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Reflexive verbs

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Eseny
August 16, 2011, 06:32 AM
Hello everyone;I started spanish about 5 weeks ago and I have a question from my book.
I finished some exercises about reflexive verb -ir- (to go) and the right answers are shown at the end of the book like below;

Me voy al trabajo I go to work
Tu te vas al colegio You go to school
Mi padre se la oficana My father goes to ofice

But why this sentence below is not in reflexive form even though same structure.
Ustedes van a la oficana (This is shown as right answer,not reflexive form)
Why not; Ustedes se van a la oficana (I selected this as a right reflexive form)

What is the difference between the 4th sentence and the first three.Is this a mistake in the book? Thanks in advance.

marmoset
August 16, 2011, 07:44 AM
Hello and welcome.

I'll need a native to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the simple answer is that ir is not reflexive and it means to go. Irse is reflexive and means to leave.

"Ustedes se van a la oficina" would translate to something like: You (guys) leave to the office.


Here is a more complicated answer:
http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/116091/ir-vs-irse


:)

Rusty
August 16, 2011, 08:20 AM
Non-pronominal form:
ir a = go to

Pronominal form:
irse a = leave for

The verb is always followed by the preposition 'a'. In the non-pronominal form (ir), the preposition is translated as 'to'. In the pronominal form (irse), the preposition is translated as 'for'.

Non-pronominal examples:
Voy al trabajo. = I go to work. | I'm going to work.
(Tú) vas al colegio. = You go to school. | You're going to school.
Mi padre va a la oficina. = My father goes to the office. | My father is going to the office.
Ustedes van a la oficina. = You go to the office. | You are going to the office.

Pronominal examples:
Me voy al trabajo. = I'm leaving for work. | I leave for work.
(Tú) te vas al colegio. = You're leaving for school. | I leave for school.
Mi padre se va a la oficina. = My father is leaving for the office. | My father leaves for the office.
Ustedes se van a la oficina. = You are leaving for the office. | You leave for the office.

Luna Azul
August 16, 2011, 12:04 PM
But why this sentence below is not in reflexive form even though same structure.
Ustedes van a la oficana (This is shown as right answer,not reflexive form)
Why not; Ustedes se van a la oficana (I selected this as a right reflexive form)

What is the difference between the 4th sentence and the first three.Is this a mistake in the book? Thanks in advance.

Both sentences "Ustedes van a la oficina" and "ustedes se van a la oficina" are correct.

:)

Eseny
August 17, 2011, 08:05 PM
Marmoset, Rusty, Luna; Thank all you guys ,I will have more questions about spanish.