When learning reflexive verbs in Spanish, many Spanish learners want to know what are the reflexive verbs that they are going to use on a daily basis. For that reason, we compiled a list with the most common reflexive verbs that Spanish speakers use in their conversation.
Additionally, we’ll provide a list of verbs that change their meaning when being in their reflexive form as well as some examples of how to apply these verbs. So, by the end of this, you’ll have a better idea of what reflexive verbs you really need to practice 😉
List of Most Common Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
Reflexive verbs are a very important part of Spanish. According to some research, Spanish speakers’ basic and common verb vocabulary is comprised of 523 terms. Out of these 523 verbs, almost 30% have a reflexive form. As a result, it makes sense that you get familiar with using reflexive verbs.
In the following list, we compiled the most basic and standard reflexive verbs that you will use or come across at some point in your Spanish learning experience. We’ve grouped them by their verb endings:
Remember that most of the time a reflexive verb will have the same translation in English than a non-reflexive verb.
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‘-Ar’ Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
| abotonarse | To button |
| abrazarse | To hug |
| abrigarse | To wrap up |
| abrocharse | To button / To zip up |
| acercarse | To get closed |
| acompañarse | To accompany |
| acordarse | To remember |
| acostarse | To lay down |
| acostumbrarse | To get used to |
| adelantarse | To come early |
| afeitarse | To shave |
| aflojarse | To loosen |
| agacharse | To bend down |
| agarrarse | To hold on to |
| aguantarse | To put up with / To hold back |
| ahogarse | To drown / To suffocate |
| alargarse | To stretch on / To go on |
| alegrarse | To be happy / To be glad |
| amontonarse | To pile up / To crowd into |
| animarse | To cheer up |
| apartarse | To move away |
| apoyarse | To lean on / To be based on |
| apretarse | To squeeze |
| aprovecharse | To take advantage of |
| arrancarse | To pull up |
| arrastrarse | To crawl |
| arreglarse | To get ready |
| arrodillarse | To kneel |
| arrugarse | To wrinkle |
| asarse | To be roasting |
| asustarse | To get scared |
| atrasarse | To fall behind |
| atravesarse | To cross / To go through |
| bajarse | To go down / To come down |
| bañarse | To bathe |
| besarse | To kiss each other |
| burlarse | To make fun |
| calentarse | To heat up / To get angry |
| callarse | To shut up / To say nothing |
| calzarse | To put shoes on |
| cambiarse | To change |
| cansarse | To get tired |
| casarse | To get married |
| chuparse | To suck |
| clavarse | To steal / To fall for |
| colarse | To sneak in |
| colgarse | To hang on |
| compararse | To compare |
| contarse | To tell each other |
| cortarse | To cut |
| cruzarse | To cross / To bump into |
| cuidarse | To take care of oneself |
| curarse | To recover / To get better |
| desabrocharse | To unbutton |
| desatarse | To untie / To trigger |
| descalzarse | To take your shoes off |
| descolgarse | To lower oneself |
| desnudarse | To undress |
| despegarse | To be separated from |
| despeinarse | To dishevel |
| despertarse | To wake up |
| disfrazarse | To dress up |
| ducharse | To shower |
| echarse | To lie down |
| enfadarse | To get angry |
| ensuciarse | To get dirty |
| enterarse | To find out |
| equivocarse | To be wrong |
| estirarse | To stretch |
| frotarse | To rub |
| gastarse | To spend |
| golpearse | To hit |
| hincharse | To bend |
| inclinarse | To bow |
| juntarse | To get together |
| lavarse | To wash |
| levantarse | To wake up |
| limpiarse | To clean |
| llamarse | To be name / Name |
| llenarse | To be full |
| llevarse | To get along |
| mancharse | To stain oneself |
| marcharse | To leave |
| mojarse | To get wet |
| pararse | To stand |
| peinarse | To comb |
| pelearse | To argue |
| pesarse | To weigh |
| pintarse | To put on makeup |
| preguntarse | To wonder |
| quedarse | To stay |
| quejarse | To complain |
| quemarse | To burn / To get a sunburn |
| quitarse | To take off / To get out of the way |
| resbalarse | To slip |
| secarse | To dry up |
| sentarse | To sit |
| separarse | To separate |
| sumarse | To join |
| taparse | To cover oneself |
| alejarse | To get away |
| anudarse | To tie |
| avergonzarse | To be embarrassed |
| cepillarse | To brush |
| colocarse | To put on |
| confesarse | To confess |
| confiarse | To be overconfident |
| conformarse | To settle for |
| desmayarse | To faint / To pass out |
| emborracharse | To get drunk |
| enamorarse | To fall in love |
| imaginarse | To imagine / To suppose |
| preocuparse | To worry |
| prepararse | To get ready |
| resfriarse | To catch a cold |
| santiguarse | To cross oneself |
| suicidarse | To kill yourself |
| trasladarse | To move |
| vacunarse | To get vaccinated |
| vengarse | To get revenge |
¿Cómo te golpeaste la nariz?
