# Me lavo los dientes



## matnic17

I listened to a podcast that translated:

"I am brushing my teeth"
Me lavo los dientes

If I had translated myself I would say:
Estoy lavando mis dientes.

Que es la diferencia?


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## javialacarga

I would have said "Me estoy lavando los dientes".


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## DeFulham

I think I'd say 'me estoy lavando los dientes' as well, although 'me lavo los dientes' is just as good.


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## matnic17

Muchas gracias, Javialacarga y DeFulham.

Do I have this right?

If I say:
Estoy lavando los dientes.
I am saying "I wash(brush) the teeth" but not I'm not making clear whose teeth.  
"Me estoy lavando los dientes" says I am brushing my own teeth
and
"Te estoy lavando los dientes" would mean I am brushing your teeth.


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## curlyboy20

matnic17 said:


> Muchas gracias, Javialacarga y DeFulham.
> 
> Do I have this right?
> 
> If I say:
> Estoy lavando los dientes.
> I am saying "I wash(brush) the teeth" but not I'm not making clear whose teeth.
> "Me estoy lavando los dientes" says I am brushing my own teeth
> and
> "Te estoy lavando los dientes" would mean I am brushing your teeth.


 
Correct. This is a bit off-topic, but just so you know, in Peru people say, "me estoy lavando la boca" and what they mean is they're brushing their teeth. I have no idea why people here say "boca".


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## javialacarga

"Estoy lavando los dientes" is gramatically correct and means what you just said, but of course nobody would ever say such a phrase.


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## NewdestinyX

matnic17 said:


> I listened to a podcast that translated:
> 
> "I am brushing my teeth"
> Me lavo los dientes
> 
> If I had translated myself I would say:
> Estoy lavando mis dientes.
> 
> Que es la diferencia?


Welcome to the forum, Matnic. Spanish sees verbs being acting upon the body of 'oneself' a little differently than English sees it.

They prefer referring to the 'body part' being affected by the verb with a definite article and not a possessive. To refer to 'whose' body part it is Spanish uses the reflexive object pronouns. Additionally a good majority of the time English uses present progressive tense (-ing) Spanish just prefers present tense alone.

So:
Me lavo los dientes = I'm brushing my teeth.
Te lavas los dientes = You're brushing your teeth.
Se lava los dientes = He's brushing his teeth.
, etc.....

It's not wrong to say: Me estoy lavando los dientes -- it just would tag you as a non native for sure. And if you say 'mis' dientes then they 'really know' you are a foreigner.. 

To complicate matters a little -- someone can wash the 'teeth of someone else' too.. in which case the object pronouns are 'indirect' and you can make these distinctions:

Le lava los dientes -- He's brushing 'someone else's' teeth.
¿Me lavas los dientes? = Will you brush my teeth?

Chao,
Grant


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## matnic17

Thanks for the explanation Grant.  It was very helpful but leaves me wondering when the word "lavando" would be used.  Are the following correct for "I am washing my ..."?

Me lavo los manos
Me lavo los platos
Me lavo el carro
Me lavo el perro

Matt


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## platypuck

Not really. "me" and the other reflexive pronouns are only used for parts of the body. The rest is just like in English:
lavo el coche - I'm washing the car (you normally wouldn't wash somebody else's or you would just specify it in the context)


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## obz

Estoy cepillándome los dientes. Me cepillo los dientes.
I'm brushing my teeth. (cepillarse instead of lavarse - brushing vs washing/cleaning)

El perro, carro, and los platos are not parts of you. You can't put the verbs reflexive here.


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## marcosgcuevas

"Estoy lavando los dientes" is gramatically correct and means what you just said, but of course nobody would ever say such a phrase.


Well, I can imagine a person washing his partner's teeth, if they are false (quite frequent with aged people)"  

But, having told the joke, I have to admit that this case is not frequent.


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## obz

marcosgcuevas said:


> (quite frequent with _aged people_)



Mmm aged people, a cannibalistic delicacy. Goes great with aged cheese and a nice vintage wine. 
_
Creo _que querías decir '_old / older / elderly people_' para describir los con mayor edad, los viejos.


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## marcosgcuevas

Sí, tienes razón. Muchas gracias por la observación.
Me debo estar haciendo viejo


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## javialacarga

marcosgcuevas said:


> "Estoy lavando los dientes" is gramatically correct and means what you just said, but of course nobody would ever say such a phrase.
> 
> 
> Well, I can imagine a person washing his partner's teeth, if they are false (quite frequent with aged people)"
> 
> But, having told the joke, I have to admit that this case is not frequent.



