Español 4 AP/IB - 2013
Señorita Aldemir
Understanding in English: Direct and Indirect Objects




The direct object of the verb is the person or
thing that directly receives the action of the
verb.
Answers the question “What or who is
directly affected by the action expressed by
the verb?”
He buy the backpack.
I give money.




The indirect object of a verb expresses the
person (or thing) that in some way benefits
from or is harmed by the action of the verb.
Answers the question “To whom or for whom
(or to what or for what) is the action being
done?”
He buys the backpack for his sister.
I give the money to the university.







When either the direct or the indirect object
of a sentence is the SAME person (or thing) as
the SUBJECT, the sentence is called reflexive.
I dress myself every morning.
D.O. = myself
I also brush my teeth.
D.O. = my teeth/IMPLIED I.O. = for myself
They put on makeup.
D.O. = makeup/IMPLIED I.O. = for themselves





Although the Spanish reflexive pronouns are
at times the equivalent of English pronouns
(myself, yourself, etc.), in most cases the
pronouns would be understood, but not
stated, in an English sentence.
Todas las mañanas me afeito.
Every morning I shave [myself].
Te miras mucho en el espejo.
You look in the mirror [at yourself] a lot.

There is a set of specifically reflexive
pronouns that must be used in reflexive
sentences in Spanish:
me
nos
te
se
se

These reflexive pronouns
are different from
Indirect Object Pronouns
(IOPs) that you use to
construct sentences with
verbs like gustar, and
also to indicate an
indirect object:
me
nos
te
 I send him a letter –
indirect object is
DIFFERENT from the
subject, so you use an IOP:
Yo le envio una carta.
le
les




Notice: se is used for both singular and
plural—your verb indicates whether you
mean sing. or plural (ej. Se levanta v. se
levantan)
Reflexive pronouns immediately precede a
conjugated verb EXCEPT in the case of
affirmative commands:
Te levantas a las siete.
¡Levántate!
In the infinitive, the
reflexive pronouns are
attached at the end:
 Quiere cepillarse el
pelo.

Memorize them, know what they mean, and be able to use them in a
sentence!







Acostarse (ue): to go to
bed
Afeitarse: to shave
Bañarse: to bathe, to
take a bath
Cansarse: to become
tired
Cepillarse (el pelo, los
dientes): to brush one’s
teeth, hair.
Ducharse: to take a
shower
Lavarse: to wash oneself


Levantarse: to get up
Maquillarse: to put
makeup on






Peinarse: to comb
one’s hair
Pintarse los labios: to
put lipstick on
Desayunarse: to have
breakfast
Despedirse de (i): to
say goodbye to
Despertarse (ie): to
wake up
Dormirse: to fall asleep
Ponerse: to put
(something) on
 Prepararse: to get
ready
 Quitarse (la ropa): to
take off (clothing)
 Vestirse (i): to get
dressed




Notice: In Spanish, unlike English, possessive
pronouns are NOT used with parts of the
body.
Juan se lava la cara todas las mañanas.
Elisa siempre se pinta los labios en la clase de
biología.








Aburrirse: to get bored
Alegrarse: to become
happy
Asustarse: to become
afraid, get scared
Cansarse: to get tired
Casarse: to get married
Desmayarse: to faint,
become faint
Enfadarse: to get angry
Enojarse: to get angry



Entristecerse: to become
sad
Mojarse: to get wet
Resfriarse: to become
cold or get a cold








Acordarse (ue) de: to
remember
Apresurarse: to hurry
Arrepentirse (ie) de: to
repent, be sorry
Atreverse a: to dare
Burlarse de: to make fun
of
Negarse (ie) a: to refuse
to
Olivdarse de: to forget
Parecerse a: to
resemble, look like



Quejarse: to complain
Reírse (í): to laugh at
Tratarse de: to be
concerned with; to be
about (a question of)
Reciprocal Sentences, the Passive Voice, and other uses of “se”



Reciprocal sentences are those in which two
or more subjects both perform an action and
mutually receive it.
In English: each other or one another.
The plural forms of reflexive verbs are used
to express reciprocal actions in Spanish.





Nos abrazamos cuando
nos vemos.
Ellos se besan cuando se
ven.
UN DETALLE MÁS:
To avoid amibiguity,
Spanish sometimes adds
expressions such as uno
a otro (each other)
mutuamente (mutually),
etc.
Se aman uno a otro.





In the active voice, the subject acts (often
upon an object).
The man opens the door.
In the passive voice, the subject is acted
upon.
The door is open.
For NOW, we’re talking about Spanish
passive voice sentences where the “doer” is
not stated—these sentences use “se”.





If the subject of a passive sentences is a
THING and the agent is NOT expressed in the
sentence, then the third person
singular/plural of the reflexive verb is used to
express a passive act in Spanish (use “se”).
Se habla español.
Spanish is spoken here.
Se venden coches de segunda mano.
Secondhand cars are sold.



In these sentences, the subjects are things,
and the agent (who speaks the Spanish or
sells the cars) is not specified.
Therefore, the third person reflexive (se) is
used.
Notice also that in these sentences, the
subject usually follows the verb, and the verb
agrees with the subject: (Se venden coches).
“Se” is used with the third person singular of
the verb in order to express an indefinite
subject (one, people, we, they, you, etc.):
1.



Se come bien en este restaurante.
Note: You can also use the third person plural OR
“uno” with “se” of the verb to make these kinds
of impersonal statements:
Dicen que (or se dice que or uno se dice que) la
Universidad de Valencia es una de las mejores
universidades.
2. “Se” is used to express an action that
occurred or occurs unintentionally,
especially if the “doer” would prefer not to
be responsible. In all such cases, the
Spanish contruction stresses the fact that
the action was unintentional or accidental.
 Construction: Se + IOP + Verb + Subject
 Se me perdió el libro.
 My book got lost.








Se les rompieron los
anteojos.
His glasses broke.
Se te olvidó la respuesta.
You forgot the answer.
Se les cae la pelota.
They drop the ball.
Se le dejó caer la
mantequilla de mani.
He dropped the peanut
butter (the peanut butter
dropped).