How to Conjugate Reflexive Verbs in Romanian for English Speakers

Understanding Reflexive Verbs in Romanian

In Romanian, reflexive verbs are verbs that indicate the subject performs an action on itself. These verbs are accompanied by reflexive pronouns that agree with the subject. Reflexive verbs are very common and important to master for effective communication.

What Makes a Verb Reflexive?

A reflexive verb in Romanian is typically formed by adding the reflexive pronoun se to the infinitive form of the verb. For example, a spăla means "to wash," while a se spăla means "to wash oneself."

Romanian Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Romanian change according to the person and number of the subject. Here is a list of the reflexive pronouns used with reflexive verbs:

• mă (myself) – 1st person singular
• te (yourself) – 2nd person singular
• se (himself/herself/itself) – 3rd person singular
• ne (ourselves) – 1st person plural
• vă (yourselves) – 2nd person plural
• se (themselves) – 3rd person plural

Conjugating Reflexive Verbs in Present Tense

To conjugate a reflexive verb in the present tense, you conjugate the verb normally and place the reflexive pronoun before the verb. The pronoun corresponds to the subject of the sentence.

1. Identify the infinitive reflexive verb (e.g., a se trezi – to wake up).
2. Remove the se ending to find the verb stem (e.g., trezi).
3. Conjugate the verb stem according to the subject.
4. Place the correct reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb.

Example: Conjugation of <em>a se trezi</em> (to wake up) in Present Tense

• Eu mă trezesc – I wake up
• Tu te trezești – You wake up (singular)
• El/Ea se trezește – He/She wakes up
• Noi ne trezim – We wake up
• Voi vă treziți – You wake up (plural)
• Ei/Ele se trezesc – They wake up

Position of Reflexive Pronouns in Different Tenses

In the present tense and simple tenses, reflexive pronouns are placed before the verb. However, in compound tenses like the perfect tense, the reflexive pronoun is placed before the auxiliary verb.

Example: Perfect Tense of <em>a se spăla</em> (to wash oneself)

• Eu m-am spălat – I washed myself
• Tu te-ai spălat – You washed yourself
• El/Ea s-a spălat – He/She washed himself/herself
• Noi ne-am spălat – We washed ourselves
• Voi v-ați spălat – You washed yourselves
• Ei/Ele s-au spălat – They washed themselves

Common Reflexive Verbs in Romanian

Here are some frequently used reflexive verbs that English speakers learning Romanian should know:

• a se trezi – to wake up
• a se spăla – to wash oneself
• a se îmbrăca – to get dressed
• a se culca – to go to bed
• a se plimba – to take a walk
• a se bucura – to be happy/enjoy oneself

Tips for Mastering Romanian Reflexive Verbs

Practice regularly: Use reflexive verbs in sentences to become comfortable with their conjugation and pronoun placement.
Listen and repeat: Hearing native speakers use reflexive verbs helps internalize their usage.
Use flashcards: Memorize common reflexive verbs and their meanings.
Pay attention to pronouns: Reflexive pronouns are essential and must agree with the subject.