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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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30. Reciprocal Reflexive Verbs

Source: A Complete Guide To Every Fundamental In Spanish (The Conclusion)

Reciprocal reflexives express an action two or more subjects do to each other / one another. Because they need a plural subject, they only use the plural reflexive pronouns nos, os, and se.

Key Rules

  • Use only plural reflexive pronouns: nos (we), os (vosotros), se (ellos/ellas/ustedes).
  • The verb is conjugated normally for the plural subject.
  • Whenever you see se (or nos, os) before a plural-subject verb, it can mean "each other".
  • Works in all tenses (present, preterite, imperfect, progressive…).
  • Almost any verb can be made reciprocal if the context allows two-or-more subjects.

Conjugation / Pattern Tables

Reciprocal pronouns

Subject Pronoun
nosotros nos
vosotros os
ellos / ellas / ustedes se

Common reciprocal verbs

Verb Meaning
ayudarse to help each other
abrazarse to hug each other
saludarse to greet each other
encontrarse to meet/encounter each other
verse to see each other
conocerse to know / meet each other
escucharse to listen to each other

Examples

Spanish English
Nosotros ayudamos. We help.
Nos ayudamos. We help each other.
Ellos abrazan. They hug.
Ellos se abrazan. They hug each other.
Estamos escuchando. We are listening.
Nos estamos escuchando. We are listening to each other.
John y yo conocimos a María. John and I met María.
John y yo nos conocimos. John and I met (each other).
Los amigos saludaron. The friends greeted (someone).
Los amigos se saludaron. The friends greeted each other.
Nos encontramos en el cine cuando nos vimos. We met at the cinema when we saw each other.

Notes & Gotchas

  • Singular reflexive pronouns (me, te) cannot be reciprocal — at least two subjects are required.
  • The same form can be reflexive ("they wash themselves") or reciprocal ("they wash each other"); context decides.
  • For clarity you can add el uno al otro / los unos a los otros to force the reciprocal reading.