Cierto, no me había dado cuenta de ese uso.


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## NewdestinyX

matnic17 said:


> Thanks for the explanation Grant.  It was very helpful but leaves me wondering when the word "lavando" would be used.  Are the following correct for "I am washing my ..."?
> 
> Me lavo los manos
> Me lavo los platos
> Me lavo el carro
> Me lavo el perro
> 
> Matt


As Platypuck said -- the reflexive verbs for washing, brushing, getting dressed, showering, etc.. only work in the reflexive when one is doing it to oneself. And the other poster is right to -- cepillarse is the verb for 'brushing'. Silly me.. 

Grant


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## matnic17

Muchas gracias por todas las respuestas.

Let me see if I have it now...

"Estoy lavando los platos" y "Estoy lavando el carro" are correct,
but if I am doing it to myself I use the reflexive pronoun "me" like this...
"Me lavo los manos", "Me lavo los dientes"

Matt


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## NewdestinyX

matnic17 said:


> Muchas gracias por todas las respuestas.
> 
> Let me see if I have it now...
> 
> "Estoy lavando los platos" y "Estoy lavando el carro" are correct,


Yes exactly.. Though in Spanish it's much more common 'not' to use the present progressive. Just say: "Lavo los platos." and "Lavo el carro" ("coche" = car, in Spain)


> but if I am doing it to myself I use the reflexive pronoun "me" like this...
> "Me lavo los manos", "Me lavo cepillo los dientes"


Yes... or:
Me ducho ahora. = I'm taking a shower now.
Me bañé hace una hora. = I took a bath an hour ago.
Me visto ahora. - I'm getting dressed now.
¿No te has afeitado ya? = Haven't you shaved already?

Chao,
Grant


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## NewdestinyX

matnic17 said:


> Muchas gracias por todas las respuestas.


Keep in mind, Matt -- as you're learning about this 'reflexive' thing - that this usage we've talked about in this thread is only one type of reflexive verb usage. I call it, in the course I've written, the '*Inherently Reflexive* usage' -- where a person is doing something to themselves or to their own bodies. There is also a:

• "*Literal Reflexive*" - where it translates to 'myself, yourself, etc.' in English. e.g. "Me miro en el espejo" = I'm looking at myself in the mirror.

• "*Reciprocal Reflexive*" - where it translates to '(to) one another'.. e.g. "Nos escribimos cada año." = We write to each other every year. or "Se nota que se aman" = You can tell they love each other.

The rest of the uses of the 'reflexive' pronouns aren't really perceived as 'reflexive', toward the self, at all though if you work hard at it you can tell why they are 'reflexive' too in that the self is somehow involved. 

• Many verbs in Spanish use the reflexive pronoun to enhance the verb or give it another meaning --
Salir = to leave
Salirse = for a gas/liquid to escape
ir = to go
irse = to go away______________
acercar = to bring closer
acercarse = to approach

--there are 'hundreds' of these to learn and that's where Spanish gets harder than they lead you to believe in High School when you choose Spanish over French.. 

• Some verbs in Spanish always apepar with the reflexive pronoun like: arrepentirse, quejarse, etc.. These always appear with the 'se' on the end in their infinitive form.

But I just wanted you to have a 'peek' into how large a topic this is as you study. Only a 'few' of the times when the reflexive pronoun appears, matching the subject of the verb, is it 'reflexive toward the self' as you've asked about in this thread.

Chao,
Grant


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## obz

I like your explanations of the 'different reflexives' there Grant.
It's pretty logical as an English speaker.
Great explanation.

Have you considered adding the 'get' reflexive as well? Even though in Spanish it's to ones self, it's often the result of outside actions. Se enojó con migo / se entristeció
'She got mad at me' 'She got sad' etc.

Saludos


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## SevenDays

NewdestinyX said:


> Welcome to the forum, Matnic. Spanish sees verbs being acting upon the body of 'oneself' a little differently than English sees it.
> 
> They prefer referring to the 'body part' being affected by the verb with a definite article and not a possessive. To refer to 'whose' body part it is Spanish uses the reflexive object pronouns. Additionally a good majority of the time English uses present progressive tense (-ing) Spanish just prefers present tense alone.
> 
> So:
> Me lavo los dientes = I'm brushing my teeth.
> Te lavas los dientes = You're brushing your teeth.
> Se lava los dientes = He's brushing his teeth.
> , etc.....
> 
> It's not wrong to say: Me estoy lavando los dientes -- it just would tag you as a non native for sure. And if you say 'mis' dientes then they 'really know' you are a foreigner..
> 
> To complicate matters a little -- someone can wash the 'teeth of someone else' too.. in which case the object pronouns are 'indirect' and you can make these distinctions:
> 
> Le lava los dientes -- He's brushing 'someone else's' teeth.
> ¿Me lavas los dientes? = Will you brush my teeth?
> 
> Chao,
> Grant



Hello

I just wanted to make a couple of observations.

