#229 – Reflexive Verbs in Spanish Reciprocal Actions

Reflexive verbs in Spanish Reciprocal Actions
They love each other!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post 229/365
Es viernes, 10 de noviembre de 2017

Hola,

¿Cómo estás?

Espero que estés bien. Hoy es viernes. Ya llega el fin de semana.

 

Hemos estado estudiando los verbos reflexivos. Ya hemos mirado los siguientes usos:

# 1. La rutina diaria

# 2. El ‘se’ impersonal y la voz pasiva

Hoy aprendemos uso #3 – los verbos reflexivos y las acciones recíprocas

 

Reflexive Verbs in Spanish Reciprocal Actions

 

 

I love reflexive verbs and all they do for our speech and conversation. This is one of my favorite uses.

Yesterday we studied la voz pasiva we saw that we always use the ‘se’ and the 3rd person singular and the 3rd person plural of the verb.

 

In this use – reciprocal actions – we’ll use only the plural forms because … it takes two!

We’ll be using only the…

nos and nosotros form of the verb and the

se and the ellos/ellas/Uds. form of the verb.

 

In order to have a reciprocal action you need two or more people.

In this use, we can actually make any verb reflexive.

 

 

Reciprocal Actions

 

Ejemplos:

Antonio y Panchita se quieren. – A.  &  P. love each other.

 

Nos amamos mucho. – We love each other so much.

Note that both querer y amar mean to love.

 

Mis amigos y yo nos vemos los sábados. – My friends and I see each other on Saturdays.

 

Julie y yo nos conocemos bien. – Julie and I know each other well.

 

Ellos no se conocen. – They don’t know each other.

 

Notice the use of ‘each other‘ in English. The Spanish reflexive construction gives us that.

We could also express that by adding: el uno al otro o la una a la otra = each other

Jorge y Alex se entienden el uno al otro. – J.  & A. understand each other.

 

 

Práctica: Traducción

We know each other.
They know each other.

 

We call each other.
They don’t call each other.

 

We see each other.
They see each other.

 

We love each other.
They love each other.

 

We write each other.
They write each other.

 

Action steps: Read the above examples a couple of times and then do the Práctica.  See the translation below if you’d like.
We’ll continue this, be sure to come back!

 

Leave me a comment and let’s talk to each other. 😉

 

Gracias y nos vemos mañana,
Carolina

 

Práctica: Traducción

We know each other. – Nos conocemos.
They know each other. – Ellos se conocen.

 

We call each other. – Nos llamamos.
They don’t call each other. – Ellos no se llaman.

 

We see each other. – Nos vemos.
They see each other. – Ellos se ven.

 

We love each other. – Nos queremos/amamos.
They love each other. – Ellos se quieren/aman.

 

We write each other. – Nos escribimos.
They write each other. – Se escriben.