How did you hit your nose?
Sally se resfrió la semana pasada
Sally caught a cold last week
Ustedes siempre se alegran por mí
You guys are always happy for me
Nosotros nos trasladaremos a una nueva oficina
We’ll move to a new office
‘-Er’ Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
| aprenderse | To learn by heart / To memorize |
| atreverse | To dare |
| conocerse | To know each other |
| convencerse | To realize / To be convinced |
| desaparecerse | To disappear |
| distraerse | To get distracted |
| esconderse | To hide |
| moverse | To move |
| parecerse | To look alike / To be alike |
| perderse | To get lost |
| ponerse | To put on |
| defenderse | To defend oneself |
¿Por qué te escondes?
Why are you hiding?
¿Ya se aprendieron la canción?
Did you guys already memorize the song?
Mario y yo nos conocemos desde hace años
Mario and I have known each other for years
‘-Ir’ Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
| aburrirse | To get bored |
| confundirse | To get confused |
| despedirse | To say goodbye |
| divertirse | To have fun |
| dividirse | To divide / To be divided into |
| dormirse | To fall asleep |
| hundirse | To sink |
| irse | To leave |
| medirse | To measure oneself |
| morirse | To die |
| reírse | To laugh |
| repartirse | To divide up / To share out |
| subirse | To get in |
| vestirse | To get dressed |
| convertirse | To turn into / To become |
| cubrirse | To cover oneself |
| decidirse | To decide / To make up oneself’s mind |
| dirigirse | To address / To head for |
| rendirse | To quit / To surrender |
| reunirse | To meet / To gather |
| sentirse | To feel |
| servirse | To serve oneself / To help oneself |
Mamá, ya me voy
Mom, I’m leaving
Por favor, sírvanse lo que quieran
Please, help yourself
Ana no se despidió de nadie
Ana didn’t say goodbye to anybody
Spanish Verbs that Change Meaning in Reflexive
As you may have noticed, most of the reflexive verbs come from a non-reflexive verb. In most cases, there are no major changes in definition or meanings other than the reflexive verbs are only used to indicate that a subject is doing something to itself.
However, there are some verbs that, when being in their reflexive form, change their meaning completely to the point that they appear to be two different words. Here are some of these verbs:
| Verb | Non-Reflexive | Reflexive |
| Admirar | To admire | To be amazed |
| Aprender | To learn | To learn by heart/ To memorize |
| Clavar | To hamer | To steal / To fall for |
| Colar | To leak | To sneak in |
| Confiar | To trust | To be overconfident |
| Conformar | To form | To settle for |
| Curar | To heal / To cure | To get be |
| Creer | To believe / To think | To believe / To fell for it |
| Despedir | To fire | To say goodbye |
| Divorciar | To grant divorce / To divorce | To get divorced |
| Dormir | To sleep | To fall asleep |
| Fijar | To set | To watch / To notice |
| Ir | To go | To leave |
| Llenar | To fill | To be full |
| Llevar | To carry / To take | To get along |
| Negar | To deny | To refuse |
| Ocurrir | To happen | To come to mind |
| Parecer | To seem | To look alike |
| Perder | To lose | To get lost |
| Poner | To put | To put on |
| Preguntar | To ask | To wonder |
| Probar | To try / To taste | To try on |
| Rendir | To perform | To quit / To surrender |
| Sumar | To add | To join |
| Valer | To cost | To make use |
| Volver | To come back | To become |
Reflexives verbs with change in meaning: Examples
Here are some examples so you can appreciate the nuances in meaning:
Despedir vs Despedirse
Ana no se despidió de mí
Ana didn’t say goodbye to me
Ana no me despidió, solo me pidió mejorar mi desempeño
Ana didn’t fire me, she only asked to improve my performance
Dormir vs Dormirse
¿A qué hora te dormiste?
What time did you fall asleep?
¿Cuántas horas duermes?
How many hours do you sleep?
Confiar vs Confiarse
Juan confía en mi hermano
Juan trusts my brother
Juan y mi hermano perdieron el partido porque se confiaron
Juan and my brother lost the game because they were overconfident
Wrapping Up
Reflexive verbs can be a challenging topic to learn. The good news is that these verbs are so common in Spanish that you will have more than one chance to put them into practice. In this article, we compiled the most common reflexive verbs in Spanish and showed you which verbs change in meaning in their reflexive form.
Although you don’t need to memorize (aprenderte) all of them at once, they could help you improve your Spanish conversations since they are part of a Spanish speaker’s most basic vocabulary 🙂
Related Resource: How to Conjugate Reflexive Verbs in Spanish