Complete Spanish Verb Course

7.4. Spanish Preterite: Irregular Dar, Ir, and Ser
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Preterite Irregular Dar, Ir, and Ser
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Preterite Irregular Dar, Ir, and Ser
7.5. Spanish Preterite: Irregular e to i, o to u
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Irregular e to i, o to u, i to y
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Preterite – Irregular e to i, o to u, i to y
7.6. Spanish Preterite: Irregular car, gar, zar
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Irregular car, gar, zar
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Preterite – Irregular car, gar, zar
7.4.-7.6. Mini Brain Boost: Dar/Ir/Ser, Stem Changes, car/gar/zar
2 Topics | 1 Quiz
Retrieval Conjugation: Dar/Ir/Ser, Stem Changes, car/gar/zar
Interleaved Game: Dar/Ir/Ser, Stem Changes, car/gar/zar
Interleaved Sentence Quiz: Dar/Ir/Ser, Stem Changes, car/gar/zar
7.7. Spanish Reflexive Preterite Verbs
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Reflexive Verbs
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Preterite – Reflexive Verbs
Brain Boost: Present, Preterite, Present Perfect
Retrieval Practice: Spanish Present, Preterite, Present Perfect
3 Topics
Review: Spanish Present, Preterite, Present Perfect
Conjugator Retrieval: Spanish Present, Preterite, Present Perfect
Conjugator Retrieval: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-7)
Interleaving: Spanish Present, Preterite, Present Perfect
2 Topics | 1 Quiz
Interleaved Game: Spanish Present, Preterite, and Present Perfect
Interleaved Game: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-7)
Interleaved Sentence Quiz: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-7)
Section 8: Spanish Imperfect Tense
8.1. Spanish Imperfect tense: Regular
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Regular
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Regular
8.2. Spanish Imperfect tense: Irregular
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Irregular
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Irregular
8.3. Spanish Imperfect tense: Reflexive
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Reflexive
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Reflexive
Brain Boost: Spanish Preterite and Imperfect
Preterite and Imperfect Together
1 Topic
Instruction: Preterite and Imperfect Together
Retrieval Practice: Preterite, Imperfect, and Others
3 Topics
Review: Preterite and Imperfect
Conjugator Retrieval: Preterite, Imperfect and Present Perfect
Conjugator Retrieval: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-8)
Interleaving: Preterite, Imperfect, and All Others
2 Topics | 1 Quiz
Interleaved Game: Preterite and Imperfect
Interleaved Game: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-8)
Interleaved Sentence Quiz: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-8)
Section 9: Spanish Future Tense
9.1 Spanish Future Tense: Regular Verbs
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Future Tense – Regular
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Future Tense – Regular
9.2 Spanish Future Tense: Irregular Verbs
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Future Tense – Irregular
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Future Tense – Irregular
9.3 Spanish Future Tense: Reflexive Verbs
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Future Tense – Reflexive
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Future Tense – Reflexive
9.4. Spanish Informal future (ir a + infinitive)
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Informal future (ir a + infinitive)
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Informal future (ir a + infinitive)
Brain Boost: Present, Preterite, Future
Retrieval Practice: Present, Preterite, Future
3 Topics
Review: Present, Preterite, and Future
Conjugator Retrieval: Present, Preterite, Future
Conjugator Retrieval: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-9)
Interleaving: Spanish Present, Preterite, and Future
2 Topics | 1 Quiz
Interleaved Game: Spanish Present, Preterite, and Future
Interleaved Game: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-9)
Interleaved Sentence Quiz: All Spanish Tenses to this Point (2-9)
Section 10: Spanish Conditional Tense
10.1 Spanish Conditional Tense: Regular Verbs
2 Topics
Instruction: Spanish Conditional Tense – Regular
Conjugation Practice: Spanish Conditional Tense – Regular
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Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Reflexive Verbs

Complete Spanish Verb Course 7.7. Spanish Reflexive Preterite Verbs Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Reflexive Verbs

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are used to indicate that the subject of the verb is performing an action on itself. Reflexive verbs are commonly used in daily routines and personal care activities. When these verbs are conjugated in the preterite tense, they follow the regular or irregular conjugation patterns of the verb, but they must also include the appropriate reflexive pronoun (below).

Understanding how to conjugate reflexive verbs in the preterite tense allows you to describe actions that were completed by the subject on themselves in the past.

