive pronoun | Example with lavarse | English meaning | Grammar note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | me | Me lavo. | I wash myself. | First person singular. |
| tú | te | Te lavas. | You wash yourself. | Informal singular you. |
| él / ella / usted | se | Se lava. | He/she washes himself/herself; you wash yourself. | Third person and formal you. |
| nosotros / nosotras | nos | Nos lavamos. | We wash ourselves. | First person plural. |
| vosotros / vosotras | os | Os laváis. | You all wash yourselves. | Mainly Spain. |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se | Se lavan. | They wash themselves; you all wash yourselves. | Third person plural and ustedes. |
Reflexive pronouns with reflexive verbs
Reflexive verbs are often shown in the infinitive with -se: lavarse, levantarse, ducharse, acostarse. When you conjugate the verb, move the reflexive pronoun to match the subject.
| Infinitive | Conjugated example | English meaning | Reflexive pronoun |
|---|---|---|---|
| levantarse | Me levanto temprano. | I get up early. | me |
| ducharse | Te duchas por la mañana. | You shower in the morning. | te |
| llamarse | Se llama Ana. | Her name is Ana. | se |
| acostarse | Nos acostamos tarde. | We go to bed late. | nos |
Learn the full verb system here: Spanish Reflexive Verbs.
Position of reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronoun position depends on the verb form. The most important rule: before a conjugated verb, attached to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands.
| Verb form | Position | Example | English meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conjugated verb | Before the verb | Me levanto temprano. | I get up early. |
| Infinitive | Attached to the infinitive | Voy a levantarme. | I am going to get up. |
| Gerund | Attached to the gerund | Estoy levantándome. | I am getting up. |
| Affirmative command | Attached to the command | Levántate. | Get up. |
| Negative command | Before the verb | No te levantes. | Do not get up. |
With infinitives and gerunds, Spanish often allows two positions: Me voy a levantar and Voy a levantarme; Me estoy lavando and Estoy lavándome.
Reflexive pronouns with infinitives
When a reflexive verb appears as an infinitive, the pronoun can attach to the end. In verb phrases, it can also go before the conjugated verb.
Quiero levantarme temprano. — I want to get up early.
Me quiero levantar temprano. — I want to get up early.
Voy a ducharme. — I am going to shower.
Me voy a duchar. — I am going to shower.
Learn infinitive forms here: Spanish Infinitive.
Reflexive pronouns with gerunds
With gerunds, the reflexive pronoun can attach to the gerund or go before the conjugated verb. When attached, the gerund often needs a written accent to keep the stress.
Estoy lavándome las manos. — I am washing my hands.
Me estoy lavando las manos. — I am washing my hands.
Está preparándose. — He/she is getting ready.
Se está preparando. — He/she is getting ready.
Learn gerund forms here: Spanish Gerund.
Reflexive pronouns with commands
In affirmative commands, the reflexive pronoun attaches to the end of the command. In negative commands, it goes before the verb.
| Verb | Affirmative command | Negative command | English meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| levantarse | Levántate. | No te levantes. | Get up. / Do not get up. |
| sentarse | Siéntate. | No te sientes. | Sit down. / Do not sit down. |
| prepararse | Prepárate. | No te prepares todavía. | Get ready. / Do not get ready yet. |
| irse | Vete. | No te vayas. | Leave. / Do not leave. |
Learn commands here: Spanish Imperative.
Reflexive vs non-reflexive meaning
Some verbs can be used with or without a reflexive pronoun. Sometimes the meaning stays close. Sometimes it changes clearly.
| Non-reflexive | Reflexive | Meaning difference |
|---|---|---|
| Lavo el coche. | Me lavo. | I wash the car. / I wash myself. |
| Duermo ocho horas. | Me duermo. | I sleep eight hours. / I fall asleep. |
| Voy al trabajo. | Me voy. | I go to work. / I leave. |
| Llamo a mi amigo. | Me llamo Marcos. | I call my friend. / My name is Marcos. |
| Pongo el libro en la mesa. | Me pongo la chaqueta. | I put the book on the table. / I put on the jacket. |
Reflexive pronouns with body parts and clothing
Spanish often uses a reflexive pronoun plus a definite article for body parts and clothing. English often uses a possessive adjective instead.
Me lavo las manos. — I wash my hands.
Te cepillas los dientes. — You brush your teeth.
Se pone la chaqueta. — He/she puts on his/her jacket.
Nos quitamos los zapatos. — We take off our shoes.
