Reflexive pronouns in German

Reflexive pronouns show that the action comes back to the same person who is the subject: the subject “does something to/for themself”. They are very common in everyday German and important from level A1.

Forms of the reflexive pronouns

The forms in Akkusativ and Dativ are almost the same as normal object pronouns; only in 3rd person and the formal Sie the reflexive form is always sich.

When do we use reflexive pronouns?

1True reflexive verbs

Some verbs in German are almost always used with a reflexive pronoun. They are called Reflexivverben.

Examples:

• Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)
• Du beeilst dich. (You hurry.) – Verb sich beeilen is obligatorily reflexive.
• Er entschuldigt sich. (He apologises.) – Verb sich entschuldigen.

Common reflexive verbs (A1–B1):

• sich freuen (auf/über) – to be happy, to look forward to
• sich erinnern (an) – to remember
• sich setzen – to sit down
• sich anziehen – to get dressed
• sich verletzen – to hurt oneself

2Verbs with and without reflexive pronoun

Some verbs can be used with or without a reflexive pronoun, with a change in meaning:

• Ich wasche das Auto. (I wash the car.) – not reflexive, object: das Auto.

• Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.) – reflexive, object = subject.

• Er stellt den Stuhl in die Ecke. (He puts the chair in the corner.) – different object.

• Er stellt sich in die Ecke. (He stands in the corner.) – reflexive, he moves his own body.

Akkusativ or Dativ?

1Only a reflexive object

If the reflexive pronoun is the only object, it is in the Akkusativ:

• Ich freue mich. (I am happy.)
• Wir treffen uns um 8 Uhr. (We meet at 8 o’clock.)
• Sie erholt sich. (She relaxes/recovers.)

2Additional Akkusativ object

If there is another Akkusativ object in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun goes into the Dativ:

• Ich wasche mir die Hände. (I wash my hands.)
• Er kauft sich ein neues Handy. (He buys himself a new phone.)
• Wir kochen uns eine Suppe. (We cook ourselves a soup.)

Pattern: Dativ (reflexive) + Akkusativ (other object).

Position in the sentence

1Main clause with one finite verb

The reflexive pronoun stands directly after the finite verb:

• Ich schminke mich jeden Morgen. (I put on make-up every morning.)
• Wir setzen uns an den Tisch. (We sit down at the table.)

2Subordinate clauses (Nebensätze)

In a Nebensatz, the reflexive pronoun stands directly before the verb at the end:

• …, weil ich mich beeilen muss. (because I have to hurry.)
• …, dass wir uns morgen treffen. (that we meet tomorrow.)

3Sentences with modal verbs or two-part predicates

• Ich möchte mich vorstellen. (I would like to introduce myself.)
• Wir werden uns später melden. (We will get in touch later.)
• Sie hat sich gestern verletzt. (She hurt herself yesterday.)

Order: finite verb – reflexive pronoun – other parts – participle/infinitive.

Reciprocal use

With wir, ihr and sie (Plural), uns / euch / sich often mean “each other” (reciprocal):

• Wir sehen uns morgen. (We see each other tomorrow.)
• Die Kinder umarmen sich. (The children hug each other.)

Context tells you whether the meaning is reflexive (self) or reciprocal (each other).

Typical mistakes to avoid

• Do not drop the reflexive pronoun with reflexive verbs: Ich freue mich, not ich freue.
• Do not double objects: Ich erinnere mich an dich, not ich erinnere dich an dich.
• Watch the cases: Ich putze mir die Zähne, not ich putze mich die Zähne.

With regular practice of the most common verbs you will use reflexive pronouns correctly and automatically.