B1 · Intermédiaire Chapitre 1

Reflexive Verbs: Actions on Yourself

3 Règles totales
32 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of actions directed back at yourself using Portuguese reflexive pronouns.

  • Identify reflexive verbs by their 'se' ending.
  • Conjugate reflexive pronouns correctly for different subjects.
  • Distinguish between internal states and external actions.
Turn the verb back on yourself!

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Hey friend, ready to level up your Portuguese? This chapter is all about mastering how to talk about actions you perform on yourself. Think of it like a mirror for verbs! Reflexive verbs do just that: they show that the subject and object are the same person. For instance, when you wake up in the morning, how do you get dressed (vestir-se)? Or before heading out with friends, how do you get yourself ready (preparar-se)? These all involve reflexive verbs! You'll get familiar with me, te, se and discover how they make verbs personal. Sometimes verbs describe an action you do externally, but as soon as se joins in, it signals a change in your own state or an action you do for yourself. See? It all connects. Even when you want to say "I'm having fun (divertir-se) or I'm worried (preocupar-se), that little se" always needs to be there to show that *you* are the one having fun or getting worried. You'll stop mixing up getting dressed (vestir-se) with putting on your shoes (calçar); we'll clearly learn these small but crucial differences. By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to confidently describe your daily routines, explain how you get ready for a gathering, or even express your feelings more easily. You'll sound much more like a native speaker, and your sentences will feel incredibly natural. Let's do this!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Describe your morning routine and express personal worries using reflexive verbs.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Hey friend, ready to really level up your Portuguese grammar B1 skills? This chapter is your ultimate guide to mastering reflexive verbs – those fantastic linguistic tools that allow you to talk about actions you perform on yourself. Think of it like holding a mirror up to your verbs!
For B1 Portuguese learners, understanding reflexive verbs is crucial because they are incredibly common in daily conversations. From describing your morning routine to expressing your feelings, these verbs are everywhere. We'll explore the magic of me, te, se and how these little pronouns transform verbs, making your sentences sound far more natural and fluent.
By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently describe how you get dressed (vestir-se), get ready (preparar-se), or even how you have fun (divertir-se), unlocking a whole new level of expressive power in Portuguese.

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, Portuguese reflexive verbs describe an action where the subject is also the object – meaning, you do something to yourself. This mirror effect is achieved using reflexive pronouns: me (myself), te (yourself, informal), se (himself, herself, itself, yourself formal, ourselves, yourselves, themselves). These pronouns always agree with the subject of the verb.
Let's dive into Reflexive Verbs: The Mirror Effect (me, te, se). Consider the verb lavar (to wash). If you say Eu lavo o carro (I wash the car), carro is the object.
But if you wash *yourself*, you use the reflexive form: Eu lavo-me (I wash myself). Notice the -me attached to the verb. In European Portuguese, for affirmative conjugated verbs, the reflexive pronoun usually comes *after* the verb, connected by a hyphen.
For negative sentences, it comes *before*: Eu não me lavo (I don't wash myself).
This brings us to Portuguese Reflexive Verbs: Me, Te, Se (Reflexive vs Non-Reflexive). Many verbs can be used both transitively (with an external object) and reflexively. For example, vestir can mean to wear or to dress someone. But Vestir-se: The Art of Getting Dressed always means to dress oneself. So, Eu visto a camisa (I wear the shirt), but Eu visto-me (I get dressed).
Similarly, Preparar-se: Talking about getting ready is essential. Nós preparamo-nos para a festa (We get ready for the party).
Other common reflexive verbs express states or feelings. For Having Fun in Portuguese: The verb 'Divertir-se', you'd say Eles divertem-se muito (They have a lot of fun). And for How to say I worry (Preocupar-se), it's Eu preocupo-me com o exame (I worry about the exam).
Remember, the se isn't just for third person singular; it's the general reflexive marker for infinitives, adapting to me, te, nos, vos when conjugated.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: Eu visto para sair. (I dress to go out.)
✓ Correct: Eu visto-me para sair. (I get dressed to go out.)
*Explanation:* The verb vestir without the reflexive pronoun typically means to wear or
to dress someone else.
To express the action of getting dressed (dressing oneself), the reflexive pronoun -me is crucial.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: Ele se levanta cedo. (He himself gets up early.)
✓ Correct: Ele levanta-se cedo. (He gets up early.)
*Explanation:* In European Portuguese, when the verb is affirmative and conjugated, the reflexive pronoun typically follows the verb, connected by a hyphen (enclisis). Placing it before the verb (proclisis) is more common in Brazilian Portuguese.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: Nós divertimos na festa. (We had fun at the party.)
✓ Correct: Nós divertimo-nos na festa. (We had fun at the party.)
*Explanation:* The verb divertir-se is inherently reflexive when meaning to have fun. Omitting the reflexive pronoun -nos changes the meaning or makes the sentence grammatically incomplete for this context.

