How to Use Reflexive Verbs in Spanish

What is a reflexive verb in Spanish grammar?

A reflexive verb is a verb in which the subject performs the action on itself.

What does "Tú te lavas las manos con el jabón" mean?

What does the sentence "Tú te lavas las manos con el jabón" translate to in English?

Answer:

The sentence "Tú te lavas las manos con el jabón" translates to "You wash your hands with soap."

When using reflexive verbs in Spanish, it is essential to understand how the reflexive pronouns correspond to the subject of the sentence. In the sentence "Tú te lavas las manos con el jabón," the reflexive pronoun "te" indicates that the action of washing (lavarse) is being performed by the subject "Tú" (you) on themselves.

To form a sentence with a reflexive verb in Spanish, the reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject pronoun. In this case, "te" is used for the subject "Tú." Additionally, the verb "lavarse" is conjugated to match the subject, resulting in "te lavas" for the subject pronoun "Tú."

Remember that reflexive verbs are common in daily activities that involve actions done to oneself, such as washing oneself (lavarse), dressing oneself (vestirse), or brushing one's teeth (cepillarse los dientes).