Refleja

Refleja is a form of the Spanish verb reflejar, most commonly encountered as the third-person singular present indicative form: él/ella/usted refleja. It can also appear as the affirmative tú command in informal speech (refleja) and as part of other conjugations with the same base meaning. The verb reflejar means to reflect or to show, reproduce, or demonstrate something in a surface, image, or idea. It is a transitive verb and is widely used in both literal and figurative contexts.

Etymology and meaning. Reflejar derives from the Latin root reflexus, related to bending back or turning back, and entered Spanish through the form that expresses reflection or mirroring. In everyday usage, reflejar can describe physical reflection, such as light or an image on a surface, as well as abstract reflection, such as reflecting a mood, a fact, or a characteristic in a representation, report, or display.

Usage notes. Reflejar is versatile in prose and technical language. Common constructions include sentences like “La ventana refleja la habitación,” “El retrato refleja la personalidad del sujeto,” or “La encuesta refleja las tendencias actuales.” The verb often appears in media, science, and journalism to indicate that something mirrors or reveals another reality or data set.

Related terms. Nouns derived from the same root include reflejo (reflection) and reflejarse (to reflect oneself or to mirror one’s image). Related verbs in Spanish include parecer and mostrar, which can be used in similar contexts depending on nuance.

See also. Reflejo, Reflejar, Reflección.