Reflexive verbs in German

• Reflexive verbs are used to describe actions you do to yourself. For example:

  • Ich wasche michI wash myself.

• They are conjugated in the same way as normal verbs, but they need a reflexive pronoun, such as mich, dich, sich, uns.

• The reflexive pronoun comes after the verb.

A reflexive verb describes something we do to ourselves.

The reflexive pronoun is the part of the sentence which refers to myself, yourself, herself. For example:

• Ich wasche mich und mein Bruder rasiert sich.
  I’m washing (myself) and my brother is shaving (himself).

The reflexive pronoun can be in the accusative case or the dative case.

Remember:

If an infinitive is preceded by sich in a dictionary eg sich waschento wash oneself, this is a reflexive verb. This is an easy way to identify which verbs are reflexive.

Reflexive verbs follow the normal conjugations in the present tense, but they must include the object of the action which is the reflexive pronoun. For example:

• Ich wasche das Auto. - I wash the car.

What is being washed? ‘das Auto’. This is the direct object.

• Ich wasche mich. - I wash myself.

What is being washed? ‘mich’. This is the direct object.

The reflexive pronoun comes after the verb and changes depending on who is doing the action:

Some key reflexive verbs which are followed by the accusative are:

Remember:

The verbs sich vorstellen and sich anziehen ( * ) are separable so the prefix goes to the end when the verb is conjugated.

Translate the following sentences into German.

Reflexive verbs follow the normal conjugations in the present tense, but they must include the object of the action which is the reflexive pronoun.

The reflexive pronoun can also be in the dative case.

If there is only one object in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun will be in the accusative case. For example:

• Ich wasche mich.I wash myself.

If there are two objects in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun will be in the dative case. For example:

• Ich wasche mir die Haare. - I wash my hair.

This is because die Haare is already the direct object. mir becomes the indirect object to make it clear that die Haare is being washed, not myself.

Some key reflexive verbs which are followed by the dative case are:

When sich vorstellen is followed by a dative reflexive pronoun the meaning changes. For example:

sich vorstellen + accusative means (to) introduce.

• Ich stelle mich vor.I introduce myself.

sich vorstellen + dative means (to) imagine.

• Ich stelle mir vor, dass ich einen guten Job finden kann.I imagine that I can find a good job.

The reflexive pronoun comes after the verb and changes depending on who is doing the action.

Remember:

It is only the ich and du reflexive pronouns which are different in the dative case.

Translate the following sentences into German.

Take this quiz to check your understanding of reflexive verbs.