Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Reflexive verbs of movement

Some common transitive verbs, most expressing movement or motion, have

reflexive forms which are used intransitively:

Al oírlo se retiró. When he heard it he backed off.

See similar verbs in Table 14.2.

Note: Volverse‘to turn round’ is similar to the verbs in Table 14.2, except that the

non-reflexive form is already intransitive, with the meaning ‘to return’. Parts of Latin

America use regresarseor devolverse‘to return’.

14.8.3

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

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3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

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14

Reflexive
verbs

170

Table 14.1Common reflexive change-of-state verbs

Transitive verb Reflexive/Intransitive verb

aburrirto bore aburrirseto get bored

admirarto admire admirarseto be surprised

alegrarto make happy alegrarseto become happy

asombrarto amaze asombrarseto be amazed

asustarto frighten asustarseto get frightened

casarto marry (off) casarseto get married

dormirto put to sleep dormirseto go to sleep

enfadar/enojarto anger enfadarse/enojarseto get

angry

entristecerto sadden entristecerseto be saddened

fundirto melt fundirsebecome thawed

helarto freeze helarseto freeze (up)/(over)

mojarto make wet mojarseto get wet

molestarto upset molestarseto get upset

ofenderto offend ofenderseto take offence

preocuparto worry preocuparseto be(come)

worried

secarto dry secarseto dry/become dry

tranquilizarto calm/quieten tranquilizarseto calm down