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Spanish Verbs and Their Reflexive Forms

A verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same. Many verbs in Spanish can be used either normally or reflexively, with subtly different meanings.

Here is a list of Spanish verbs that can be used reflexively that also have a non-reflexive usage:


aburrir v. to annoy, to bore

aburrirse v. to be bored, to be annoyed, to get bored


acercar v. to bring near, to place near

acercarse v. to approach, to draw near


acordar v. to agree (upon)

acordarse v. to remember


acostar v. to put to bed

acostarse v. to go to bed, to lie down


acostumbrar v. to be in the habit of, to be accustomed

acostumbrarse v. to get use to


adaptar v. to adapt

adaptarse v. to adapt


adaptar v. to adapt

adaptarse v. to adapt to


adelantar v. to advance, to progress

adelantarse v. to go forward, to go ahead, to take the lead


afeitar v. to shave

afeitarse v. to shave oneself, to shave


aficionar v. to interest in

aficionarse v. to become fond of


afligir v. to afflict, to pain

afligirse v. to get upset


aislar v. to separate, to detach, to isolate

aislarse v. to isolate oneself


alegrar v. to cheer up, to liven up, to stoke

alegrarse v. to be glad, to rejoice


alojar v. to billet, to accommodate

alojarse v. to stay (in a place)


alumbrar v. to illuminate, to light

alumbrarse v. to get high, to get tipsy


apasionar v. to be passionate about

apasionarse v. to be passionate about, to get excited


apoderar v. to empower, to authorize

apoderarse v. to take power, to take possession, to seize


apresurar v. to accelerate, to hurry, to speed up, to quicken

apresurarse v. to hasten, to hurry, to rush, to make haste


aprovechar v. to make use of, to progress, to use, to make the most of

aprovecharse v. to take advantage, to avail oneself, to make use of, to take advantage of



apurar v. to annoy, to exhaust, to tease, to purify, to consume, to use up, to embarrass, to rush, to finish off, to put pressure on

apurarse v. to worry, to fret, to grieve, to hurry, to get upset


asimilar v. to assimilate

asimilarse v. to become assimilated


asimilar v. to assimilate

asimilarse v. to resemble


asustar v. to frighten, to scare

asustarse v. to be scared


avasallar v. to subjugate

avasallarse v. to submit


avejentar v. to age, to make one look older

avejentarse v. to age


basar v. to base

basarse v. to be based on


bañar v. to bathe

bañarse v. to bathe oneself, to take a bath


broncear v. to tan, to bronze

broncearse v. to tan oneself, to tan, to bronze, to get a tan


caer v. to fall

caerse v. to fall, to fall down, to tumble


cansar v. to tire

cansarse v. to become tired, to get tired


casar v. to marry off

casarse v. to marry, to get married


cepillar v. to brush

cepillarse v. to brush oneself


clasificar v. to classify, to sort

clasificarse v. to place (in a competition), to qualify (for a contest), to place (in a race)


comprometer v. to reserve, to invest, to compromise, to jeopardize, to implicate in

comprometerse v. to commit oneself, to get engaged, to make a commitment


condenar v. to sentence, to condemn, to damn, to wall up, to confict

condenarse v. to blame oneself, to confess, to be damned


conducir v. to lead, to drive, to conduct

conducirse v. to behave, to conduct oneself


conformar v. to authorize, to shape, to make up, to reconcile, to agree (with)

conformarse v. to be happy (with), to comply (with), to take the form (of)


congregar v. to bring together

congregarse v. to gather, to congregate


considerar v. to consider

considerarse v. to consider oneself


cuidar v. to take care of, to look after

cuidarse v. to take care of oneself, to look after oneself, to be careful


debatir v. to discuss, to debate

debatirse v. to struggle


decantar v. to decant, to praise, to pour out

decantarse v. to move (towards), to choose (something)


declarar v. to declare

declararse v. to declare oneself


declarar v. to declare

declararse v. to plead guilty


dedicar v. to consecrate, to dedicate

dedicarse v. to devote oneself, to devote oneself (to)


