Learn Spanish

Reflexive Pronouns and Reciprocal Pronouns

The plural direct and indirect object pronouns nos, os, and se can be used reflexively to mean “ourselves”, “yourselves”, and “themselves”; in this case the “doer” and the recipient of the action are the same.

    Él se ama.
    He loves himself.

    Ella se atribuye la culpa.
    She attributes the fault to herself.

    María habla siempre de .[1]
    Mary is always talking about herself.

    Nosotros nos divertimos al mismo tiempo que hacemos negocios.
    We enjoy ourselves at the same time as we do business.

    Ellos se respetan á sí y á otros también.
    They respect themselves and others too.

Footnote 1: After "con" (with) "si" becomes Sigo; same change with
"mí" and "tí": conmigo, contigo, consigo, written in one word.
Reflexives

For reflexives, mismo (misma,mismos,mismas), may be added to the disjunctive form for emphasis, as:

    María habla siempre de sí misma.
    Mary always speaks of herself.

    Ella se atribuye la culpa.
    She attributes the fault to herself.

    Ella se atribuye la culpa á sí.
    She attributes the fault to herself. (more emphatic).

    Ella se atribuye la culpa á sí misma.
    She attributes the fault to herself (still more emphatic).

Reciprocals

For reciprocals, you may use as a clarifyer mutuamente or one of the following:

(el) uno a(l) otro = (to) each other (two persons, male or one male and one female)

(la) una a la otra = (to) each other (two persons, both female)

(los) unos a (los) otros = (to) each other (more than two persons male or all male or male and female)

(las) unas a (las) otras = (to) each other (more than two persons, all female)

Note: The definite article is optional. The preposition a is used in these samples, but is often replaced by other prepositions depending on individual sentence; see the use of con below.
    Ella y yo nos queremos el uno al otro
    She and I love each other.

    Ellas se enojaron y se hicieron daño unas a otras.
    The girls got angry and hurt each other.

    Carmen y los chicos charlaban unos con los otros.
    Carmen and the boys were chatting with one another.



Search for Language Schools by Country

      Search 123TeachMe:

login
home | about | language schools | help | site map | contact
Online Spanish Tutors: try for FREE. Click here for details.