Complete Guide to German Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs use a reflexive pronoun (e.g., sich) to show the action reflects back to the subject. Many reflexive verbs in German are not reflexive in English, which is why the translations in this page often do not have a reflexive pronoun.
Example:
- • Sie schminkt sich. (She puts on makeup.)
Building Reflexive Verb Constructions
Form reflexive verbs by combining a conjugated verb with the correct reflexive pronoun, which must match the subject.
Examples:
- • Ich entspanne mich. (I relax.)
- • Du erholst dich. (You recover/rest.)
- • Sie verlieben sich. (They fall in love.)
Accusative Reflexive Pronouns
The majority of German reflexive verbs require the reflexive pronoun in the accusative case.
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun | Complete Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | ich entspanne mich (I relax) |
| du | dich | du entspannst dich (you relax) |
| er/sie/es | sich | er entspannt sich (he relaxes) |
| wir | uns | wir entspannen uns (we relax) |
| ihr | euch | ihr entspannt euch (you relax) |
| sie/Sie | sich | sie entspannen sich (they relax) |
Dative Reflexive Pronouns
When a sentence contains an additional direct object, the reflexive pronoun shifts to the dative case. Note that only the 1st and 2nd person singular forms change (mich→mir, dich→dir).
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun (Dative) | Complete Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mir | ich schneide mir die Nägel (I cut my nails) |
| du | dir | du schneidest dir die Nägel (you cut your nails) |
| er/sie/es | sich | er schneidet sich die Nägel (he cuts his nails) |
| wir | uns | wir schneiden uns die Nägel (we cut our nails) |
| ihr | euch | ihr schneidet euch die Nägel (you cut your nails) |
| sie/Sie | sich | sie schneiden sich die Nägel (they cut their nails) |
Conjugating Reflexive Verbs Across Tenses
Here you can see how reflexive verbs work in all major German tenses, with examples using both accusative and dative reflexive pronouns.
| Tense | Accusative Example | Dative Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Ich entspanne mich. (I relax) | Du bürstest dir das Haar. (You brush your hair) |
| Perfect | Ich habe mich entspannt. (I have relaxed) | Du hast dir das Haar gebürstet. (You have brushed your hair) |
| Simple Past | Ich entspannte mich. (I relaxed) | Du bürstetest dir das Haar. (You brushed your hair) |
| Past Perfect | Ich hatte mich entspannt. (I had relaxed) | Du hattest dir das Haar gebürstet. (You had brushed your hair) |
| Future I | Ich werde mich entspannen. (I will relax) | Du wirst dir das Haar bürsten. (You will brush your hair) |
| Future II | Ich werde mich entspannt haben. (I will have relaxed) | Du wirst dir das Haar gebürstet haben. (You will have brushed your hair) |
Positioning Reflexive Pronouns
In main clauses, place the reflexive pronoun immediately following the conjugated verb.
- • Ich erhole mich gut. (I recover well.)
- • Ich wasche mir das Gesicht. (I wash my face.)
- • Ich habe mir neue Schuhe gekauft. (I bought myself new shoes.)
When the direct object is also a pronoun, it precedes the reflexive pronoun:
Ich kaufe mir das Buch. → Ich kaufe es mir. (I buy it for myself.)
In subordinate clauses, the reflexive pronoun follows the subject, with the conjugated verb at the end:
- • Ich hoffe, dass ich mich schnell erhole. (I hope that I recover quickly.)
- • Sie kam zu spät, weil sie sich nicht beeilt hatte. (She came late because she had not hurried.)
Reflexive Pronouns In Questions
In questions the reflexive pronoun's position varies depending on the subject type:
• Personal pronouns (ich, du, er...): Subject appears between verb and reflexive pronoun:
- • Entspannst du dich? (Are you relaxing?)
- • Wann hast du dich erholt? (When did you recover?)
• Indefinite pronouns (jeder, niemand...): Subject follows the reflexive pronoun:
- • Entspannt sich jemand? (Is anyone relaxing?)
- • Hat sich niemand erholt? (Has no one recovered?)
• Nouns (Inanimate): Subject follows reflexive pronoun:
- • Wo befindet sich das Museum? (Where is the museum located?)
• Nouns (Animate): Subject position is felxible. It can come before OR after the reflexive pronoun:
- • Wo erholt der Patient sich? / Wo erholt sich der Patient? (Where does the patient recover?)
Identifying When to Use Reflexive Verbs
Understanding the contexts that call for reflexive verbs is key to using them correctly. Here are the primary scenarios:
1. Action on Oneself
This is the most straightforward use: The subject performs an action directed at themselves and becomes the sentences object.
- • Er rasiert sich. (He shaves himself.)
- • Wir sehen uns im Spiegel. (We see ourselves in the mirror.)
2. Inherently Reflexive Verbs
Certain German verbs are inherently reflexive, meaning they always require a reflexive pronoun and don't make sense without one.
- • sich erholen (to recover)
- • sich freuen (to be happy)
- • sich konzentrieren (to concentrate)