¡Hola, amig@s!

Welcome to another edition of Master Spanish Weekly (new name). 

This week, we’re learning about reflexive and affective verbs. Two types of verbs that help us express personal actions and emotions. Whether you’re talking about your daily routine (reflexivos) or sharing what you love or dislike (afectivos), these verbs are essential for sounding natural in Spanish. Let’s explore how they work!

1. Verbos Reflexivos (Reflexive Verbs)

Reflexive verbs are actions that someone does to themselves. They always include a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that matches the subject. Think of it as the subject "reflecting" the action back onto themselves.

Key Characteristics:

• The subject and the object are the same person (e.g., I wash myself).

• The reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) is required.

• These verbs often describe daily routines, personal care, or emotional states.

Examples:

• Yo me levanto a las 7 de la mañana. (I get up at 7 a.m.)
  → Here, me reflects the action of getting up back onto yo (I).

• Ella se lava las manos antes de comer. (She washes her hands before eating.)
  → Se shows that she is washing her own hands.

• Nosotros nos acostamos temprano los fines de semana. (We go to bed early on weekends.)
  → Nos indicates that we are putting ourselves to bed.

Pro Tip: Many reflexive verbs are related to daily routines. For example:

• despertarse (to wake up)

• vestirse (to get dressed)

• ducharse (to shower)

2. Verbos Afectivos (Affective Verbs)

The conjugation for these verbs is quite different. The subject of the sentence is not the person (s) doing the action; it is the thing (s) the verb refers to, while the person or object expressing the emotion, interest, or preference is represented via an indirect object.

The indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) shows who is experiencing the emotion.

Key Characteristics:

• The subject is usually a thing or situation, while the person feeling the emotion is the indirect object.

• These verbs are commonly used to express likes, dislikes, or reactions.

Examples:

• A mí me gusta el chocolate. (I like chocolate.)
  → Me shows that I am the one who likes chocolate.

• A Juan le encanta viajar. (Juan loves to travel.)
  → Le indicates that Juan is the one who loves traveling.

• A nosotros nos molesta el ruido. (The noise bothers us.)
  → Nos tells us that we are the ones bothered by the noise.

Some common affective verbs include:

• gustar (to like)

• encantar (to love)

• molestar (to bother)

• interesar (to interest)

• fascinar (to fascinate)

3. Let’s Compare!

Here are some examples to help you see the difference side by side:

Practice Tip

Try writing 2-3 sentences about your daily routine using reflexive verbs (levantarse, ducharse, vestirse). Then, write 2-3 sentences about things you like or dislike using affective verbs (gustar, encantar, molestar). For example:

• Me despierto a las 6:30 y me ducho. (I wake up at 6:30 and shower.)

• Me encanta el café, pero no me gusta el té. (I love coffee, but I don’t like tea.)

4. Song of the Week

This week’s song is "Tabaco y Channel" by the Latin Grammy-winning band Bacilos. It’s a beautiful blend of pop, rock, and Latin rhythms that tells a nostalgic story about love and memories.

The chorus features a reflexive verb that ties into our topic of the week: "no se va, no se olvida" (it doesn’t go away, it isn’t forgotten).

Listen to the song on Spotify, where you can read the lyrics too: 👇🏼

Gracias por ser parte de nuestra comunidad de Spanish learners. If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, hit reply. I’d love to hear from you!"

If you enjoyed this newsletter, share it with a friend who’s also learning Spanish.

¡Hasta la próxima semana!

Un abrazo,

Alejandro Nuñez
Founder & Director at New Way Spanish

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