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I would like to ask you, in the case of reflective verb, for example "acostumbrarse", it is not correct to say

Me estoy acostumbrado a estudiar hasta muy tarde.

The correct thing is

Estoy acostumbrado a estudiar hasta muy tarde.

Is it because the structure "estar+ participio pasado" like the passive voice?

Why it is not necessary to add "reflective Se"?

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    I'll mention this, since I don't think that there is a typo, but a key to the answer of this question: It should be "me estoy acostumbrando", using the gerund, not the participle. Thus, "Me estoy acostumbrando" -> I'm getting used to vs. "estoy acosumbrado" ->I'm used to. Then, you could also say "Estoy aconstumbrandome" as a complete equivalent of "me estoy acostumbrando". I'll leave this for a proper answer, but I guess that you only use the reflexive with the gerund/progressive action because it means something like "I'm training / getting myself used to ..."
    – Diego
    Commented Sep 14, 2018 at 15:31
  • Just a detail: getting used to something can also be: becoming accustomed to. Also, there is no reflexive myself here in English.
    – Lambie
    Commented Sep 16, 2018 at 17:42

1 Answer 1

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I think you are (understandably) mixing up two related structures.

Estar acostumbrado (a) is a regular estar + adjective predicate that can take an object (introduced by the preposition a). It means "to be used (to)". Of course acostumbrado is the passive participle of acostumbrar, but it functions as an adjective.

Acostumbrarse (a) is a pronominal verb, that is, a verb that takes a reflexive pronoun (and that is customarily cited with se) even though it's not really or strictly reflexive. It means "to get used (to)".

The difference, as you see, is of state vs. process. The state is expressed using estar plus an adjective, while the process is expressed by a verb (in this case a pronominal verb).

If you want to show an ongoing process of getting used to something, you use the Spanish equivalent of the English present continuous, i.e. estar plus the gerund of the main verb, which being pronominal will carry its reflexive pronoun with it: estar acostumbrándose (a) "to be getting used (to)".

So:

  • Estoy acostumbrado. = "I'm used (to it)." (present, state)
  • Me acostumbré. = "I got used (to it)." (preterite, past process)
  • Me estoy acostumbrando ~ Estoy acostumbrándome. = "I'm getting used (to it)." (present, ongoing process)

Note how in the last sentence the reflexive pronoun can go before the auxiliary or attached to the end of the gerund.

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  • yup, i think none of the original options are reflexive, me acostumbre/me acostumbro/ acostumbrome/acostumbrarme/ those are reflexive
    – Mike
    Commented Sep 14, 2018 at 16:34
  • Yes,except I would say reflexive verb in English to describe the Spanish. Also, I would point out that we do have in English:to become accustomed to something as well. [fyi, I u.v.'ed ]
    – Lambie
    Commented Sep 16, 2018 at 17:45

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