A reflexive verb is one that is used with an object pronoun which refers
back to the verb’s subject. In English, the object pronoun of a reflexive verb
has the suffix ‘-self’ or ‘-selves’, e.g. ‘I cut myself’, ‘they cut themselves’.
For reflexive verbs with passive meaning, see 15.2.Formation of reflexive verbs
In Spanish, reflexive verbs are formed by using the appropriate reflexive
pronouns (see 8.4), which change according to the subject of the verb as
in the following example of the present tense of lavarse‘to wash’:
me lavo I wash myself nos lavamos we wash
ourselveste lavas you wash yourself os laváis[SP] you wash
yourselves
(vos) te you wash yourself se lavan they wash
lavás[LA] themselves
se lava he/she/it washes (ustedes) se you wash
him/her/itself lavan yourselves(usted) se lava you wash yourself
The above pattern is followed for all tenses of the verb but, like other weak
pronouns, reflexive pronouns follow and are attached to infinitives,
gerunds and positive commands (see 8.5).
Note: In contrast with English, which permits the omission of the pronoun, e.g. ‘I
washed before dinner’, the pronoun cannot be omitted in Spanish: Me lavé antes
de cenar.14.1