dedicar v. to consecrate, to dedicate

dedicarse v. to devote oneself to, to dedicate oneself to


derrumbar v. to knock down, to demolish, to overturn

derrumbarse v. to collapse, to fall down, to cave in


desactivar v. to defuse, to deactivate, to neutralize

desactivarse v. to be disabled


desarrollar v. to expand, to carry out, to develop

desarrollarse v. to take place, to develop, to reach puberty, to reach maturity


desatar v. to undo, to untie, to dissolve, to unleash, to trigger

desatarse v. to break out, to flare up, to come undone


desayunar v. to breakfast, to have breakfast, to eat breakfast

desayunarse v. to have breakfast


despertar v. to enliven, to awaken (someone)

despertarse v. to wake oneself up, to wake up


desprestigiar v. to disparage, to discredit

desprestigiarse v. to lose one's prestige


destacar v. to emphasize, to highlight

destacarse v. to stand out


desvelar v. to solve, to reveal, to keep awake

desvelarse v. to be watchful, to be unable to get to sleep


deteriorar v. to damage

deteriorarse v. to get damaged


disculpar v. to excuse, to pardon (someone), to forgive

disculparse v. to apologize, to excuse (oneself)


disolver v. to dissolve, to break up

disolverse v. to dissolve, to break up


disparar v. to shoot, to fire, to set off, to take (a photograph), to trigger, to fire (a gun)

dispararse v. to shoot up, to go off, to take hold


divertir v. to entertain

divertirse v. to have a good time, to enjoy oneself


dominar v. to stand out, to control, to dominate, to overpower

dominarse v. to control oneself


dormir v. to sleep

dormirse v. to fall asleep


duplicar v. to double, to copy, to duplicate

duplicarse v. to double


emborrachar v. to make drunk

emborracharse v. to get drunk


embotellar v. to bottle

embotellarse v. to get caught in traffic


embriagar v. to intoxicate, to make drunk

embriagarse v. to get drunk, to become intoxicated


embrollar v. to involve, to muddle

embrollarse v. to get into a muddle


empadronar v. to register, to take a census of

empadronarse v. to register


encarnar v. to bait, to personify

encarnarse v. to become incarnate


encontrar v. to meet, to encounter, to find

encontrarse v. to meet, to find, to collide, to be, to feel


enfadar v. to anger

enfadarse v. to become angry, to get angry, to get upset


enfermar v. to get sick, to fall ill

enfermarse v. to get sick


enganchar v. to hook, to connect, to harness, to nab, to recruit, to rope in

engancharse v. to enlist, to join up, to get hooked (on), to engage (with)


enmarcar v. to frame

enmarcarse v. to be part of, to make up a part of


enojar v. to annoy, to irritate

enojarse v. to get angry


entregar v. to give, to hand over, to deliver, to turn, to hand in

entregarse v. to give in, to surrender, to devote oneself wholly


entrevistar v. to interview

entrevistarse v. to meet, to meet with


entusiasmar v. to delight, to excite, to enthuse

entusiasmarse v. to get excited, to get enthusiastic


erigir v. to build, to establish, to erect, to set up as

erigirse v. to set oneself up as


estabilizar v. to stabilize

estabilizarse v. to become stable


establecer v. to establish

establecerse v. to settle, to set up (a business), to get settled, to get established


exhibir v. to exhibit, to put on display

exhibirse v. to show oneself off, to expose oneself


expandir v. to expand, to enlarge, to spread

expandirse v. to expand, to spread


explicar v. to explain

explicarse v. to explain, to explain oneself


fijar v. to clinch, to fasten, to secure, to establish, to fix, to set

fijarse v. to take notice, to pay attention, to notice


formalizar v. to draw up, to formalize, to formulate

formalizarse v. to take offense, to grow serious, to be put in order


fracturar v. to fracture

fracturarse v. to fracture


frenar v. to slow down, to break

frenarse v. to restrain oneself


girar v. to turn around, to send, to turn, to revolve, to spin, to do business

girarse v. to turn around


hallar v. to find, to come across

hallarse v. to be (in a place), to feel (a particular way), to be in a certain place, to be in a certain condition


inclinar v. to lean, to tilt, to incline

inclinarse v. to lean, to bend, to stoop, to be inclined


incorporar v. to involve, to incorporate, to embody

incorporarse v. to sit up


incorporar v. to involve, to incorporate, to embody

incorporarse v. to join


infiltrar v. to infiltrate

infiltrarse v. to filter, to permeate, to infiltrate


ir v. to go

irse v. to go away


jubilar v. to discard, to retire (someone)

