PMP: Complete Spanish Grammar - 8.1 (reflexive verb forms)

bañar(se)

to bathe, take a bath

afeitarse

to shave

[Shaving is something of an affectation. I mean shaving yourself, not shaving someone else.]

cepillarse

to brush

[See, when Samson couldn’t brush his long hair anymore after Delilah cut it, he got so mad he pushed over a pillar or two.]

desayunarse

to have breakfast

[They say you need breakfast, the most important meal of the day. So break your fast.]

ducharse

to shower

[A douche is one way to shower oneself.]

mirarse

to look at oneself

[Look in a mirror to see yourself.]

ponerse

to put on

[Most of us can’t pony up the money for a butler, so we have to put on our own clothes.

quitarse

to take off

[You are a quitter if you just take off.]

secarse

to dry oneself, dry off

[Just a sec! I’m drying myself off.]

bañarse

to bathe, take a bath

cortarse

to cut

[I don’t mean to be curt and cut you off, but we’re going to have to curtail this conversation. I just cut myself.]

destaparse

to uncover, take off

[Don’t be desperate and just take your clothes off. Taper into the situation.]

lavarse

to wash

limarse (las uñas)

to file (one’s nails)

[I’m going to go out on a limb and say you can’t file your nails with a Lima bean.]

maquillarse

to put on makeup

[The 16th century actor said, “I have to use my quill to apply cosmetics to my face. Makeup!”

peinarse

to comb one’s hair

[Snarled hair is a pain to comb.]

pintarse (los labios)

to put on lipstick

[While piercing ears to put on ear rings became a thing, pinning on lips never did. Women just paint their lips by putting on lipstick.]

taparse

to cover

[An old custom in Spain was to cover a drink with a bit of food, like a slice of bread or meat. Sort of like tapas.]