If I’m in the process of brushing my teeth, it should be: 
_Me estoy_ _lavando/cepillando_ _los dientes_.  I don’t see how it would tag you as a non native.

_Dile que no puedo hablar por teléfono porque me estoy lavando/cepillando los dientes._

Me lavo los dientes = I brush my teeth.
_Me lavo/cepillo los dientes todas las noches antes de acostarme._

(Post #17)
_Me ducho ahora_
This sounds a little off to me.  If I’m in the middle of taking a shower, I wouldn’t say _I take a shower now_.  I suppose – and correct me if I’m wrong - that it’s more natural to say _I’m taking a shower_.  The same goes for Spanish:
_Me estoy duchando._

Just my two cents

Cheers


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## NewdestinyX

obz said:


> I like your explanations of the 'different reflexives' there Grant.
> It's pretty logical as an English speaker.
> Great explanation.
> 
> Have you considered adding the 'get' reflexive as well?
> Even though in Spanish it's to one's self, it's often the result of outside actions.
> Se enojó con migo conmigo / Se entristeció
> 'She got mad at me' / 'She got sad' etc.
> 
> Saludos


Thanks for the encouragement, Obz. I have the 'get category' and 'many' others. I just didn't want to overwhelm Matt. It seems he was just learning the concept.

My subcategories are as follows in my course and the approach I take is called "The Many, Many uses of SE and the Reflexive Pronouns":
*Case 1: The Reflexive*
___*A. Literal Reflexive* _(Me miraba en el espejo. = I was looking at myself in the mirror.)_
___*B. Reciprocal Reflexive* _(Nos escribimos_ cada año. _= We write to each other each year.)_
___*C. Inherently Reflexive* _(Me lavo las manos. = I'm washing my hands.)_
*Case 2: Obligatory Pronominal [These never appear without the pronoun]* _(Te quejas demasiado. = You complain too much.)_
*Case 3: For Adding Nuance or Aspect Change* _(Se acercan a Madrid pronto. = You'll be approaching Madrid shortly. |acercar = to bring closer; acercarse= to approach|)_
*Case 4: For Emphasizing Total Consumption* _(Me comí tres pizzas anoche. = I ate {up} 3 {whole} pizzas last night.)_
*Case 5:* *For Expression or Emphasis *_(Juan se mereció un premio. = John {went an'} won {himself} an award.)_
*Case 6:* *For Indicating Emotional State* _(Sé que te alegras de que le guste. = I know you're happy that she likes it.)_
*Case 7:* *For Indicating Change in Personal State/Situation - "get.../become..."* _(Nos enojamos por todo esto. = We're getting mad because of all this.; Se perdió. = She got lost.)_
*Case 8:* *Accidental/No Fault SE [Only SE used]* _(Se me rompió el vaso. = I {accidentally} broke the glass.)_
*Case 9:* *For Stating 'Happenings' and 'Movement' from an Unknown Cause [Only SE used]* _(Se rompió el vaso. = The glass broke. {we don't know how})_
*Case 10:* *Passive SE Animate [Only SE used]* _(Se selecciona a muchas mujeres especiales cada año. = Many special women are chosen each year.)_
*Case 11:* *Passive SE Inanimate [Only SE used]* _(__Se daron __los premios. = The awards were given.)_
*Case 12:* *Impersonal SE [Only SE used]* _(Se prohibe fumar aquí = Smoking prohibited here.)_

Chao,
Grant


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## NewdestinyX

SevenDays said:


> Hello
> 
> I just wanted to make a couple of observations.
> 
> If I’m in the process of brushing my teeth, it should be:
> _Me estoy_ _lavando/cepillando_ _los dientes_.  I don’t see how it would tag you as a non native.
> 
> _Dile que no puedo hablar por teléfono porque me estoy lavando/cepillando los dientes._
> 
> Me lavo los dientes = I brush my teeth.
> _Me lavo/cepillo los dientes todas las noches antes de acostarme._
> 
> (Post #17)
> _Me ducho ahora_
> This sounds a little off to me.  If I’m in the middle of taking a shower, I wouldn’t say _I take a shower now_.  I suppose – and correct me if I’m wrong - that it’s more natural to say _I’m taking a shower_.  The same goes for Spanish:
> _Me estoy duchando._
> 
> Just my two cents
> 
> Cheers


Thanks, SevenDays. I certainly yield to your native ears since I am non native. But I was trying to get across to Matt that
in Spanish many times when English uses '-ing' -- Spanish just uses present tense. You would agree with me there.. Right?
I mean many, many natives have told me that and have corrected me in Spanish when I was overusing 'Estoy + -ando,-iendo'.. 