Spanish normally says las manos, los dientes, la chaqueta, because the reflexive pronoun already shows whose body part or clothing is meant.
Reflexive and reciprocal meaning
In plural forms, reflexive pronouns can sometimes express reciprocal meaning: “each other” or “one another”.
| Sentence | Possible meaning | How to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Nos vemos. | We see ourselves / We see each other. | Nos vemos el uno al otro. |
| Se ayudan. | They help themselves / They help each other. | Se ayudan entre sí. |
| Nos escribimos. | We write to each other. | Context usually makes this clear. |
If the meaning is unclear, Spanish can add expressions such as el uno al otro, mutuamente or entre sí.
The many uses of se
Se is a reflexive pronoun, but it also appears in several other Spanish structures. On this page, the main focus is reflexive se.
| Use of se | Example | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflexive | Se lava. | He/she washes himself/herself. | Subject and object are the same. |
| Reciprocal | Se ayudan. | They help each other. | Plural reciprocal meaning. |
| Impersonal | Se vive bien aquí. | People live well here. | General statement. |
| Passive-like | Se venden libros. | Books are sold. | Not the same as reflexive action. |
Because se has several uses, context and verb meaning are important.
When to use Spanish reflexive pronouns
Use reflexive pronouns with routine verbs
Use them with verbs such as levantarse, ducharse, vestirse and acostarse.
Me levanto a las siete.
Use reflexive pronouns when the action returns to the subject
The person does the action to himself or herself.
Se mira en el espejo.
Use reflexive forms when the verb meaning requires it
Some reflexive forms have a different meaning from the non-reflexive verb.
Voy. vs Me voy.
Related grammar topics
Spanish Reflexive Verbs
Learn how reflexive pronouns work with verbs such as levantarse, ducharse and llamarse.
Spanish Pronouns
See how reflexive pronouns fit into the wider Spanish pronoun system.
Direct Object Pronouns
Compare me, te, se with direct object pronouns such as lo, la, los and las.
Spanish Infinitive
Learn why reflexive pronouns attach to infinitives: lavarse, levantarme, acostarte.
Spanish Gerund
Practise forms such as me estoy lavando and estoy lavándome.
Sentence Structures
Use reflexive pronouns in statements, questions, commands and negative sentences.
Typical mistakes with Spanish reflexive pronouns
- Using the wrong pronoun for the subject: say yo me levanto, tú te levantas, ella se levanta.
- Forgetting the pronoun: Me llamo Ana needs me; Llamo Ana is incorrect for “My name is Ana”.
- Putting the pronoun after a conjugated verb: say Me levanto, not Levanto me.
- Forgetting attachment with affirmative commands: say Levántate, not Te levanta.
- Confusing reflexive and non-reflexive meanings: ir means “to go”, but irse means “to leave”.
- Using possessive adjectives with body parts too automatically: Spanish often says Me lavo las manos, not mis manos.
Where to go next
After reflexive pronouns, continue with reflexive verbs, direct object pronouns and Spanish infinitives. These topics explain how reflexive pronouns connect with verb meaning, object structure and non-finite verb forms.
Want personal guidance?
If Spanish reflexive pronouns feel confusing, individual guidance can help you practise me, te, se, nos, os, reflexive verbs, daily routines, word order, commands and the difference between reflexive and non-reflexive meanings.
FAQ: Spanish reflexive pronouns
What are Spanish reflexive pronouns?
Spanish reflexive pronouns are me, te, se, nos, os and se. They show that the subject and object refer to the same person or group.
What are the Spanish reflexive pronouns?
The Spanish reflexive pronouns are me for yo, te for tú, se for él/ella/usted, nos for nosotros, os for vosotros and se for ellos/ustedes.
Where do reflexive pronouns go in Spanish?
Reflexive pronouns usually go before a conjugated verb: Me levanto. They can attach to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands: levantarme, lavándome, levántate.
What is the difference between lavar and lavarse?
Lavar means “to wash” something else. Lavarse means “to wash oneself” or to wash a body part: Me lavo las manos.
What does se mean in Spanish?
Se can be a reflexive pronoun for él, ella, usted, ellos, ellas and ustedes. It also appears in other Spanish structures, such as reciprocal, impersonal and passive-like uses.
Can reflexive pronouns attach to Spanish verbs?
Yes. Reflexive pronouns can attach to infinitives, gerunds and affirmative commands: quiero levantarme, estoy lavándome, levántate.
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