Unit 14 (Unidad 14)
Transitive and intransitive verbs, and
reflexive verbs (Los verbos transitivos e
intransitivos, y los verbos reflexivos)
This unit should be read in conjunction with the unit on pronouns (unit 17).
Level 1
1.1 Transitive verbs (Verbos transitivos)
1.2 Intransitive verbs (Verbos intransitivos)
1.3 More differences between transitive and intransitive verbs (M
´
as diferencias
entre verbos transitivos e intransitivos)
1.4 Reflexive verbs (Verbos reflexivos)
1.5 Use of the pronoun (Uso del pronombre)
1.6 Reflexive verbs as reciprocal verbs (Verbos reflexivos como verbos rec
´
ıprocos)
1.7 Reflexive verbs with parts of the body (Verbos reflexivos con partes del cuerpo)
1.8 Variations on the place of the reflexive pronoun (Variaciones sobre la
posici
´
on / ubicaci
´
on (M) del pronombre reflexivo)
1.1 Transitive verbs
A transitive verb has a subject – an actor who or which acts directly upon some person
or thing and an object. This object must be expressed or the verb ceases to be transitive.
This comment applies to both Spanish and English. Thus in Ve olacasa (I see the
house), veo is a transitive verb because it has an object, i.e. casa. Examples of other
verbs used transitively, and there are innumerable verbs that may be used in this way,
are:

Thechild goes up the stairs two by two She goes up to the first floor
Sube los sillones con una polea La temperatura sube
She takes up the armchairs with a pulley The temperature’s going up
1.4 Reflexive verbs
i A transitive verb is called reflexive when its action returns upon the actor – in other
words, when the subject and object are identical. A reflexive verb is a kind of
transitive verb because it does have a direct object. Although reflexive verbs exist in
English, it is possible in most cases not to use them. For example, we would much
more easily say I washed this morning than I washed myself this morning. However, in
Spanish, this is not the case. If we said Lav ´e esta ma ˜nana a Spanish speaker would
wonder what you were washing, the car, your clothes, sheets, etc. If you wanted
to say that you were actually washing yourself, you would need to use a reflexive
pronoun with the verb lavar. So, the me of me lavo is most necessary if you want
to be clear about what is being washed – in this case, you. Whatever the form of the
subject, and whether expressed or not, the object is always a pronoun, always
expressed, and agreeing in person and number with the verb (see unit 17 for
pronouns).
The usual position of the pronominal object or pronoun object is immediately before the
verb or the auxiliary verb. The following pattern of the verb ba
˜
narse (to have a swim
but in M to have a shower) will serve for all tenses and combinations:
108
14 Transitive/intransitive and reflexive verbs
yo me ba˜no
t´uteba˜nas
´el/ella/Ud. se ba˜na
nosotros/as nos ba˜namos
vosotros/as os ba˜n´ais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ba˜nan

1.5 Use of the pronoun
i When the subject is a pronoun, it is often omitted unless emphasis is required. The
reflexive pronoun usually tells you what the subject is. As with all pronouns (see unit
17 on pronouns), the reflexive object can be attached to the infinitive or precede an
auxiliary verb coming before the infinitive. The meaning is the same. It may be added
in passing that these two usages are equally common in Italian, and in Old French.
Me quiero lavar / Quiero lavarme I want to wash
¿Te quieres acostar? / ¿Quieres acostarte? Do you want to go to bed?
Nos vamos a rasurar / Vamos a rasurarnos (M) We are going to have a shave
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ASTUDENT GRAMMAR OF SPANISH
ii One of the most common and idiomatic uses of Spanish reflexive verbs, as with many
idiomatic uses, does not have a direct equivalent in English. The reflexive may be
used in the singular or plural form. The reflexive can only be rendered in a passive
way in English, unless you choose to change the English construction completely:
Se venden peri´odicos aqu´ı Newspapers are sold here / They sell
newspapers here
Se compran carros (M)enunsupermercado Cars are sold in a supermarket / They
sell . . .
Se alquila un piso Apartment for rent
Se renta un departamento (M) Apartment for rent
Se busca una secretaria We are looking for a secretary (to work)
Se plantea el siguiente problema Thefollowing problem arises
Se reduce la deuda a mil d´olares The debt is reduced to a thousand dollars
iii Complications arise when the reflexive pronouns (see unit 17 on pronouns) are no
longer the direct object but the indirect object. Take the following two cases:
Me lavo I wash (myself) Me lavo las manos I wash my hands
Me corto I cut myself Me corto el dedo I cut my finger
In these cases, Me in Me lavo is a direct object but in Me lavo las manos it is an
indirect object, since the direct object is las manos. Similarly, in the second example,

ausentarse to absent yourself
dignarse to deign to
jactarse de to boast of
quejarse de to complain of
Examples
Se arrepienten de su error They repent over their error
Se atreve a subir a la cumbre She dares to climb up to the top
Se digna concedernos una entrevista She deigns to give us an interview
Nos quejamos de nuestra mala suerte We complain of our bad luck
1.7 Reflexive verbs with parts of the body
Where parts of the human body are concerned, the reflexive pronoun is very com-
mon. It has repercussions in other parts of the sentence as well. Consider the following
sentences:
Me pongo la chaqueta I put on my jacket
Te quitas los zapatos Yo u take your shoes off
Se rompi´oelbrazo He broke his arm
Se hace da˜no en el tobillo She hurts her ankle
Se lastimaron la cabeza (M) They hurt their heads
Note two features here. One is the use of the reflexive and the second is the use of the
definite article before the direct object: la chaqueta, los zapatos, etc. The possessive
adjectives corresponding to my, your...(mi, tu, su, etc.) are not possible here. The
reflexive does the work of the possessive adjective.
1.8 Variations on the place of the reflexive pronoun
As seen above, and with all other personal pronouns, the reflexive is regularly attached
to the infinitive or may precede an auxiliary verb which comes before the infinitive.
Quiero lavarme / Me quiero lavar I want to wash (myself)
Vamos a acostarnos / Nos vamos a acostar We are going to bed
Debo hacerlo / Lo debo hacer Ihavetodoit
Similarly, the reflexive is either attached to the gerund or placed before the verb estar.
Bear in mind that a written accent needs to be placed over the appropriate vowel when