Pronominal verbs that change meaning

What are pronominal verbs that change meaning?

In Spanish, a pronominal verb is a verb used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). For many verbs the reflexive simply shows that the subject does the action to or for itself (reflexive use). But there is an important group of verbs that change meaning when you add the reflexive pronoun. That change can be small (a nuance of completion or involvement) or large (a completely different verb meaning).

This guide explains what these meaning changes are, when they happen, how to form the pronominal forms, common pairs you should learn, and frequent mistakes. Most examples are in Spanish, followed by an English translation.

How does adding "se" (or me/te/nos/os) change a verb's meaning?

Simple summary: adding the reflexive pronoun can turn a verb into one of the following (not mutually exclusive):
- reflexive (subject acts on itself),
- reciprocal (each other),
- change-of-state / "become" meaning,
- movement/change of position (get in/out, leave),
- completive/emphatic (finish / consume fully),
- accidental or unintentional action (the accidental "se"),
- idiomatic or lexical change (the verb becomes a different lexical item).

Examples (short):
- Lavar / Lavarse
- Lavo el coche. (I wash the car.)
- Me lavo las manos. (I wash my hands.) — reflexive: subject affected.

- Comer / Comerse
- Comí arroz. (I ate rice.)
- Me comí toda la pizza. (I ate the whole pizza / I ate it up.) — completive/emphatic.

- Ir / Irse
- Voy a la tienda. (I go / I'm going to the store.)
- Me voy ahora. (I'm leaving now.) — departure/away.

- Olvidar / Olvidarse
- Olvidé la cita. (I forgot the appointment.)
- Se me olvidó la cita. (The appointment slipped my mind / I accidentally forgot.) — accidental "se".

Main categories: When "se" changes the meaning

1) Reflexive vs transitive: subject acts on itself

Meaning: without pronoun, the verb acts on an object; with pronoun, the subject receives the action.

Examples:
- Lavar (to wash something) / Lavarse (to wash oneself)
- Lavo el coche. (I wash the car.)
- Me lavo las manos. (I wash my hands.)

- Peinar (to comb someone/something) / Peinarse (to comb oneself)
- El peluquero peina a la clienta. (The hairdresser combs the client.)
- Me peino antes de salir. (I comb my hair before going out.)

- Acostar / Acostarse
- Acosté al bebé a las nueve. (I put the baby to bed at nine.)
- Me acuesto a las diez. (I go to bed at ten.)

Tip: Translate the pronominal with English reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself) or a gerund (