Reflexive Spanish Verbs That Change Meaning

Reflexive Spanish Verbs That Change Meaning Often, the difference in meaning between a simple verb and its corresponding reflexive verb (formed in the infinitive form by adding the suffix  -se) is slight, even nonexistent. For example, the verb desayunar typically means to eat breakfast, while desayunarse has little, if any, discernible difference in meaning. Sometimes, however, the difference in meaning is substantial - enough so that it is listed separately in the dictionary, and sometimes so that its meaning isnt readily predictable if you know the meaning of the root verb. Following are among the verbs with significantly different meanings in the reflexive form. This list is far from complete, and only the most common English translations are included here. Note also that usage of these verbs can vary with region, and that some speakers may use some verbs in the reflexive form as a way to change emphasis rather than to make a clear change in meaning: acusar (to accuse), acusarse (to confess or admit): Acusaron a Mà ³nica de arreglar los resultados. (They accused Monica of cleaning up the results.)  Me acuso de ser drogadicto.  (I admit to being a drug addict. aparecer (to appear), aparecerse (to appear, often said of a supernatural event): El hombre ms buscado aparecià ³ en la fotografà ­a. (The most-wanted man appeared in the photograph.)  Muchos creen que se aparecià ³ la virgen Marà ­a en Mà ©xico.  (Many believe the Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico.) cambiar (to change), cambiarse (to switch to a different item, such as changing clothes or moving to a different house): Hay tres libros que cambiaron mi vida. (There are three books that changed my life.)  Nos cambiamos de compaà ±Ãƒ ­a telefà ³nica.  (Were switching to a different telephone company.) desenvolver (to unwrap), desenvolverse (to cope or manage):  Ya desenvolvà ­ tu regalo. (Ive already unwrapped your gift.) Mi madre se desenvuelve bien con los turistas. (My mother copes well with the tourists.) dormir (to sleep), dormirse (to fall asleep): Dormà ­a en el interior de un auto de un amigo. (He would sleep in a friends car.)  Se durmià ³ una noche escuchando la radio.  (He fell asleep one night listening to the radio.) gastar (to spend), gastarse (to wear out, to use up): Gastà ³ todo el dinero en sus tarjetas de dà ©bito. (He spent all the money on his debit cards.)   Las suelas de los zapatos se gastaron. (The soles of the shoes wore out.) ir (to go), irse (to go away): Fue a la crcel por lavar dà ³lares. (He went to jail for laundering dollars.)  Mi nià ±a se fue a la mar a contar olas.  (My girl went away to the sea to count the waves.) llevar (to carry), llevarse (to take):  ¿Quà © llevaba la doctor Blanco en la bolsa? (What is Dr. Blanco carrying in her purse?)  El ladrà ³n se llevà ³ dos obras de Picasso. (The thief took two works of Picasso.) ocurrir (to occur or happen), ocurrirse (to have a sudden idea): Nos ocurre exactamente lo mismo que explica Sandra.  (The same thing happens to us that Sandra talks about.)  Una idea se me ocurrià ³ mientras estudiaba biologà ­a.  (An idea occurred to me while I was studying biology.) parecer (to seem like), parecerse (to look physically like): La situacià ³n de Bolivia no es lo que parece. (The situation in Bolivia isnt what it seems like.)  El desierto de Arizona se parece mucho al de Zacatecas.  (The Arizona desert looks a lot like Zacatecas.) poner (to put), ponerse (to put on, such as clothing): Lo analizar y lo pondr en la categorà ­a correcta. (He will analyze it and put it in the correct category.)  No me pondrà © nunca una gorra de bà ©isbol.  (I will never put on a baseball cap.) salir (to leave), salirse (to leave unexpectedly or quickly, to leak): Ernesto salià ³ por los cayos al norte de Cuba. (Ernesto left by way of the keys to the north of Cuba.)  Un avià ³n con 62 ocupantes se salià ³ de la pista del aeropuerto.  (A plane with 62 on board unexpectedly left the runway.) saltar (to jump), saltarse (to jump over, to skip an event or avoid an obligation): Las focas, los delfines, y las ballenas saltan frecuentemente. (Seals, dolphins and whales often jump.)  Ms chinos se saltan la ley del hijo à ºnico.  (More Chinese are ignoring the one-child law.) volver (to return), volverse (to turn around, to make an unexpected return): Los secuestrados volvieron a casa.  (The hostages returned home.)  Las abejas asesinas de Sudamà ©rica se volvieron ms fuertes.  (The South American killer bees returned stronger.)