sich-Verben
A reflexive verb is paired with a pronoun that points back at the subject: the person doing the action is also the one it happens to.
The reflexive pronoun always matches the subject
Some verbs are only ever reflexive; others switch meaning entirely depending on whether the reflexive pronoun is there.
Ich wasche das Auto.
Ich wasche mich.
Same verb, same position 2, but mich sends the action back onto ich instead of onto the car.
The Reflexive Pronouns
Most reflexive verbs take the Accusative reflexive pronoun. Only ich and du actually change shape from their normal Accusative object forms; every other person reuses the pronoun you already know.
Verbs You'll Meet Constantly
Many everyday A2 verbs are reflexive, often paired with a fixed preposition that has to be learned along with the verb.
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sich freuen (auf / über) | to be happy (about) |
| sich interessieren für | to be interested in |
| sich erinnern an | to remember |
| sich fühlen | to feel (a certain way) |
| sich beeilen | to hurry |
A few reflexive verbs use the Dative pronoun instead (mir, not mich), usually when there's already a direct object, e.g. sich etwas vorstellen ("to imagine something").
See It In a Sentence
The reflexive pronoun is highlighted below, right alongside the verb it belongs to.
Otto freut sich auf das Wochenende.
Otto is looking forward to the weekend.
Beeilt euch, der Bus kommt gleich!
Hurry up! The bus is coming soon!
Ich kann mir das Ende der Geschichte gut vorstellen.
I can easily imagine the ending of the story. (Dative mir, because das Ende is already the direct object.)
A Common Mix-Up
Don't assume every reflexive pronoun is Accusative. If the sentence already has its own direct object, the reflexive pronoun quietly switches to Dative instead: ich stelle mir das vor, not ich stelle mich das vor. When a verb feels reflexive but a plain object is already sitting there, check for the Dative form first.