Introduction
reflejarse means “to be reflected”, and this page covers exactly one thing: reflejarse in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for reflejarse, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about reflejarse in the present. For example: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo todos los días.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.” Everything on this page uses the forms of reflejarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.
reflejarse in the Present Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | reflejo |
| tú | reflejas |
| él/ella/Ud. | refleja |
| nosotros/as | reflejamos |
| vosotros/as | reflejáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | reflejan |
Gerund: reflejando · Past participle: reflejado
The gerund is reflejando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy reflejando” means the action of reflejarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is reflejado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he reflejado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how reflejarse is used.
How the present of reflejarse is formed
reflejarse is a -ar verb. Take the stem reflej and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving reflejo, reflejas, refleja, reflejamos, reflejáis and reflejan. reflejarse is regular in the present, so once you know the endings you can build all six forms from the stem.
The present of reflejarse rewards careful reading of the table. Two details deserve attention. First, the yo form reflejo is the form you will use most when you talk about yourself, so say it out loud until it comes without thinking. Second, the nosotros form reflejamos and the ellos form reflejan are the ones learners confuse most often, because they are the forms used for groups. Practise the six forms in order — yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos — and the pattern will settle.
When to use the present of reflejarse
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use reflejarse in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. A habit or routine
reflejarse in the present describes something done regularly. When talking about in the mirror is part of your routine, the present is the right tense. Example: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada día.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
2. A fact or general truth
General truths about in the mirror also take the present. The tense states how things are, not when they happened. Example: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo siempre.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
3. Something happening right now
Use the present for what is happening at this moment. It is the simplest way to describe an action in progress when you do not need the gerund. Example: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo ahora mismo.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
4. A scheduled near-future event
Spanish often uses the present for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. It sounds more certain than the future tense. Example: “Las imágenes se reflejan en el espejo mañana.” — “The images are reflected in the mirror.”
5. Instructions and explanations
When you explain how something works — how to talk about in the mirror — the present is the natural tense. Recipes, rules and directions all live in the present. Example: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo normalmente.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the hardest decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the tense. Time words help: cada día and siempre point to the present, while ayer points to the preterite.
Present Tense: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada día.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
Preterite: “La imagen se reflejó en el espejo ayer.” — “The image was reflected in the mirror.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Present Tense: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo siempre.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
Preterite: “La imagen se reflejó en el espejo ayer.” — “The image was reflected in the mirror.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Present Tense: “La imagen se refleja en el espejo todos los días.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
Preterite: “La imagen se reflejó en el espejo ayer.” — “The image was reflected in the mirror.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Example sentences: reflejarse in the present
Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada día.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada día.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo siempre.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo todos los días.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada semana.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “Las imágenes se reflejan en el espejo normalmente.” — “The images are reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo ahora mismo.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
- “La imagen se refleja en el espejo cada día.” — “The image is reflected in the mirror.”
Common mistakes
Dropping the reflexive pronoun
Because reflejarse is reflexive, it always needs its pronoun: yo me reflejo en el espejo, not yo reflejo en el espejo. Without me, the sentence either means something else or means nothing at all. The pronouns are me, te, se, nos, os, se — learn them with the verb, not as an afterthought.
Confusing reflejarse with reflexionar
reflejarse and reflexionar look similar, and learners mix them up. They are different verbs with different meanings, so check which one the sentence needs before you conjugate. If you can substitute the English meaning of reflejarse — be reflected — the sentence needs reflejarse; if it needs the meaning of reflexionar, use that verb instead.
Using the indicative after "espero que"
After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo refleje en el espejo. Using the indicative — Espero que yo reflejo — is one of the most frequent learner errors with reflejarse. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.
Forgetting the accent in the preterite
The yo preterite form is reflejé, with an accent on the stressed vowel. Writing it without the accent — refleje — is a spelling error, and in speech the stress lands in the wrong place. Preterite yo forms that end in a vowel carry that accent, so check it every time you write the preterite of reflejarse.
Using the wrong tense for reflejarse
The most general mistake is choosing the wrong tense altogether: using the present where Spanish needs the preterite, or the other way round. Check the time words first — ayer and la semana pasada point to the past, cada día and siempre point to the present — and then check whether the action is finished or ongoing. If you can answer those two questions, the tense usually chooses itself.
Quiz
Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.
1. What is the yo form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejas
- B. refleja
- C. reflejamos
- D. reflejo
2. What is the tu form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejas
- B. reflejo
- C. refleja
- D. reflejamos
3. What is the el form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejamos
- B. refleja
- C. reflejo
- D. reflejas
4. What is the nosotros form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejas
- B. refleja
- C. reflejamos
- D. reflejo
5. What is the vosotros form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejo
- B. reflejas
- C. refleja
- D. reflejáis
6. What is the ellos form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejan
- B. reflejo
- C. reflejas
- D. refleja
7. What is the yo form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejamos
- B. reflejo
- C. reflejas
- D. refleja
8. What is the el form of reflejarse in the present tense?
- A. reflejas
- B. reflejamos
- C. refleja
- D. reflejo
Answer key
- reflejo — The present table gives yo = reflejo.
- reflejas — The present table gives tu = reflejas.
- refleja — The present table gives el = refleja.
- reflejamos — The present table gives nosotros = reflejamos.
- reflejáis — The present table gives vosotros = reflejáis.
- reflejan — The present table gives ellos = reflejan.
- reflejo — The present table gives yo = reflejo.
- refleja — The present table gives el = refleja.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the present of reflejarse?
Take the stem reflej and add the present endings for -ar verbs. The six forms are reflejo, reflejas, refleja, reflejamos, reflejáis and reflejan. Copy the forms from the table above rather than building them from memory until they are automatic.
When should I use the present of reflejarse?
Use it for habits, facts and things happening now. The five rules in the section above cover the situations you will meet most often. If the action is a routine or a present fact, the present is the right choice.
What is the difference between the present and the preterite of reflejarse?
The present form for yo is reflejo and the preterite form is reflejé — different forms for different meanings. The present reports what happens regularly or now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The contrasted pairs above show the same situation in both tenses, so compare them side by side.
Is reflejarse regular in the present?
Yes — reflejarse is regular in the present and follows the standard -ar endings. The full conjugation of reflejarse is on its main conjugation page, where every tense is covered.
Related links
- reflejarse conjugation — the full conjugation of reflejarse in every tense.
- reflejarse examples and quiz — more sentences, dialogues and a second quiz.
- Spanish present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub with every verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present tense.
- Verb quiz — practise conjugations with timed questions.