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Reflexive verbs questions

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bricks
April 21, 2010, 07:15 PM
Hi. I am currently studying reflexive verbs in Spanish and I would like to aska simple question:

How would I say "I can do it myself."

Several attempts I have had are:

Me puedo hacerlo.
Me lo puedo hacer.
Lo puedo hacerme.

Neither sound correct to me...

chileno
April 21, 2010, 08:26 PM
Hi. I am currently studying reflexive verbs in Spanish and I would like to aska simple question:

How would I say "I can do it myself."

Several attempts I have had are:

Me puedo hacerlo.
Me lo puedo hacer.
Lo puedo hacerme.

Neither sound correct to me...

Nice tries!

Puedo hacerlo yo mismo.

bricks
April 21, 2010, 08:48 PM
Nice tries!

Puedo hacerlo yo mismo.

I haven't come across this "mismo" yet. How do I know when to use mismo or a reflexive pronoun?

Thanks.

Edit: From what I have read further "mismo" is used in this context when it follows a pronoun? In this case "lo". Correct?

Rusty
April 21, 2010, 08:53 PM
Myself, when used the way it is in your sentence, is not reflexive. It is giving emphasis to the subject, and it is said 'yo mismo'. It has nothing to do with the presence of the direct object pronoun.

Quite often, the Spanish reflexive verbs will not have a direct translation into English (meaning, 'myself', or the other reflexive pronouns, won't appear in the translation).
Me peino. = I comb my hair.
Me lavo los dientes. = I brush my teeth.
Me cepillo. = I brush my hair.
Me duermo. = I'm falling asleep.

chileno
April 21, 2010, 11:18 PM
myself = yo mismo
yourself = tú mismo
himself = él mismo
herself = ella misma
ourselves = nosotros mismos
yourselves = ustedes mismos
themselves = ellos mismos

AngelicaDeAlquezar
April 22, 2010, 09:51 AM
@Bricks: Adding to what Rusty and Chileno have said,

Me puedo hacerlo. :bad:
Lo puedo hacerme. :bad:

But "me lo puedo hacer" or "puedo hacérmelo" is correct, if you mean "I can do it to myself". :)

-- ¿Te puedes hacer ese peinado en casa? -> Can you do that hairstyle at home?
-- Sí, me lo puedo hacer. / Sí, puedo hacérmelo. -> Yes, I can do it.

Ayúdame con el nudo de la corbata. No puedo hacérmelo. / No me lo puedo hacer.
Help me with the tie knot. I can't do it.

In both cases, "to oneself" is implied because the speaker is supposed to be doing something to himself/herself, like styling her hair or wearing his tie.

bricks
April 23, 2010, 02:42 PM
Excellent. Thank you gentlemen.

chileno
April 23, 2010, 06:44 PM
Excellent. Thank you gentlemen.

Angelica is a female's name. ;)

bricks
April 25, 2010, 02:49 PM
I am sorry. Please accept my apologies.

AngelicaDeAlquezar
April 25, 2010, 06:25 PM
@Bricks: no need for apologizing. :)