A _pronominal_, or _reflective verb_, is that which has the same person or thing as subject and object; as,
He arms himself. | _El se arma á sí mismo_.
These verbs terminate their present of the infinitive mood by the pronoun _se_, which must be suppressed in order to find out the conjugation, thus—
To approach. | _Acercarse_. To be sorry. | _Dolerse_. To repent. | _Arrepentirse_.
Taking off the _se_ we here have, _acercar_, 1st conjugation, _doler_, 2d conjugation; and _arrepentir_, 3d conjugation. (80.)
These verbs are conjugated by placing the pronouns _me_, _te_, _se_, _se_, _nos_, _os_, _se_, _se_, according to the number and person of the nominative they refer to, immediately before the verb, if the subject be expressed before it; and either before or after the verb, if the subject be not expressed or placed after it. When they are placed, after the verb, they must be written so as to form one word with it.
In the imperative mood they are always placed after the verb, which suppresses the _s_ in the first person plural, and the _d_ in the second person of the same number. When the second person singular or plural is used with the adverb _no_, the pronouns are placed before the verb. Examples:—
1. I congratulate myself. | _Yo me congratulo_. 2. Thou congratulatest thyself. | _Tú te congratulas_. 3. He congratulates himself. | _El se congratula_. 2. You congratulate yourself. | _V. se congratula_. 1. We congratulate ourselves. | _Nosotros nos congratulamos_. 2. You congratulate yourselves. | _Vosotros os congratulais_. 3. They congratulate themselves. | _Ellos se congratulan_. 2. You congratulate yourselves. | _VV. se congratulan_. 1. I had congratulated myself. | _Me habia congratulado_. 2. I have armed myself. | _Yo me he armado_. 3. They had flattered themselves. | _Ellos se habian lisonjeado_.
IMPERATIVE MOOD. Behave (thou) well. | _Pórtate bien_. Behave (you) well. | _Portáos bien_, | (the _d_ is suppressed) Behave not ill. | _No te portes mal_. Behave (you) not ill. | _No os portéis mal_. Let us prepare ourselves. | _Preparémonos_. | (the _s_ is suppressed.)
The _gerund_ is that part of the verb that terminates in _ando_ in the verbs of the first conjugation, and in _iendo_ in those of the second and third; as, _publicando_, (publishing,) from _publicar_; _prometiendo_, (promising,) from _prometer_; _asistiendo_, (assisting,) from _asistir_. It does not admit any change of gender or number.