Reflexive pronouns (Reflexivpronomen) indicate that the action of the verb reflects back onto the subject. In other words, the subject and object of the sentence are the same person or thing.
Example: Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)
While English and German both use reflexive pronouns, German employs them much more frequently:
- English reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves (myself, yourself, himself, etc.)
- German uses reflexive pronouns with many verbs that aren't reflexive in English
- Example: Ich erinnere mich an meinen Geburtstag. (I remember my birthday.) - Note that "remember" is not reflexive in English.
Types of Reflexive Pronouns in German
German reflexive pronouns come in two cases:
Accusative reflexive pronouns
Used when the reflexive pronoun is the direct object of the verb.
- Ich stelle mich vor. (I introduce myself.)
- Du kämmst dich. (You comb yourself.)
Dative reflexive pronouns
Used when the reflexive pronoun is the indirect object of the verb.
- Ich kaufe mir ein Buch. (I buy myself a book.)
- Er hat sich ein neues Auto gekauft. (He bought himself a new car.)
Some verbs require accusative reflexive pronouns, while others require dative reflexive pronouns. When learning reflexive verbs, you must learn which case it requires.
Some verbs always require a reflexive pronoun and cannot be used without one (called true reflexive verbs).
- Example: sich freuen (to be pleased about / to look forward to)
- Ich freue mich auf die Party. (I am looking forward to the party.)
Whereas some verbs can be used both reflexively and non-reflexively (called partial reflexive verbs).
- Example:
- Wir treffen uns morgen. (We meet tomorrow.)
- Ich treffe meinen Freund. (I meet my friend.)
Forms of German Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns change form based on person, number, and case:
Person | Accusative | Dative |
1st Person Singular (ich) | mich | mir |
2nd Person Singular (du) | dich | dir |
3rd Person Singular (er/sie/es) | sich | sich |
1st Person Plural (wir) | uns | uns |
2nd Person Plural (ihr) | euch | euch |
3rd Person Plural (sie) | sich | sich |
Formal (Sie) | sich | sich |
The third person (er, sie, es) and the formal address (Sie) always use sich for both accusative and dative cases.
Position of Reflexive Pronouns in Sentences
In main clauses
The reflexive pronoun typically appears right after the conjugated verb:
- Ich wasche mich jeden Morgen. (I wash myself every morning.)
- Heute freue ich mich auf das Konzert. (Today I'm looking forward to the concert.)
In subordinate clauses
The reflexive pronoun appears before the verb at the end of the clause:
- Ich weiß, dass er sich auf die Prüfung vorbereitet. (I know that he is preparing for the exam.)
- Sie sagt, dass wir uns beeilen müssen. (She says that we need to hurry.)
In questions
The reflexive pronoun typically follows the subject:
- Fühlst du dich heute besser? (Do you feel better today?)
- Wann treffen wir uns morgen? (When are we meeting tomorrow?)
Word Order Priority: In German sentences, reflexive pronouns typically come before other pronouns and before any nouns.
However, if there are other pronouns in the dative case, those usually come before accusative reflexive pronouns.
Example:
- Ich stelle dir mich vor. (I introduce myself to you.)
- Note that here dir is a personal pronoun and mich is a reflexive pronoun