Welcome to Reflexive Verbs & Periphrastic Expressions!
In this chapter, we are going to explore two powerful grammatical toolkits for your Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish (1SP1) exam: reflexive verbs and periphrastic expressions (acabar de, seguir + present participle, and llevar + present participle). Don't worry if these terms sound complicated—they are simply patterns that help you talk about daily routines and express precise timing, like saying you have "just" finished something or have been studying "for two years." Mastering these will help you pick up top marks across Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing!
---Part 1: Reflexive Verbs (Verbos Reflexivos)
What is a Reflexive Verb?
Think of a reflexive verb like looking in a mirror: the person doing the action is also the person receiving the action. In English, we sometimes say "I wash myself" or "He prepares himself." In Spanish, these verbs end in -se in the infinitive (for example, lavarse – to wash oneself, or levantarse – to get up).
The Reflexive Pronouns
Whenever you conjugate a reflexive verb, you must match the person with the correct reflexive pronoun:
• yo \(\rightarrow\) me (myself)
• tú \(\rightarrow\) te (yourself)
• él / ella / usted \(\rightarrow\) se (himself / herself / itself / yourself formal)
• nosotros / nosotras \(\rightarrow\) nos (ourselves)
• vosotros / vosotras \(\rightarrow\) os (yourselves)
• ellos / ellas / ustedes \(\rightarrow\) se (themselves / yourselves formal)
Formula and Conjugation Example: Levantarse (To get up)
Formula: [Reflexive Pronoun] + [Conjugated Verb]
• yo me levanto (I get up)
• tú te levantas (you get up)
• él/ella/usted se levanta (he/she gets up / you formal get up)
• nosotros/as nos levantamos (we get up)
• vosotros/as os levantáis (you all get up)
• ellos/ellas/ustedes se levantan (they get up / you all formal get up)
Where Does the Pronoun Go?
You have three standard placement rules to follow:
1. Before a conjugated verb:
Me ducho todas las mañanas. (I shower every morning.)
2. Attached directly to an infinitive:
Quiero ducharme. (I want to shower / I want to wash myself.)
3. Attached directly to a present participle (gerund):
Estoy duchándome. (I am showering.)
Handling Negation with Reflexive Verbs
When you want to say "no" or "not", the word no always goes before the reflexive pronoun:
Correct: No me lavo.
Incorrect: Me no lavo. (Never separate the pronoun from the conjugated verb this way!)
Key Takeaway for Reflexive Verbs
Always pick the pronoun that matches the person doing the action (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Remember that se is used for both singular and plural third-person forms!
---Part 2: Periphrastic Expressions
A periphrastic expression is simply a fancy name for combining two verbs together to express a specific timeframe or continuous action. Let's master the three essential ones required by Edexcel.
1. Acabar de + Infinitive (To have just done something)
How do you say "I have just eaten" or "We have just arrived"? In Spanish, you do not use words like solo or justamente. Instead, you use the formula with acabar de!
Formula: [Present tense of acabar] + de + [Infinitive verb]
• Acabo de comer. (I have just eaten.)
• Acabamos de llegar. (We have just arrived.)
• ¿Acabas de ver la película? (Have you just seen the film?)
Top Tip: Always remember the little word de! Leaving out de changes the meaning completely or makes the phrase grammatically incorrect.
2. Seguir + Present Participle (To keep on / continue doing something)
When an action is ongoing and you want to say you "continue" or "keep on" doing it, use seguir followed by a present participle (the -ando or -iendo form of a verb).
Watch out for the stem change! The verb seguir is an e \(\rightarrow\) i stem-changing verb in the present tense:
• yo sigo
• tú sigues
• él/ella/usted sigue
• nosotros/as seguimos
• vosotros/as seguís
• ellos/ellas/ustedes siguen
Formula: [Conjugated seguir] + [Present Participle (-ando / -iendo)]
• Sigo estudiando para los exámenes. (I keep on studying for the exams.)
• Mis abuelos siguen viviendo en Madrid. (My grandparents continue living in Madrid.)
3. Llevar + Time Period + Present Participle (To have been doing something for...)
This is a classic Higher Tier structure in Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish. It allows you to express how long you have been doing something, serving as a brilliant alternative to desde hace.
Formula: [Conjugated llevar] + [Time duration] + [Present Participle (-ando / -iendo)]
• Llevo dos años viviendo aquí. (I have been living here for two years.)
• Llevamos tres meses estudiando español. (We have been studying Spanish for three months.)
Quick Reminder on Present Participles (Gerundios):
• -ar verbs: replace -ar with -ando (e.g., hablar \(\rightarrow\) hablando)
• -er / -ir verbs: replace -er/-ir with -iendo (e.g., vivir \(\rightarrow\) viviendo)
• Irregulars to watch: dormir \(\rightarrow\) durmiendo, leer \(\rightarrow\) leyendo.
Key Takeaways for Periphrastic Expressions
• Acabar de + infinitive: "To have just done something" (Don't forget de!).
• Seguir + participle: "To keep on doing something" (Remember the e \(\rightarrow\) i change: sigo, sigues...).
• Llevar + time + participle: "To have been doing something for [time]".
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in the Exam
• Pronoun confusion: Do not mix up me with mi (my), or se with le (to him/her). Also remember that se works for both singular (él se ducha) and plural (ellos se duchan).
• Translating "just" literally: Avoid translating "I just arrived" as yo solo llegué. Always use the GCSE construction: Acabo de llegar.
• Dropping the preposition: Writing acabo comer instead of acabo de comer is an examiner-reported mistake. Keep the de intact.
• Word order in negative sentences: Always put no before the pronoun: No me levanto temprano.
Summary Checklist: Test Yourself!
Can you translate these key GCSE practice sentences?
1. I get up at seven. \(\rightarrow\) Me levanto a las siete.
2. I want to shower. \(\rightarrow\) Quiero ducharme. (or Me quiero duchar.)
3. We have just eaten. \(\rightarrow\) Acabamos de comer.
4. She continues living in Spain. \(\rightarrow\) Sigue viviendo en España.
5. I have been studying for two years. \(\rightarrow\) Llevo dos años estudiando.