Reflexive Verbs in Different Tenses

Think of a reflexive verb as a loop. The action starts with the subject and circles right back. If I say Eu lavo o carro, I am washing the car. The car is the victim of my cleaning. But if I say Eu me lavo, I am the one getting wet. The subject (Eu) and the object (me) are the same person. In Portuguese, we call these verbos reflexivos.

You also use these for reciprocal actions. This is when two people do something to each other. Think of it like a grammar high-five. If you and a friend see each other, you use the reflexive form. It is also common for "accidental" or "inherent" actions. Some verbs are just born reflexive. They do not feel right without their pronoun buddy.

1. 1To build these, you need the verb and the matching reflexive pronoun. Here is the breakdown of the pronouns you will need:
2. 2Eu → me (myself)
3. 3Tu → te (yourself - informal)
4. 4Ele/Ela/Você → se (himself/herself/yourself)
5. 5Nós → nos (ourselves)
6. 6Vós → vos (yourselves - mostly in Portugal or old books)
7. 7Eles/Elas/Vocês → se (themselves/yourselves)
8. 8Now, where does the pronoun go? This is where it gets spicy.
9. 9In Brazilian Portuguese (BP), you usually put the pronoun before the verb.
10. 10Eu me chamo João.
11. 11In European Portuguese (EP), the pronoun usually goes after the verb with a hyphen.
12. 12Eu chamo-me João.
13. 13However, in all versions of Portuguese, certain "magnetic" words pull the pronoun to the front. We call this Proclisis. These magnets include:
14. 14Negative words: Não, nunca, jamais.
15. 15Question words: Quem, que, quando.
16. 16Relative pronouns: Que.
17. 17Some adverbs: Sempre, já, talvez.

You will use these in almost every daily scenario.

• Daily Routines: If you are waking up (acordar-se), getting dressed (vestir-se), or brushing your teeth (pentear-se), you are using reflexives. It is your "getting ready" starter pack.
• Emotions and States: Feelings often use reflexives. If you feel tired (sentir-se cansado) or get bored (entediar-se), the pronoun tells us it is your internal state.
• Change of State: Moving from one state to another. For example, sitting down (sentar-se) or falling asleep (adormecer-se).
• Reciprocal Actions: When you meet someone (encontrar-se) or get married (casar-se), it takes two to tango (and two to use the reflexive se or nos).
• Meaning Changes: Some verbs change completely when reflexive. Ir is "to go," but Ir-se is "to leave/go away." It is like the difference between walking to a shop and storming out of a room.

Do not use a reflexive pronoun if the action is going to someone else. This is the biggest trap for learners.

• Correct: Eu me lavo. (I wash myself.)
• Incorrect: Eu me lavo o bebê. (This sounds like you are washing yourself the baby. It makes no sense!)
• Correct: Eu lavo o bebê. (I wash the baby.)

If there is a clear object that is not you, drop the me, se, or nos. Also, avoid over-using them with parts of the body if the context is already clear. In English, we say "I wash my hands." In Portuguese, we say Lavo as mãos (I wash the hands). Adding a me (Eu me lavo as mãos) is possible but often redundant unless you want to be super emphatic.

1. 1The Ghost Pronoun: Forgetting the pronoun entirely. If you say Eu levanto às 8h, it sounds like you are physically lifting something at 8 AM. You need the me to show you are getting out of bed.
2. 2Hyphen Horror: In Portugal, people forget the hyphen or put it in the wrong place. Remember: Verb-Pronoun (Lavo-me).
3. 3Magnet Ignorance: Putting the pronoun after the verb when there is a Não. Não lavo-me is a big no-no. It must be Não me lavo.
4. 4Wrong Pronoun: Using se for everyone. It is tempting to make se the universal pronoun, but Eu always needs me. Using se for yourself is a classic sign you have had one too many caipirinhas.

Reflexive verbs look a lot like the Passive Se.

• Reflexive: O homem cortou-se. (The man cut himself. He was clumsy with the knife.)
• Passive: Vendem-se casas. (Houses are sold. The houses aren't selling themselves; someone is selling them.)

At the B1 level, the main difference is the subject. If the subject is a person doing something they can actually do to themselves, it is reflexive. If the subject is an inanimate object (like a house), it is likely the passive se or an impersonal expression.

Also, contrast with Direct Object Pronouns.

• Eu o vejo. (I see him.)
• Eu me vejo. (I see myself.)

The reflexive pronoun is a mirror; the object pronoun is a telescope looking at someone else.