Spanish Reflexive Verbs Explained: Se llama, Me llamo, and Daily Routines

If you’ve seen Spanish verbs like levantarse or phrases like me llamo, you’ve met reflexive verbs.

They look scary at first because you see extra little words:

• Me levanto. (I get up.)
• Se llama Ana. (Her name is Ana.)

But the logic is straightforward:

Reflexive verbs describe actions that happen to the same person who does them.

In this guide you’ll learn:

• What reflexive verbs really mean (in beginner-friendly terms)
• The reflexive pronouns (me/te/se/nos/os/se)
• Where the pronoun goes (before the verb vs attached)
• The most useful reflexive verbs for daily routines
• Practice drills so it becomes automatic

The basic idea: “myself / yourself / himself…”

English uses reflexives like:

• I wash myself
• She prepares herself

Spanish often uses a reflexive pronoun instead of “myself”:

• Me lavo. (I wash [myself].)
• Se prepara. (He/she gets ready.)

The reflexive pronouns (memorize this list)

• me = myself
• te = yourself (informal)
• se = himself/herself/yourself (formal) / themselves
• nos = ourselves
• os = yourselves (Spain)

So:

• Yo me levanto. (I get up.)
• Tú te levantas. (You get up.)
• Ella se levanta. (She gets up.)

Where does the pronoun go?

There are two common positions:

1) Before a conjugated verb (most common)

• Me levanto.
• Se llama Carlos.

2) Attached to an infinitive or gerund

When you have a second verb (like querer, ir a, estar), you can attach it:

• *Voy a levantarme* / Me voy a levantar. (I’m going to get up.)
• *Estoy bañándome* / Me estoy bañando. (I’m bathing.)

Both are correct. Beginners can default to “pronoun before verb” and still sound natural.

The famous example: Me llamo / Se llama

This is one of the first reflexive patterns learners use.

• Me llamo Alex. (My name is Alex. / I call myself Alex.)
• ¿Cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?)
• Se llama Ana. (Her name is Ana.)

Why is it reflexive?

Literally, it’s “I call myself…” That’s why the pronoun is required.

Daily routine verbs (high ROI vocabulary)

Reflexives appear constantly in morning/night routines. Here are the most useful ones:

• levantarse (to get up)
• acostarse (to go to bed)
• ducharse (to shower)
• bañarse (to bathe)
• lavarse (to wash)
• cepillarse (to brush)
• vestirse (to get dressed)
• afeitarse (to shave)
• maquillarse (to put on makeup)

Example mini-story:

Me levanto, me ducho, me visto y me voy al trabajo.
(I get up, shower, get dressed, and go to work.)

️ Not all “se verbs” are truly reflexive

You’ll notice many verbs ending with -se, but not all mean “do it to yourself.”

Sometimes it’s “change of state” or “involuntary”

Common examples:

• irse (to leave / go away)
• quedarse (to stay)
• dormirse (to fall asleep)

These don’t translate directly to “myself,” but they still use the same pronouns. For beginners, it’s enough to treat them as “verbs that need a pronoun.”

Example:

• Me voy. (I’m leaving.)
• Nos quedamos aquí. (We’re staying here.)

Body parts: why Spanish often says “me lavo las manos”

Here’s a pattern that surprises English speakers:

• Me lavo las manos. (I wash my hands.)
• Te cepillas los dientes. (You brush your teeth.)

Spanish typically uses:

• a reflexive/indirect pronoun (me/te/se/nos…) to mark “to me”
• the article (las/los) for the body part

So instead of “my hands,” it’s literally “I wash the hands to myself.”

This is incredibly common and worth copying as a chunk.

Same verb, different meaning: ir vs irse, llevar vs llevarse

Some Spanish verbs change meaning when they become “pronominal” (with se):

• ir = to go
  Voy al trabajo. (I go to work.)
• irse = to leave / to go away
  Me voy. (I’m leaving.)

Another common one:

• llevar = to carry / to wear
  Llevo una chaqueta. (I’m wearing a jacket.)
• llevarse = to take (away) / to get along
  Me lo llevo. (I’ll take it.)
  Me llevo bien con ella. (I get along with her.)

You don’t need all of these right away—just recognize that “-se” sometimes marks a meaning shift, not literally “myself.”

A simple habit that makes reflexives easier

When you learn a new verb, learn it in a chunk:

• me levanto
• me llamo
• me voy

This prevents you from forgetting the pronoun later.

Mini drills (build fluency)

Fill in the pronoun:

1. Yo ___ llamo Marta.
2. ¿Tú ___ duchas por la mañana?
3. Él ___ acuesta temprano.
4. Nosotros ___ vamos ahora.

Answers:

1. me
2. te
3. se
4. nos

Now try saying these out loud:

• Me levanto temprano.
• Me acuesto tarde.
• Me baño después del trabajo.

A tiny routine paragraph (try reading it out loud)

Me levanto a las siete. Me lavo la cara, me cepillo los dientes y me visto. Después me voy al trabajo. Por la noche me ducho y me acuesto temprano.

Reading a short routine like this is one of the fastest ways to make reflexives feel natural.

Summary (the one‑minute version)

• Reflexive verbs often describe actions you do to yourself
• Pronouns: me/te/se/nos/os/se
• Pronoun usually goes before the conjugated verb
• Learn reflexives as chunks: me llamo, me levanto, me voy

Once reflexives become automatic, Spanish starts feeling much more “clean” and predictable.

Quick FAQ

Where do I put the pronoun with an infinitive?

Both placements are common:

• Me voy a duchar.
• Voy a ducharme.

Same idea with querer or poder: Quiero acostarme / Me quiero acostar.

Is every verb with -se reflexive?

No. Sometimes -se marks a meaning shift (ir → irse), a “happening” feeling, or a different verb. Treat many -se verbs as vocabulary items you learn in chunks.

Is me llamo literally “I call myself”?

Yes—literally. But in real Spanish it’s the normal everyday way to say “My name is…”