§ What 'Cepillarse' Means
Let's get straight to it. The Spanish verb cepillarse means 'to brush oneself'. It's a reflexive verb, which just means the action reflects back on the person doing it. Think about it: when you brush your teeth, you're brushing *your own* teeth. When you brush your hair, you're brushing *your own* hair. That 'se' at the end of cepillarse is the key.
- DEFINITION
- To brush oneself (e.g., hair, teeth).
§ Common Uses of 'Cepillarse'
You'll hear and use cepillarse most often in two main contexts: brushing your teeth and brushing your hair. Let's look at examples.
§ Brushing Teeth
This is probably the most frequent use. You'll say cepillarse los dientes (to brush one's teeth).
Necesito cepillarme los dientes antes de ir a dormir. (I need to brush my teeth before going to sleep.)
Ella siempre se cepilla los dientes después de cada comida. (She always brushes her teeth after every meal.)
§ Brushing Hair
Another common situation is brushing your hair. Here you'll use cepillarse el pelo or cepillarse el cabello.
Cada mañana, ella se cepilla el pelo cuidadosamente. (Every morning, she brushes her hair carefully.)
¿Puedes cepillarte el cabello antes de salir? (Can you brush your hair before leaving?)
§ 'Cepillarse' vs. 'Cepillar'
It's important to understand the difference between cepillarse and its non-reflexive cousin, cepillar.
Cepillarse: To brush oneself. The action returns to the subject. (e.g., I brush my teeth.)
Cepillar: To brush something or someone else. The action is directed outwards. (e.g., I brush the dog.)
Yo me cepillo el pelo cada día. (I brush my hair every day.)
Yo cepillo a mi perro. (I brush my dog.)
See the difference? When you're brushing yourself, you use cepillarse. When you're brushing someone or something else, you use cepillar.
§ Why Reflexive Verbs are Important Here
Many daily routine verbs in Spanish are reflexive, just like cepillarse. Things like getting dressed, showering, or waking up often involve this 'se'. Mastering cepillarse is a great first step to understanding this common grammatical structure.
So, when someone asks you what you do in the morning, now you can confidently say: Me cepillo los dientes y el pelo. (I brush my teeth and my hair.)
발음 가이드
- Pronouncing the 'll' sound like a hard 'l' instead of a 'y' sound.
- Forgetting the reflexive pronoun 'se'.
셀프 테스트 12 질문
Write two sentences describing your morning routine, including when you brush your teeth and when you brush your hair. Use 'cepillarse'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Por la mañana, me despierto y me cepillo los dientes. Después, me cepillo el pelo antes de salir.
Imagine you are giving advice to a friend about good hygiene. Write two sentences telling them they should brush their teeth and hair daily. Use 'cepillarse'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Para tener buena higiene, debes cepillarte los dientes cada día. También es importante cepillarte el pelo todos los días.
Write a short note to your sibling reminding them to brush their teeth before bed. Use 'cepillarse' in your note.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Hola, no olvides cepillarte los dientes antes de dormir. ¡Buenas noches!
¿Qué hace Ana después de ducharse?
Read this passage:
Ana tiene una rutina diaria muy ocupada. Por la mañana, ella se levanta temprano para ir a trabajar. Primero, se ducha y luego se cepilla los dientes. Después, se cepilla el pelo rápidamente antes de tomar su café. Le gusta estar lista a tiempo.
¿Qué hace Ana después de ducharse?
El pasaje dice: 'Primero, se ducha y luego se cepilla los dientes.'
El pasaje dice: 'Primero, se ducha y luego se cepilla los dientes.'
¿Por qué la abuela se cepilla el pelo con cuidado?
Read this passage:
Cada noche, antes de acostarse, mi abuela siempre se cepilla el pelo con cuidado. Dice que es importante para mantenerlo fuerte y brillante. También se cepilla los dientes por dos minutos, siguiendo el consejo de su dentista.
¿Por qué la abuela se cepilla el pelo con cuidado?
El pasaje explica: 'Dice que es importante para mantenerlo fuerte y brillante.'
El pasaje explica: 'Dice que es importante para mantenerlo fuerte y brillante.'
¿Según el texto, cuántas veces al día debemos cepillarnos los dientes?
Read this passage:
En la escuela, aprendemos sobre la importancia de la higiene personal. Nos dicen que debemos cepillarnos los dientes tres veces al día y cepillarnos el pelo todas las mañanas. Estas acciones nos ayudan a estar sanos y presentables.
¿Según el texto, cuántas veces al día debemos cepillarnos los dientes?
El pasaje indica: 'Nos dicen que debemos cepillarnos los dientes tres veces al día.'
El pasaje indica: 'Nos dicen que debemos cepillarnos los dientes tres veces al día.'
This phrase means 'to brush one's teeth after eating'. 'Cepillarse' is the reflexive verb, followed by the article 'los' (the), the noun 'dientes' (teeth), and then the adverbial phrase 'después de comer' (after eating).
This means 'She wants to brush her hair'. 'Ella' (she) is the subject, 'quiere' (wants) is the conjugated verb, and 'cepillarse el pelo' (to brush one's hair) is the infinitive phrase acting as the object of 'quiere'.
This translates to 'I need to brush my hair now'. 'Necesito' (I need) is the conjugated verb. 'Cepillarme' is the reflexive infinitive 'cepillarse' with the 'me' (myself) attached, indicating the action is performed on oneself. 'El pelo' (the hair) is the object, and 'ahora' (now) is an adverb of time.
/ 12 correct
Perfect score!
예시
Siempre me cepillo los dientes antes de dormir.
관련 콘텐츠
daily_life 관련 단어
a menudo
A1Frequently; on many occasions.
abonar
A2To pay, to subscribe; to make a payment or subscribe to a service.
abreviar
B1To shorten (a word, phrase, or text).
abrigo
A1Coat.
abril
A1April
acercarse
A2To move closer to someone or something.
acompañar
A2To go somewhere with (someone) as a companion or escort.
acostar
A2To put someone to bed.
acostarse
A1To go to bed, to lie down for sleep.
acostumbrarse
B1To get used to a situation or habit.
