Why is this?

[ElDanés]

Hello again, fellow tomísimos!

I stumbled upon this sentence:

"Me estoy bajando del taxi."
I'm getting out of the taxi.

But why is me used, and not yo (or at least omitted)?

I don't hope it matters that I post all these small questions from time to time?

Thanks.

[ElDanés]

Oh, this one was pretty straightforward!

I had some crazy idea that the word se was an all-around reflexive pronoun no matter persons, but I looked it up, and noticed that it is only used for the third-person singular and plural, and that (to get back to this situation) me is used for the first-person singular.

[Rusty]

Yep, you figured it out! Good job.

Bajarse del taxi is the sentence without conjugation. When conjugating the verb into the present progressive tense, you relocate the reflexive pronoun to the front of the verb and it has to agree with the person. You know the rest of the drill.

me estoy bajando
te estás bajando
se está bajando
nos estamos bajando
etc.

[ElDanés]

Originally Posted by Rusty

When conjugating the verb into the present progressive tense, you relocate the reflexive pronoun to the front of the verb and it has to agree with the person.

Oh, that's good to know. The course I'm following only includes examples in Spanish (with English translations) and then several different exercises, but no theory. But well, what could I except, it's a free course, and I can always read about the theory on the sideline.

So far the course has only been using the present progressive tense, and that's the reason why the example uses it. The "normal" present tense will be introduced later.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ElDanés

... but I looked it up, and noticed that it is only used for the third-person singular and plural, and that (to get back to this situation) me is used for the first-person singular.

"Se" is also the second person singular and plural formal.
(usted) se está bajando...
(ustedes) se están bajando...

The full conjugation would be...
(yo) me bajo
(tú) te bajas
(él) se baja
(ella) se baja
(usted) se baja
(nosotros) nos bajamos
(vosotros) os bajais <== Is that right?
(ellos) se bajan
(ellas) se bajan
(ustedes) se bajan

[Rusty]

os bajáis
Te faltaba la tilde.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by ElDanés

...
So far the course has only been using the present progressive tense, and that's the reason why the example uses it. The "normal" present tense will be introduced later.

I hope your course tells you that you'll use the "normal" present tense much more than the present progressive tense. I like that David listed the full conjugation in the present indicative. You'll use this tense much more frequently than you'll use the present progressive, as I explained in another post.

Me bajo del taxi. = I'm getting out of the taxi.
Me bajo en la próxima esquina. = I get off at the next corner.
Me bajo en la próxima esquina. = I'll get off at the next corner.

I believe the present progressive tense is introduced to English speakers because we can make an immediate connection to it. After all, it has the helping verb and the present participle we're so used to seeing. What a shock it is to learn later that yo estoy yendo is said voy. Why don't they teach the "normal" stuff first?!?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Rusty

os bajáis
Te faltaba la tilde.

Muchas gracias

[CrOtALiTo]

In Spanish the word me is used as for say I in English it's the context of itself, that word is necessary when you want to say something that you are doing or you'll do it, for example you can't to say Yo estoy enfermando, the better way to say it's Me estoy enfermando, couple sentences are almost seem in itself meaning but it does not the same, I hope that I have made the explain as well that you can understand me, if you've more doubt about it, please let me know and I'll be glad in help you.

[CrOtALiTo]

How I can translate the word Bajar, as Get out or get off or go down.?

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

How I can translate the word Bajar, as Get out or get off or go down.?

All three. It depends on the context.

Bajar can mean:
to download (un archivo, una foto)
to get out of something (del taxi)
to get off of something (de caballo, bicicleta)
to get off something (de avíón, tren)
to go/come down (por las escaleras)
to go out (la marea)
to go down (la fiebre)
to fall/drop/go down (el precio, valor)
to deteriorate (la calidad)
to diminish (la popularidad)
to lower/put down (la mano, brazo)
to get something down from something (la mesa)
to turn down (el volumen)
to bow (la cabeza)

[Tomisimo]

There are probably even a few others you can add to that list Rusty, for example: to lower.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

There are probably even a few others you can add to that list Rusty, for example: to lower.

Yeah, there are others. Lower is fourth-from-the-bottom.

[Tomisimo]

Can't believe I missed that. I must need to get my eyesight checked.

[ElDanés]

Originally Posted by Rusty

I hope your course tells you that you'll use the "normal" present tense much more than the present progressive tense. I like that David listed the full conjugation in the present indicative. You'll use this tense much more frequently than you'll use the present progressive, as I explained in another post.

I'm fully aware of this. The first thing I did was to learn all the conjugations, including the subjunctives, and then how each tense is used on my own. Now I'm only using the course to get to know how to tell time, the different numbers, get some words into my vocabulary, idioms, etc. and not all the more grammatical stuff.

[Rusty]

It's good to know the role of the present indicative tense. My ramblings aren't always directed at you personally. It's my hope that other English speakers trying to learn Spanish will have learned something, too.

[Jane]

Originally Posted by Rusty

...
It's my hope that other English speakers trying to learn Spanish will have learned something, too.

Absolutely, Rusty. Not only from this thread, but from all the others.
Which is why these days I have fewer questions. I just log in, read/study and learn.