jubilarse v. to retire


lamentar v. to regret, to lament, to bemoan

lamentarse v. to complain, to mourn, to lament


lanzar v. to throw, to hurl, to fling, to launch

lanzarse v. to throw oneself, to hurtle, to take the plunge


lavar v. to wash

lavarse v. to wash oneself


levantar v. to lift, to raise

levantarse v. to get up, to rise, to stand up


llamar v. to call, to name, name, first name

llamarse v. to be called, to be named


llevar v. to wear, to carry (away), to take (away), to take, to carry

llevarse v. to take, to win, to suffer, to wash away, to be in fashion


manifestar v. to declare, to show

manifestarse v. to demonstrate, to be apparent, to be evident


meter v. to put, to take in, to involve, to score

meterse v. to become, to interfere, to go into


mudar v. to change

mudarse v. to change one's clothes, to move (to a new house), to move (residence)


negar v. to deny

negarse v. to deny, to refuse to


operar v. to bring about, to effect, to operate, to operate on, to use, to do business

operarse v. to occur, to come about, to have an operation


peinar v. to comb

peinarse v. to comb one's hair


perfilar v. to outline, to streamline

perfilarse v. to take shape, to show one's profile, to be silhouetted


pesar v. to weigh, to be heavy

pesarse v. to weigh oneself


poner v. to put, to place, to upload

ponerse v. to dress oneself, to put on (clothing), to set (sun)


portar v. to wear, to carry

portarse v. to behave


portar v. to wear, to carry

portarse v. to behave


portar v. to wear, to carry

portarse v. to misbehave


presentar v. to display, to introduce, to present, to show

presentarse v. to introduce oneself, to apply for, to turn up, to show up


producir v. to cause, to produce, to create

producirse v. to take place, to occur


prolongar v. to extend, to produce, to prolong

prolongarse v. to extend, to go on


quedar v. to remain, to be left, to be located

quedarse v. to remain, to stay, to remember, to take, to become, to keep, to stay (in a place), to remain (in a place)


recuperar v. to regain, to recover, to restore

recuperarse v. to recover (from)


referir v. to refer, to relate

referirse v. to refer to


relacionar v. to connect, to list

relacionarse v. to be connected, to be related, to mix with (socially)


respetar v. to observe, to respect, to conserve

respetarse v. to have self-respect, to respect oneself, to respect each other


reunir v. to gather, to join, to join together, to assemble

reunirse v. to gather, to meet, to assemble, to get together, to reunite, to conspire


rodear v. to enclose, to surround, to encircle

rodearse v. to turn round, to surround oneself (with)


saludar v. to greet, to salute

saludarse v. to greet each other


salvar v. to save

salvarse v. to escape, to be saved, to be an exception


seguir v. to continue, to pursue, to follow, to go, to keep on going, go

seguirse v. to follow


sentar v. to seat, to establish, to place, to sit

sentarse v. to sit down


sentir v. to regret, to feel, to sense, to feel sorry

sentirse v. to feel (well), to feel (ill), to feel (an emotion)


situar v. to put, to place, to find, to invest

situarse v. to position oneself, to be set, to do well for oneself


someter v. to subdue

someterse v. to surrender oneself, to comply with, to submit to


sorprender v. to astonish, to surprise

sorprenderse v. to be surprised


suceder v. to happen

sucederse v. to follow one another


suicidar v. to murder (making it look like suicide)

suicidarse v. to commit suicide


superar v. to overcome, to go beyond, to surpass

superarse v. to excel oneself, to excel


suscribir v. to sign, to endorse, to underwrite

suscribirse v. to subscribe (to)


tatuar v. to tattoo

tatuarse v. to get a tattoo


temer v. to fear, to dread

temerse v. to be feared that


tranquilizar v. to calm down

tranquilizarse v. to calm down


ver v. to see

verse v. to find oneself, to look (a particular way), to see oneself, to imagine oneself



vestir v. to dress

vestirse v. to dress oneself, to get dressed


vincular v. to bind, to link

vincularse v. to be linked, to link oneself to


volcar v. to upset, to knock over, to overturn, to capsize

volcarse v. to be upset, to be overturned, to do one's utmost