Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive Verbs are tricky and require full understanding before you can start using them.

You have to think of these verbs as actions done to MYSELF, YOURSELF, THEMSELFS.

The way the phrases are constructed are

(can you) TO ME > YOU HELP > THE BICYCLE
(puede) ME > AYUDAS > LA BICICLETA

See how you use the AYADAS (you help) and the start is saying ME (to me). It can be tricky for English speakers because the phrase is reversed, but once you understand the formula, you should be fine.

I have included Indirect Object Pronouns to be treated the same as Reflexive verbs, just for my own simplicity.

INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN EXAMPLES:

Subject	Singular	Plural
Yo	ME (to/for me)	NOS (to/for us)
Tú	TE (to/for you informal)	OS (to/for you informal)
Él, Ella, Usted	LE (to/for you formal, him, her, it)	LES (to/for them, you formal)

In shop you are likely to hear the FORMAL use of LE:

LE (TO YOU) > PUEDO ( I CAN ) > AYUDAR? (TO HELP)

🍺🍸 Puedo > ofrecerTE > una bebida?

REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS

Subject	Pronoun	Verb	Translation
Yo	ME	acuesto	I lie down.
Tú	TE	acuestas	You (informal) lie down.
Él, Ella, Usted	SE	acuesta	He, she, you (formal) lie(s) down.
Nosotros	NOS	acostamos	We lie down.
Vosotros	OS	acostáis	You (plural informal in Spain) lie down.
Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes	SE	acuestan	They (male), they (female), you (plural) lie down.

The reflexive pronoun is positioned before the verb when the verb is conjugated (as seen above)

BUT - Léete ( Read it!) is placed after (and connected to) the verb when the verb is in the infinitive or imperative (giving an order). ¡Vistete! (Get dressed!)

However, if the infinitive verb is preceded by a separate conjugated verb, then the reflexive pronoun can be positioned first. All of the following sentences are correct:

Antes de vestirme, prendo la luz.  (Before getting dressed, I turn on the light.)

Me puedo calmar. 
(I can calm down.)

Puedo calmarme. 

(I can calm down.)