Conjugation of Reflexive Verbs in the Preterite Tense

To conjugate reflexive verbs in the preterite tense, follow these steps:

  1. Place the reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb.

  2. Conjugate the verb in the preterite tense according to the subject.

Review the Reflexive Pronouns

Singular

Plural

First Person

me (myself)

nos (ourselves)

Second Person

tú (yourself - Juana/Pedro)

os (yourself informal – used mainly in Spain)

Third Person

se (himself)

se (herself)

se (yourself Sra./Sr. García)

se (they masculine/mixed)

se (they feminine)

se (you all)
Reflexive Preterite Example: Laverse (to wash oneself)

Yo

me lavé

I washed myself

Nosotros

nos lavamos

we washed ourselves

Tú

(Juana, Juan)

te lavaste

you washed yourself

Vosotros

(informal Spain)

os lavasteis (Spain)

you all washed yourselves

Él/Ella/Ud.

(Sra./Dr. García)

se lavó

he/she/you washed yourself

Ellos/Ellas/Uds.

se lavaron

they/you all washed yourselves

Examples of Reflexive Verbs in the Preterite Tense

Here are some common reflexive verbs conjugated in the preterite tense, along with examples of how they are used in sentences:

1. Lavarse (to wash oneself)

  • Yo me lavé la cara esta mañana. (I washed my face this morning.)
  • Ellos se lavaron las manos antes de comer. (They washed their hands before eating.)

2. Despertarse (to wake up)

  • Tú te despertaste temprano ayer. (You woke up early yesterday.)
  • Nosotros nos despertamos tarde el sábado pasado. (We woke up late last Saturday.)

3. Vestirse (to get dressed) [Stem-Changing e → i in 3rd Person]

  • Ella se vistió rápidamente para la fiesta. (She got dressed quickly for the party.)
  • Ellos se vistieron con ropa formal para el evento. (They dressed in formal clothes for the event.)

4. Acostarse (to go to bed)

  • Yo me acosté a las diez de la noche. (I went to bed at ten at night.)
  • Vosotros os acostasteis después de la medianoche. (You all went to bed after midnight – informal, used mainly in Spain.)

5. *Sentirse (to feel) [Stem-Changing e → i in 3rd Person]

  • Él se sintió enfermo después de la cena. (He felt sick after dinner.)
  • Nosotros nos sentimos muy cansados después del trabajo. (We felt very tired after work.)

6. Peinarse (to comb one’s hair)

  • Yo me peiné antes de salir. (I combed my hair before going out.)
  • Ellas se peinaron el cabello en el baño. (They combed their hair in the bathroom.)

7. Dormirse (to fall asleep) [Stem-Changing o → u in 3rd Person]

  • El bebé se durmió en los brazos de su madre. (The baby fell asleep in his mother’s arms.)
  • Los estudiantes se durmieron durante la película. (The students fell asleep during the movie.)

8. Levantarse (to get up)

  • Nosotros nos levantamos temprano para ir a la playa. (We got up early to go to the beach.)
  • Ellos se levantaron tarde y llegaron tarde a la clase. (They got up late and arrived late to class.)
9. *Reírse (to laugh)

  • Yo me reí mucho con el chiste. (I laughed a lot at the joke.)
  • Ellos se rieron durante toda la película. (They laughed throughout the entire movie.)
*Note: In some lessons, you might have seen reír (to laugh) and sentir (to feel) used as non-reflexive verbs, but now they are introduced as reírse and sentirse—their reflexive forms. Here’s why:

Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive Use:

  • Reír (to laugh) and sentir (to feel) can exist without reflexive pronouns when focusing on the general action. For example:

    • Reír: Ellos ríen mucho. (They laugh a lot.)
    • Sentir: Yo siento tristeza. (I feel sadness.)

  • When used in the reflexive form—reírse and sentirse—the emphasis is on the subject performing the action on themselves or experiencing an emotional state:

    • Reírse: Yo me reí en la fiesta. (I laughed at the party.)
    • Sentirse: Me siento cansado. (I feel tired.)

In the reflexive form, reírse and sentirse focus more on personal experiences or emotions, which is why you now see them with reflexive pronouns.

Conclusion

Understanding how to conjugate reflexive verbs in the preterite tense is essential for describing past actions that involve personal care, routines, and emotions. These verbs follow the same reflexive pronoun placement rules as in other tenses, with specific attention needed for stem-changing verbs. Keep practicing these forms to become more comfortable using reflexive verbs in the past tense and enhancing your overall fluency in Spanish!

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