When to use reflexives in Spanish?

Question

Please do not tell me to search Google or Yahoo Answers, I already have and I don't get it.

Could someone please tell me when to use reflexives vs. regular? It's hard to explain but I'll try.

How do you know when to use me, te, se, nos, etc.. ? Example:

Me cepillo los dientes. (Not sure if that's right)
or
Yo cepillo los dientes.

I don't know when to use the me...? I'm just confused by reflexive verbs. What's with the cepillarSE? Why not just cepillar?

Thanks, I know it's hard to explain but please try your best.

Answer 1

First, there's no point of comparison/difference between regular verbs and the reflexive ones.
There are both regular and irregular verbs that are also reflexive. For instance: bañ**** (regular) y acostarse (irregular).
Second, the reflexive verbs imply that the effect the verb predicts is both executed/performed and received by the same person. This example could be helpful:
Yo me veo en el espejo (I see myself in the mirror). No one does it for you.

You use the conjugation and the reflexive pronouns according to the person who is speaking, let's see:
Yo me baño. (I take a shower/I shower)
Tú te levantas. (You wake up -by yourself)
Ella se maquilla. (She puts make up on).
Nosotros nos acostamos. (We go to bed).
Ustedes se peinan. (You -guys, in plural- comb your hair).
Ellos se afeitan. (They shave by themselves)

You recognize the reflexive verbs because they have in the infinitive form the -SE sufix. As you mentioned above, cepillarse implies that we are speaking about a reflexive verb. Cepillar is also used, but it means you can brush someone else's teeth/hair.

Me cepillo los dientes (I brush my teeth)
Yo cepillo los dientes de mis hijos (I brush my children's teeth).

Hope this was useful! ;)

Ah, I almost forgot to say that it is mandatory the use of the reflexive pronouns. Otherwise it means someone is performing the action and it affects someone else.

Answer 2

me, te, se, nos are pronouns that replace the regular form when the action is something applied to person itself or to replace possesive pronoun (mi, tu, su, nuestro).

Me cepillo los dientes means I brush my teeth

Yo cepillo los dientes means I brush the teeth

as you can see that type of pronouns is used to express that the action is for the person(1st, 2nd, 3rd) of which we are speaking.

the termination (me, se, te , nos) "cepillarSE" is applied when before that verb another helping verb is added: I'm going (voy a), I have to (tendre que) + cepillarME los dientes (this is the 1stperson singular case, its the same with all persons).

Answer 3

If you're appearing the movement on anybody else then use an additional pronoun. I brush my enamel. Me cepillo los dientes. I brush your enamel. Te cepillo los dientes. If you're comfortably pointing out anything to anybody else then hold the equal constitution. Oye, mamá. Me cepillo los dientes. Hey, mother. I brush my enamel.

Answer 4

I think Smurfette explained it very well.