Note: This page contains instructions ranging from basic to advanced, covering the entire concept of reflexive verbs in the Spanish language.  As a first semester student you are not expected to learn everything on this page, but it should be helpful to students who understand the basic material in chapter 5 of Vistas.  This topic is reviewed in all four semesters of Spanish language learning here at MCTC.  It is also helpful to start off by looking at the page on Object Pronouns.

Reflexive verbs are indicated in your text book or in the dictionary by the presence of the pronoun "se" attached to the end of the infinitive.  

MANY verbs can be used as reflexive, or as non-reflexive, depending on the context.  For example:   

Me lavo las manos.   (I wash my hands) subject = I, reflexive object = me, direct object = hands.
¿Por qué te las lavas?  Note that the reflexive and direct object pronouns are both present here.  

OR

Lavo el coche.  Subject = yo, direct object = car.   
La madre lava a su nena.  (The mother washes her baby) Subject = mother, direct object = baby.
Le lavo las orejas a mi gato.  (I wash my cat's ears) Indirect object = cat, direct object = ears, I = subject

Me aburro en la clase.  (I get bored in the class)  reflexive structure.

Esa clase me aburre.  (that class bores me)  indirect object structure just like GUSTAR.  

You can also do an action FOR somebody using an indirect object pronoun, and do it for yourself using a reflexive: 

Me compré un coche nuevo porque el otro ya no servía.  (I bought myself a new car because the other one wasn't any good any more) Reflexive structure.

Mi padre me compró un coche.  (My father bought me a car.) Indirect object structure.

Beginning students may wish to stop here--things get more advanced below...

Unlike English, reflexive verb structures are very common.

Printable MS Word version

Basically, they have four primary functions:

1. To express an action that is done by the subject to him/her/itself.  The action may be done for the sake of him/her/itself too--to do oneself a favor, buy oneself a gift.  Other such reflexive verbs are not very logical to English speakers.
   
2. To express a process of becoming, or a change of state.
   
3. To express an action that is done reciprocally between two people or things.
   
4. To add stress, interest, emphasis or change the shade of meaning on a verb.

Second year students should also look at impersonal/passive se/passive voice, and the ser vs estar pages.  

In group #1, these verbs tend to be fairly obvious, though they are often unlike the English structures.

In group #2, the reflexive structure is used instead of the common English structure of "to get + adjective"  (They got sick).  Notice that the adjective is recognizable in the verb.

Or, it is used instead of the verb "become" when followed by a noun.

enfermarse, emborracharse, mojarse, aburrirse, preocuparse, cansarse, envejecerse, jubilarse, entusiasmarse, animarse, entristecerse, alegrarse, 

In group #3, reciprocal reflexive.  the reflexive structure is used to describe an action in which the subject and object are mutually interchangeable, but not identical.  There isn’t a limit to this group.  If it makes sense to have people do an action to each other, it can be reflexive.

In group #4, Dative of interest--the verb picks up a different or slightly different meaning because of the addition of the reflexive pronoun.

A Partial Verb List:

Group #1 

Acordarse de (ue), acostarse, afeitarse, bañarse, cepillarse, despedirse, despertarse, desvestirse, ducharse, lavarse, levantarse, llamarse, maquillarse, peinarse, pintarse, preocuparse, probarse, quitarse, secarse, sentarse (ie), vestirse

Idiomatic and odd: acercarse a, arrepentirse, atreverse, burlarse de, caerse, convertirse en, divertirse, darse cuenta de (que), enterarse de, fijarse en, imaginarse, jactarse de, morirse de, moverse, mudarse a suicidarse,  quejarse de, reírse de, sentirse, sorprenderse

Also:  Llevarse bien/mal – to get along well with   Llevárselo – to take it with you (buy it & take it)

Group #2 (to get + adjective, to become + adjective)

aburrirse = to get bored   *  alegrarse = to get happy
animarse = to get excited *  avergonzarse = to become ashamed
cansarse = to get tired   *  congelarse = to freeze     
derretirse = to melt (ice, ice cream)
empeorarse = get worse  *  enloquecerse = to craze, to make crazy    
enojarse = to get angry  *  enriquecerse = to enrich   
entristecerse = to become sad, sadden  *  envejecerse = to get old  
entusiasmarse = to get excitbed
fundirse = to melt (metal) *  jubilarse = to retire
madurarse = to mature   *   mejorarse = to get better  *  Mojarse = to get wet
preocuparse de/con = to worry, become worried

to become + noun:   ponerse (emotional or health conditions)  
hacerse or convertirse en (convert, change into) for most other purposes.  
Llegar a ser (arrive to being at the end of a long process of becoming--implies effort)

Group #3 (Reciprocal-Mutual Reflexive)  Many verbs can be used reciprocally.  Typical ones would be:  verse, mirarse, hablarse

Group #4 (Dative of Interest)

irse - leave, split, take off     *   dormirse - fall asleep

quedarse - stay (for sentient beings)  *  quedar – to be located or to lie in a spot (like estar)

comerse - gobble down    *    morirse - pass away