Introduction
You already know reflexive verbs (lavarse = to wash oneself). But many Spanish verbs gain a completely different meaning when you add se (or the corresponding pronoun). Ir means "to go," but irse means "to leave." Poner means "to put," but ponerse means "to put on (clothes)" or "to become." This lesson covers the most important pairs.
How Pronominal Verbs Work
The pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) matches the subject:
- Yo me voy. — I'm leaving.
- Tú te pones nervioso. — You get nervous.
- Ella se fue. — She left.
- Nosotros nos dormimos. — We fell asleep.
Key Verb Pairs
Ir (to go) vs. Irse (to leave / go away)
| ir | irse |
|---|---|
| Voy al cine. (I'm going to the movies.) | Me voy. (I'm leaving.) |
| Fue a Madrid. (He went to Madrid.) | Se fue sin decir nada. (He left without saying anything.) |
Irse emphasizes departure from a place. Ir emphasizes the destination.
Poner (to put) vs. Ponerse (multiple meanings)
| poner | ponerse |
|---|---|
| Puse el libro en la mesa. (I put the book on the table.) | Me puse la chaqueta. (I put on my jacket.) |
| Se puso nervioso. (He got nervous.) | |
| Se puso a llorar. (He started crying.) |
Ponerse can mean:
- To put on (clothing): Me pongo los zapatos.
- To become (emotional/physical change): Se puso rojo.
- To start (ponerse a + infinitive): Se puso a correr.
Dormir (to sleep) vs. Dormirse (to fall asleep)
| dormir | dormirse |
|---|---|
| Dormí ocho horas. (I slept 8 hours.) | Me dormí en el sofá. (I fell asleep on the sofa.) |
Quedar (to remain / to arrange to meet) vs. Quedarse (to stay)
| quedar | quedarse |
|---|---|
| Quedamos a las cinco. (We're meeting at five.) | Me quedé en casa. (I stayed home.) |
| Quedan dos. (There are two left.) | Se quedó dormido. (He fell asleep / stayed asleep.) |
Encontrar (to find) vs. Encontrarse (to meet / feel)
| encontrar | encontrarse |
|---|---|
| Encontré mis llaves. (I found my keys.) | Me encontré con Juan. (I ran into Juan.) |
| ¿Cómo te encuentras? (How do you feel?) |
Llevar (to carry / take) vs. Llevarse (to take away / get along)
| llevar | llevarse |
|---|---|
| Llevo el equipaje. (I'm carrying the luggage.) | Me llevo esto. (I'll take this [with me].) |
| Se llevan muy bien. (They get along very well.) |
Parecer (to seem) vs. Parecerse (to resemble)
| parecer | parecerse |
|---|---|
| Parece difícil. (It seems difficult.) | Se parece a su madre. (She looks like her mother.) |
Volver (to return) vs. Volverse (to become / turn around)
| volver | volverse |
|---|---|
| Volvió a casa. (He returned home.) | Se volvió loco. (He went crazy.) |
| Se volvió para mirarme. (He turned around to look at me.) |
Other Important Pairs
| Base verb | Pronominal form |
|---|---|
| acordar (to agree) | acordarse (to remember): No me acuerdo. |
| fijar (to fix/set) | fijarse (to notice): Fíjate en esto. |
| dar (to give) | darse cuenta (to realize): Me di cuenta del error. |
| meter (to put in) | meterse (to get into / meddle): No te metas. |
| quitar (to remove) | quitarse (to take off): Me quité la chaqueta. |
| sentir (to feel / regret) | sentirse (to feel [emotion]): Me siento bien. |
Practice
'He left without saying anything' — ir or irse?
'I fell asleep on the sofa' — dormir or dormirse?
'She looks like her mother' — parecer or parecerse?
'Me puse la chaqueta' means…