Reflexive Verbs (Reflexive Verben)
Reflexive verbs use a reflexive pronoun (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, sich) that refers back to the subject — ich freue mich (I'm glad), ich wasche mich (I wash myself). Most reflexive pronouns are in the accusative, but when there is already a direct object, the reflexive turns dative (ich wasche mir die Hände — I wash my hands). Only the ich- and du-forms differ between the two cases (mich/mir, dich/dir); everything else is sich.
The reflexive pronouns
The reflexive pronouns match the subject. Note that sich covers er/sie/es, the formal Sie, and all third-person plurals — and it is the same in accusative and dative.
Reflexive pronouns: accusative vs dative
| Subject | Accusative | Dative |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | mir |
| du | dich | dir |
| er/sie/es | sich | sich |
| wir | uns | uns |
| ihr | euch | euch |
| sie/Sie | sich | sich |
Accusative reflexive — the default
When the reflexive pronoun is the only object, it is accusative. This is the most common case.
Ich freue mich auf das Wochenende.
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
Setz dich, bitte!
Sit down, please!
Wir treffen uns um acht.
We're meeting at eight.
Dative reflexive — when there is another object
If the sentence already has a direct (accusative) object, the reflexive pronoun becomes dative. Only mir and dir look different; the rest stay sich/uns/euch.
Ich wasche mir die Hände.
I'm washing my hands.
"die Hände" is the accusative object → reflexive is dative (mir)
Putzt du dir die Zähne?
Are you brushing your teeth?
dir (dative), die Zähne (accusative)
Er kauft sich ein neues Auto.
He's buying himself a new car.
Verbs that are always reflexive
Some verbs exist only with a reflexive pronoun — there is no non-reflexive version. These must be learned together with sich.
- sich freuen — to be glad / look forward
- sich befinden — to be located
- sich beeilen — to hurry
- sich erholen — to recover / relax
- sich verspäten — to be late
- sich erkälten — to catch a cold
Examples
Ich interessiere mich für Musik.
I'm interested in music.
Beeil dich, wir sind spät dran!
Hurry up, we're late!
Sie erinnert sich an ihre Kindheit.
She remembers her childhood.
Ich ziehe mir eine Jacke an.
I'm putting on a jacket.
dative — eine Jacke is the accusative object
Wir haben uns gut erholt.
We rested/recovered well.
German lookup checklist
| Question | What to check |
|---|---|
| Meaning | What does the form contribute to the sentence? |
| Agreement | Does it match person, number, gender, case, or tense? |
| Position | Does placement change emphasis or grammatical role? |
Common Mistakes
- Using the personal pronoun instead of the reflexive: it is **Ich wasche mich**, not "Ich wasche ich".
- Keeping the accusative when there is a second object: say **Ich putze mir die Zähne** (dative), not "Ich putze mich die Zähne".
- Forgetting that **sich** covers he/she/it/they/formal-you — don't write "er freut ihn" for "he is glad".
- Dropping the reflexive pronoun from an always-reflexive verb: **sich beeilen** needs it — **Beeil dich**, not "Beeil!".
- Misplacing the pronoun: in a main clause it comes right after the verb — **Ich freue mich**, not "Ich mich freue".
Lookup Tips
- Only **mir/mich** and **dir/dich** change between dative and accusative — for everyone else the reflexive is just **sich/uns/euch**.
- Rule of thumb: a second (accusative) object in the sentence pushes the reflexive into the dative.
- Dictionaries list these verbs with "sich": look up **sich freuen**, not **freuen**.
Frequently asked questions
When is the reflexive pronoun dative instead of accusative?
When the clause already contains a direct (accusative) object. Then the reflexive becomes dative: **Ich wasche mir die Hände** — "die Hände" is the accusative object, so the reflexive is **mir**.
Which reflexive pronouns actually change form?
Only first- and second-person singular: mich/mir and dich/dir. All other forms — sich, uns, euch — are identical in accusative and dative.
What does "always reflexive" mean?
Some verbs never appear without the reflexive pronoun, such as **sich beeilen** (to hurry) or **sich freuen** (to be glad). The pronoun is part of the verb and cannot be dropped.