We know reflexive verbs express an action that the subject does and the subject receives Ana se mira en el espejo. Ana looks at herself in the mirror. Ana is the subject and the object of the action. We use reciprocal reflexives to express an action involving two or more people. Since two or more people are engaged in the doing and the receiving of the same action, the pronoun means to each other or to one another, respectively. Ana y Jorge se miran con pasión. Ana and Jorge look at each other passionately. Both Ana and Jorge are the subject and the object of the same action which is felt simultaneously by both of them, that is to say, the action is reciprocal.
These are some common reciprocal reflexives:
abrazarse to hug each other
amarse to love each other
besarse to kiss one another
conocerse to know each other; (por primera vez) to meet
decirse to say to each other
despedirse to say goodbye (to each other)
encontrarse to meet each other; to run into each other
entenderse to understand each other
escribirse to write to each other
escucharse to listen to each other
hablarse to talk to each other
llamarse por teléfono to phone each other
mirarse to look at each other
odiarse to hate each other
quererse to love each other
saludarse to say hello to each other, to greet each other
verse to see each other
Juan y Anamaría se abrazan.
Juan y Anamaría hug each other.
Los padres de Javier todavía se aman como el primer día.
Javier’s parents still love each other like the first day.
Los amantes se besan en varias escenas de la película.
The lovers kiss each other in several scenes of the movie.
Elena y yo nos conocemos desde el instituto.
Elena and I know each other since highschool.
Sus padres se conocieron en Vietnam.
Her parents met in Vietnam.
Las dos amigas se decían confidencias.
The two friends said confidences to each other.
Después de un largo abrazo, por fin se despidieron.
After a long hug, they finally said goodbye to each other.
Los lunes, Miguel y yo nos encontramos en la biblioteca para estudiar.
On Mondays, Miguel and I meet each other at the library to study.
Cuando éramos jóvenes nos escribíamos cartas de amor.
When we were young we wrote love letters to each other.
Ya no nos queremos.
We don’t love each other any more.
Nos llamamos por teléfono dos veces por semana.
We phone each other twice a week.
Ayer mi novio y yo nos vimos, pero no nos saludamos.
Yesterday my boyfriend and I saw each other, but we didn’t say hello (to each other).
These are some common reciprocal reflexives:
abrazarse to hug each other
amarse to love each other
besarse to kiss one another
conocerse to know each other; (por primera vez) to meet
decirse to say to each other
despedirse to say goodbye (to each other)
encontrarse to meet each other; to run into each other
entenderse to understand each other
escribirse to write to each other
escucharse to listen to each other
hablarse to talk to each other
llamarse por teléfono to phone each other
mirarse to look at each other
odiarse to hate each other
quererse to love each other
saludarse to say hello to each other, to greet each other
verse to see each other
Juan y Anamaría se abrazan.
Juan y Anamaría hug each other.
Los padres de Javier todavía se aman como el primer día.
Javier’s parents still love each other like the first day.
Los amantes se besan en varias escenas de la película.
The lovers kiss each other in several scenes of the movie.
Elena y yo nos conocemos desde el instituto.
Elena and I know each other since highschool.
Sus padres se conocieron en Vietnam.
Her parents met in Vietnam.
Las dos amigas se decían confidencias.
The two friends said confidences to each other.
Después de un largo abrazo, por fin se despidieron.
After a long hug, they finally said goodbye to each other.
Los lunes, Miguel y yo nos encontramos en la biblioteca para estudiar.
On Mondays, Miguel and I meet each other at the library to study.
Cuando éramos jóvenes nos escribíamos cartas de amor.
When we were young we wrote love letters to each other.
Ya no nos queremos.
We don’t love each other any more.
Nos llamamos por teléfono dos veces por semana.
We phone each other twice a week.
Ayer mi novio y yo nos vimos, pero no nos saludamos.
Yesterday my boyfriend and I saw each other, but we didn’t say hello (to each other).