Real Conversations

A

A

O que fazes de manhã antes de ir trabalhar? (What do you do in the morning before going to work?)
B

B

Bem, primeiro, levanto-me cedo e depois lavo-me e visto-me. (Well, first, I get up early and then I wash myself and get dressed.)
A

A

Estás a preparar-te para a viagem? (Are you getting ready for the trip?)
B

B

Sim, estou a preparar-me agora. Tenho que arrumar as malas. (Yes, I'm getting ready now. I have to pack the bags.)
A

A

Eles divertem-se muito quando vão à praia. (They have a lot of fun when they go to the beach.)
B

B

Sim, e também preocupam-se com o sol forte, por isso protegem-se. (Yes, and they also worry about the strong sun, so they protect themselves.)

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the main difference between lavar and lavar-se?

Lavar means to wash something external (e.g., lavar o carro - to wash the car), while lavar-se means to wash oneself (e.g., lavar-me - to wash myself).

Q

Where do I place the reflexive pronoun in Portuguese?

In European Portuguese, it usually comes *after* affirmative conjugated verbs (e.g., levanto-me) and *before* negative verbs (e.g., não me levanto). With infinitives or gerunds, it can attach to the end (e.g., estou a lavar-me).

Q

Are all verbs that end in -se reflexive?

Verbs ending in -se in their infinitive form (like vestir-se) are indeed reflexive. However, not all verbs that *use* se are reflexive (e.g., the impersonal se or passive se constructions). This chapter focuses specifically on reflexive usage.

Q

How do I know if a verb *should* be reflexive?

If the action is performed by the subject *on* the subject itself, it's typically reflexive. For example, if you're getting dressed, you're dressing *yourself*, so it's reflexive. Context and common usage are key!

Cultural Context

Reflexive verbs are incredibly ingrained in daily Portuguese conversation, especially when describing personal routines and states. You'll hear them constantly when people talk about waking up (levantar-se), getting ready (preparar-se), or even just feeling a certain way (sentir-se - to feel oneself). While the placement of reflexive pronouns can differ between European Portuguese (EP) and Brazilian Portuguese (BP) – EP generally prefers enclisis (pronoun after the verb) in affirmative sentences, while BP often uses proclisis (pronoun before the verb) – the core concept of the action reflecting back on the subject remains the same across dialects.
Mastering these verbs will make your Portuguese sound much more natural and authentic, allowing you to express personal actions and feelings with ease.

Exemples clés (2)

1

Eu me levanto às sete da manhã.

Je me lève à sept heures du matin.

Verbes Réfléchis : L'Effet Miroir (me, te, se)
2

Nós nos divertimos muito na festa.

On s'est bien amusés à la fête.

Verbes Réfléchis : L'Effet Miroir (me, te, se)

Conseils et astuces (3)

💬

L'astuce de 'A Gente'

Au Brésil, on utilise souvent 'a gente' pour dire 'nous'. Ça se conjugue comme 'elle', donc on utilise se :
A gente se vê amanhã.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbes Réfléchis : L'Effet Miroir (me, te, se)
⚠️

Le piège du 'De'

Si tu utilises me esqueci ou me lembrei, tu DOIS ajouter de avant l'objet. Dire
Me esqueci o livro
est une erreur, dis plutôt
Me esqueci do livro
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbes réfléchis en portugais : Sens réfléchi ou non réfléchi (me, te, se)
🎯

L'astuce du 'A Gente'