Grant


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## SevenDays

NewdestinyX said:


> Thanks, SevenDays. I certainly yield to your native ears since I am non native. But I was trying to get across to Matt that
> in Spanish many times when English uses '-ing' -- Spanish just uses present tense. You would agree with me there.. Right?
> I mean many, many natives have told me that and have corrected me in Spanish when I was overusing 'Estoy + -ando,-iendo'..
> 
> Grant


Hello

Without an example(s) to consider, I find it hard to agree or disagree with you.  I just think the grammatical rules that govern the English simple present and the present progressive (continuous) apply just as well to Spanish – they describe habitual actions and actions in progress.   To me, there is a distinct difference between _me lavo/cepillo los dientes_ and _me estoy lavando/cepillando los dientes_, just as there is a difference between _I brush my teeth_ and _I’m brushing my teeth._ 

I can’t think of an example where I would use the simple present _to describe an action in progress._  But there may be some that escape me at the moment.

No puedo hablar por teléfono porque me lavo los dientes.
No puedo habar por teléfono porque me estoy lavando los dientes.

If you mean informally, then I suppose some people use both tenses interchangeably, just as some English folks use _If I were rich/If I was rich _without worrying about the subjunctive.    

Cheers


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## NewdestinyX

SevenDays said:


> Without an example(s) to consider, I find it hard to agree or disagree with you.  I just think the grammatical rules that govern the English simple present and the present progressive (continuous) apply just as well to Spanish – they describe habitual actions and actions in progress.   To me, there is a distinct difference between _me lavo/cepillo los dientes_ and _me estoy lavando/cepillando los dientes_, just as there is a difference between _I brush my teeth_ and _I’m brushing my teeth._
> 
> I can’t think of an example where I would use the simple present _to describe an action in progress._  But there may be some that escape me at the moment.
> 
> If you mean informally, then I suppose some people use both tenses interchangeably, just as some English folks use _If I were rich/If I was rich _without worrying about the subjunctive.
> 
> Cheers


Hmm - in my experience -- all the grammar books teach us to be careful of the overuse of the present progressive (and the future tense) as non native speakers of Spanish. I think while we have only reflexive examples in our head your observations are correct. Here are a couple of examples that are always corrected when I try them.

"Lo que estoy diciendo es que.... "
---is always corrected by natives to 'lo que digo es que...'

"Estoy pensando en una situación en la que...."
---is always corrected by native to 'Pienso en una situación en la que...'

Yet in English only the version with the '-ing' sounds normal.

There are many other examples I could give.
Grant


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## SevenDays

NewdestinyX said:


> Hmm - in my experience -- all the grammar books teach us to be careful of the overuse of the present progressive (and the future tense) as non native speakers of Spanish. I think while we have only reflexive examples in our head your observations are correct. Here are a couple of examples that are always corrected when I try them.
> 
> "Lo que estoy diciendo es que.... "
> ---is always corrected by natives to 'lo que digo es que...'
> 
> "Estoy pensando en una situación en la que...."
> ---is always corrected by native to 'Pienso en una situación en la que...'
> 
> Yet in English only the version with the '-ing' sounds normal.
> 
> There are many other examples I could give.
> Grant




Hello

Ah, ok. We are stepping away from the reflexive.

I really don’t understand why you are _always_ being corrected.  Your four examples seem perfectly natural to me.  If it’s happening _at that precise moment_, instinctively I would say _lo que estoy diciendo es que...../estoy pensando en_…. If what I’m saying or thinking doesn’t relate to that specific moment in the present _but rather refers to a general timeless frame_, then I would say l_o que digo es que…../pienso en……_ 

I think it’s fair to say that the Spanish simple present may be used to express something that in English would only be stated in the present progressive.
I_’m looking for a grammar book.
Estoy buscando un libro de gramática.
Busco un libro de gramática.
_
If I’m browsing through various books and a store clerk comes over to ask if I need help, I could answer either:

“_estoy buscando un libro de gramática” _(my choice because that’s what I’m doing) or, 

”_busco un libro de gramática_” (Because I "stopped looking" to turn around and answer the clerk) 

whereas in English – I think – it’s only natural to say _“I’m looking for an English book.”
_
Anyway, that’s just my view of the world, flawed as it may be…...

