Explanation
Reciprocal Verbs
Reciprocal verbs are a type of pronominal verb used to talk about actions that people do to each other.
For example:
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Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal verbs are formed by the combination of a verb and a reciprocal pronoun. Since reciprocal actions always involve two or more people, only plural pronouns are considered reciprocal. A list of these pronouns is given in the table below.
List of Reciprocal Pronouns
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| First person | nos | to, for, from, or off ourselves |
| Second person | os | to, for, from, or off yourselves |
| Third person | se | to, for, from, or off themselves, yourselves |
Reciprocal or Reflexive
Sentences with reciprocal actions sometimes look just like sentences with reflexive actions. To differentiate a reflexive action from a reciprocal action, the use of expressions such as uno al otro, uno a otro, mutuamente, recíprocamente, entre sí, etc. can be added to a phrase to show the subjects are performing the action on each other. All these expressions can be roughly translated as each other, one another or mutually.
For example:
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List of Common Reciprocal Verbs
Below you'll find a list of verbs that are commonly used to talk about reciprocal actions.
Want to learn more about reflexive verbs and other types of verbs? Check out these articles!
Want to learn more about other pronouns in Spanish? Check out these articles!