Si tu galères avec 'Nós nos preocupamos', utilise simplement 'A gente se preocupa'. C'est super courant au Brésil et beaucoup plus simple !
A gente se preocupa com você.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comment dire "Je m'inquiète" (Preocupar-se)

Vocabulaire clé (5)

vestir-se to get dressed preocupar-se to worry divertir-se to have fun banhar-se to bathe/take a bath acordar to wake up

Real-World Preview

coffee

Morning Routine

Review Summary

  • Pronoun + Verb
  • Subject + Verb (+ Object)
  • Subject + Pronoun + Preocupar-se

Erreurs courantes

In Portuguese, 'vestir' without a pronoun often requires an object. To say 'I get dressed', you must use the reflexive 'me'.

Wrong: Eu visto.
Correct: Eu me visto.

Emotional verbs like 'preocupar' are almost always used reflexively when referring to oneself.

Wrong: Eu preocupo.
Correct: Eu me preocupo.

When you specify the body part (o rosto), you don't need the reflexive pronoun; the body part acts as the object.

Wrong: Eu me lavo o rosto.
Correct: Eu lavo o rosto.

Next Steps

You've taken the first big step into natural Portuguese. Keep practicing these reflexive forms and they will become second nature!

Describe your routine out loud to a mirror.

Continue to: Reflexive Verbs for Life and Relationships

Pratique rapide (6)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choisis la phrase grammaticalement correcte pour 'J'ai oublié le mot de passe' :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me esqueci da senha.
Si tu utilises le pronom 'me', tu DOIS utiliser la préposition 'de' (de + a = da).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbes réfléchis en portugais : Sens réfléchi ou non réfléchi (me, te, se)

Choisis la phrase qui utilise le bon pronom réfléchi pour 'Nós'.

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos preocupamos com o futuro.
'Nós' doit toujours être accompagné de 'nos'. 'Se' est réservé à la troisième personne.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comment dire "Je m'inquiète" (Preocupar-se)

Remplis le vide avec la bonne préposition.

Eu me preocupo ___ você.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: com
Le verbe 'preocupar-se' demande toujours la préposition 'com' pour introduire l'objet de l'inquiétude.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comment dire "Je m'inquiète" (Preocupar-se)

Corrige l'erreur dans la phrase suivante.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela preocupa com as notas da escola.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela se preocupa com as notas da escola.
On ne peut pas oublier le pronom réfléchi. Pour 'Ela', on utilise obligatoirement 'se'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comment dire "Je m'inquiète" (Preocupar-se)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós mudamos para um apartamento novo ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos mudamos para um apartamento novo ontem.
Quand on parle de déménager, le verbe 'mudar' doit être réfléchi : mudar-se.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbes réfléchis en portugais : Sens réfléchi ou non réfléchi (me, te, se)

Remplis le vide avec la bonne forme réfléchie

Eu ___ (lembrar-se) sempre do seu nome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me lembro
Comme on a 'sempre' (toujours), on utilise le présent réfléchi me lembro. N'oublie pas le pronom !

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbes réfléchis en portugais : Sens réfléchi ou non réfléchi (me, te, se)

Score: /6

Questions fréquentes (6)

Le portugais voit souvent un changement d'état comme une action sur soi. Par exemple : Eu me irritei pour dire que je me suis énervé.
Au Brésil, c'est très courant à l'oral, comme dans
Me dá um café
. Mais attention, c'est considéré comme incorrect dans la grammaire formelle.
Oui, tout à fait ! Dans la vie de tous les jours,
Eu esqueci o nome dele
est très courant. Mais si tu ajoutes le pronom, n'oublie pas le 'de' :
Eu me esqueci do nome dele
.
Vou veut dire que tu vas vers un lieu précis. Vou-me embora signifie que tu quittes l'endroit où tu es. C'est l'idée de 's'en aller' :
Eu já vou-me embora
.
C'est le pronom réfléchi. Il indique que le sujet fait l'action sur lui-même mentalement. Sans lui, la phrase semble incomplète, comme dans Ela se preocupa.
Non, c'est incorrect. Même si on te comprendra, ça sonne 'cassé'. Il faut dire Eu me preocupo.
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Reflexive Verbs for Life and Relationships
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