Cheers


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## NewdestinyX

SevenDays said:


> Hello
> 
> Ah, ok. We are stepping away from the reflexive.
> 
> I really don’t understand why you are _always_ being corrected.  Your four examples seem perfectly natural to me.  If it’s happening _at that precise moment_, instinctively I would say _lo que estoy diciendo es que...../estoy pensando en_…. If what I’m saying or thinking doesn’t relate to that specific moment in the present _but rather refers to a general timeless frame_, then I would say l_o que digo es que…../pienso en……_
> 
> I think it’s fair to say that the Spanish simple present may be used to express something that in English would only be stated in the present progressive.
> I_’m looking for a grammar book.
> Estoy buscando un libro de gramática.
> Busco un libro de gramática.
> _
> If I’m browsing through various books and a store clerk comes over to ask if I need help, I could answer either:
> 
> “_estoy buscando un libro de gramática” _(my choice because that’s what I’m doing) or,
> 
> ”_busco un libro de gramática_” (Because I "stopped looking" to turn around and answer the clerk)
> 
> whereas in English – I think – it’s only natural to say _“I’m looking for an English book.”
> _
> Anyway, that’s just my view of the world, flawed as it may be…...
> 
> Cheers


Yes -- we're talking about the same phenomenon now..

Grant


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## matnic17

matnic17 said:


> I listened to a podcast that translated:
> 
> "I am brushing my teeth"
> Me lavo los dientes
> 
> If I had translated myself I would say:
> Estoy lavando mis dientes.
> 
> Que es la diferencia?



When I started this thread, my question was about the use of simple present rather than present progressive.  In my attempted translation I used "mis dientes" which led to the discussion of reflexive pronouns.  That part has been very helpful and feel I have  a better understanding of reflexive pronouns.

I'm still unsure about simple present vs. present progressive.  As a native English speaker, "Me estoy lavando los dientes" makes more sense than "Me lavo los dientes" and none the native Spanish speakers that have posted here seem to disagree.  This brings me back to the podcast.  

A native English woman and a native Spanish (Mexico) man gave a list of "daily phrases" that went like this:

Voy a lavarme los dientes. - I'm going to brush my teeth.
Me lavo los dientes - I'm brushing my teeth.
Me lavé los dientes - I brushed my teeth.
¿Me lavé los dientes? - Did I brush my teeth?
Si, acabo de lavarme los dientes. - Yes, I just brushed my teeth.

It continued in that format and all of the present tense verbs were simple present in Spanish but present progressive in English.

Me despierto - I am waking up.
Me peino - I am brushing my hair
Me lavo la cara - I am washing my face
Me visto - I am getting dressed

Is it possibly a regional preferance?


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## obz

They teach us to avoid the gerund in beginning Spanish. One, it makes one less verbal tense to worry about, and two, we use the gerund much more than them (it's never a noun for them for example, and they do use present simple in alot of cases where we use the gerund). So they don't want us to get used to using it as much as we do in English (this is my theory, believe at your own risk  )

If you want to express that you're doing something at the moment (or were doing / will be doing at a given moment) go ahead an use it.
Just remember you pretty much always need 'estar' to preface it.
(yes it can be used without it in cases, but let's not complicate it for now)


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## NewdestinyX

matnic17 said:


> A native English woman and a native Spanish (Mexico) man gave a list of "daily phrases" that went like this:
> 
> Voy a lavarme los dientes. - I'm going to brush my teeth.
> Me lavo los dientes - I'm brushing my teeth.
> Me lavé los dientes - I brushed my teeth.
> ¿Me lavé los dientes? - Did I brush my teeth?
> Si, acabo de lavarme los dientes. - Yes, I just brushed my teeth.
> 
> It continued in that format and all of the present tense verbs were simple present in Spanish but present progressive in English.
> 
> Me despierto - I am waking up.
> Me peino - I am brushing my hair
> Me lavo la cara - I am washing my face
> Me visto - I am getting dressed
> 
> Is it possibly a regional preference?


 I think SevenDays input makes 'logical sense' and there 'are' regional preferences with certain sayings/words -- but I don't think this is one of those times. What your friends told you is what I've been taught by my co-workers and friends in Spain and is corroborated by the Spanish grammar books I have.

I guess if you want to 'emphasize' the action in the moment then the present progressive forms in the Spanish also make logical sense 'if' some other element of the sentence makes you use the present progressive as SevenDays gave an example of.

I use the phrases you listed there all the time too -- and their only natural translation to English is with the -ing forms.

Grant


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