Reflexive ‘me’:
Doing something to yourself
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Doing something to yourself : Reflexive ‘me’
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Sometimes, the ‘doer’ (subject) and ‘receiver’ (object) of an action are the same person.
For example, ‘I hurt myself’ or ‘he hits himself’
Words like ‘myself’ or ‘himself’ are called reflexive pronouns.
Spanish also has reflexive pronouns.
When you do something to yourself, use ‘me’ before a verb.
Look at the difference between:
Lavo el coche
Me lavo
Something to know for later!
Reflexive pronouns can go after the infinitive form of a verb.
For now, we will just practise reflexives when they come before verbs.
🡪 I wash the car
🡪 I wash myself
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
hablar - to talk
hablo con mi amigo
me hablo
sacar fotos – to take photos
saco fotos de mi amigo
me saco fotos
escribir – to write
escribo a mi hermano
me escribo
🡪 I talk with my friend
🡪 I talk to myself
🡪 I take photos of my friend
🡪 I take photos of myself
Almost any verb can be ‘reflexive’!
🡪 I write to my brother
🡪 I write to myself
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
lavar – to wash
lavo el perro
me lavo
levantar – to lift / get up / raise
levanto la mano
me levanto
despertar – to wake up
despierto a mi madre
me despierto
In English, we don’t always say the reflexive pronoun!
The ‘reflexive meaning’ is just assumed.
🡪 I wash the dog
🡪 I wash [myself]
🡪 I lift up/raise my hand
🡪 I get [myself] up
🡪 I wake my mum up
🡪 I wake [myself] up
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Esteban is a carer and has written an anonymous article about his daily life.
Some language might be missing.
| True | False |
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Esteban gets up at eight am
Esteban wakes up at seven am.
He washes someone else at nine am.
He takes photos of himself.
He makes someone else a coffee.
He calls someone else.
He writes to someone else.
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
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He teaches himself Spanish.
He burns something (!)
leer
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1. Me levanto a las ocho
2. Despierto a las siete.
3. Lavo a las nueve.
4. Saco fotos
5. Me preparo un café
6. Llamo
7. Me escribo
8. Enseño español
9. Quemo
10. Me presento
Read the sentences and tick true or false.
He introduces himself to someone.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| Picture A | Picture B |
1 | | |
2 | | |
3 | | |
4 | | |
5 | | |
6 | | |
7 | | |
8 | | |
9 | | |
10 | | |
Listen to the sentences. You will hear the start of the sentence. The rest is missing.
Decide whether the start of the sentence matches picture A or B.
escuchar
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Note to self
Don’t forget the bills!
1a.
1b.
Hi Maria,
Don’t forget the bills!
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
1
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Rachel Hawkes
2a.
2b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
2
escuchar
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Rachel Hawkes
3a.
3b.
hmm
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
3
escuchar
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Rachel Hawkes
4a.
4b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
4
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Rachel Hawkes
Hi, I’m called…
5a.
5b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
5
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
6a.
6b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
6
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
7a.
7b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
7
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
8a.
8b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
8
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
9a.
9b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
9
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
10a.
10b.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
10
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| Picture A | Picture B |
1 | | |
2 | | |
3 | | |
4 | | |
5 | | |
6 | | |
7 | | |
8 | | |
9 | | |
10 | | |
ANSWERS
✔
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✔
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
escuchar
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
escribir
Looking after my Grandpa
Margarita and Simón spend a lot of time looking after their elderly Grandpas.
What do they do to help? And what do they do themselves?
Student A: you are Margarita. Write 6 sentences using the cards.
Student B: you are Simón. Write 6 sentences using the cards.
Afterwards, compare your answers and complete the grid together.
They also find time to do things themselves.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Student A
You are Margarita
Using the prompt cards, write six sentences about things you do to yourself and your Grandpa each day.
get up
wash
take photos
prepare coffee
write
teach Spanish
(myself)
escribir
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
(myself)
(myself)
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
get up
wash
take photos
prepare coffee
write
teach Spanish
Student B
You are Simón.
Using the prompt cards, write six sentences about things you do to yourself and your Grandpa each day.
escribir
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
(myself)
(myself)
(myself)
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Need help?
escribir
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| Margarita | Simón | Both | Neither |
Who gets their Grandpa up? | | | | |
Who prepares coffee for him/herself? | | | | |
Who takes photos of him/herself? | | | | |
Who teaches Grandpa Spanish? | | | | |
Who washes their Grandpa? | | | | |
Who writes (notes) to him/herself? | | | | |
Compare the sentences that you and your partner have written.
Complete the grid together.
leer
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| Margarita | Simón | Both | Neither |
Who gets their Grandpa up? | | | | |
Who prepares coffee for him/herself? | | | | |
Who takes photos of him/herself? | | | | |
Who teaches Grandpa Spanish? | | | | |
Who washes their Grandpa? | | | | |
Who writes (notes) to him/herself? | | | | |
Compare the sentences that you and your partner have written.
Complete the grid together.
leer
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
ANSWERS
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
Student A
You are Margarita
Using the prompt cards, tell your partner six things you do to yourself and your Grandpa each day.
get up
wash
take photos
prepare coffee
write
teach Spanish
hablar / escuchar
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
(myself)
(myself)
(myself)
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
get up
wash
take photos
prepare coffee
write
teach Spanish
Student B
You are Simón.
Using the prompt cards, tell your partner six things you do to yourself and your Grandpa each day.
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
hablar / escuchar
(myself)
(myself)
(myself)
(myself)
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| does it to herself | does it to Grandpa |
get up | | |
prepare coffee | | |
take photos | | |
teach Spanish | | |
wash | | |
write | | |
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
speaking / listening
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| does it to herself | does it to Grandpa |
get up | | |
prepare coffee | | |
take photos | | |
teach Spanish | | |
wash | | |
write | | |
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
ANSWERS
speaking / listening
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| does it to himself | does it to Grandpa |
get up | | |
prepare coffee | | |
take photos | | |
teach Spanish | | |
wash | | |
write | | |
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
speaking / listening
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes
| does it to himself | does it to Grandpa |
get up | | |
prepare coffee | | |
take photos | | |
teach Spanish | | |
wash | | |
write | | |
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Nick Avery / Emma Marsden / Rachel Hawkes
ANSWERS
speaking / listening
Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�
Rachel Hawkes