Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

23The reflexiveThe reflexive has a large number of functions in Spanish.NOTEThe reflexive pronoun is different from the object pronoun only in the 3rd person and theusted/ustedes forms, which have se as their unstressed reflexive pronoun and sí as theirstressed reflexive pronoun in both the sg. and pl. (see 8.2.1).23.1Literal reflexiveThe reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of the verb.Me defendí enérgicamente.I defended myself energetically.23.2Reflexives with a conventionalized meaningSome reflexives have a conventionalized meaning which is slightly different from aliteral reflexive meaning.Me veo en dificultades.I am (not literally ‘I see myself’) in difficulties.Se llama Dolores.Her name is (not literally ‘she calls herself’) Dolores.23.3Reciprocal reflexives108In the plural, the reflexive pronoun may have a reciprocal meaning (‘each other’, ‘oneanother’).Se escriben con frecuencia.They frequently write to each other.The sense is usually obvious from the context (in the above example, it is unlikely thatpeople would write to themselves), but if necessary, the phrase uno/a(s) a otro/a(s) or,in formal style, an adverb such as mutuamente is added.