Reflexive Verbs in German

This section explains Reflexive Verbs in German. Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject and object are the same, meaning the subject is performing an action on themselves. In German, reflexive verbs are usually accompanied by a reflexive pronoun. These verbs are commonly used in daily activities, such as getting dressed, washing, or relaxing.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive verbs require reflexive pronouns. The reflexive pronouns in German change depending on the subject of the sentence. Here's a list of the reflexive pronouns in different cases:

Reflexive Verbs in the Present Tense

Reflexive verbs are conjugated just like regular verbs in the present tense. The reflexive pronoun must be placed before the conjugated verb, and the verb is conjugated according to the subject.

Structure of Reflexive Verbs:

Reflexive pronoun + conjugated verb + object or rest of sentence
Example:

• Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)
  • wasche is the conjugated verb, and mich is the reflexive pronoun for "I."
• Du freust dich. (You are happy.)
  • freust is the conjugated verb, and dich is the reflexive pronoun for "you."

Common Reflexive Verbs

Here are some common reflexive verbs used in everyday German:

• sich waschen (to wash oneself)
• sich anziehen (to get dressed)
• sich ausruhen (to rest)
• sich freuen (to be happy, to look forward to)
• sich erinnern (to remember)
• sich beeilen (to hurry)
• sich setzen (to sit down)
• sich interessieren (to be interested in)
• sich fühlen (to feel)
  • Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)
  • Du wäschst dich. (You wash yourself.)
  • Er wäscht sich. (He washes himself.)
  • Wir waschen uns. (We wash ourselves.)
  • Ihr wascht euch. (You wash yourselves.)
  • Sie waschen sich. (They wash themselves.)
  • Ich ziehe mich an. (I get dressed.)
  • Du ziehst dich an. (You get dressed.)
  • Er zieht sich an. (He gets dressed.)
  • Ich freue mich auf die Ferien. (I look forward to the holidays.)
  • Du freust dich auf das Konzert. (You are happy about the concert.)
  • Wir freuen uns auf das Wochenende. (We look forward to the weekend.)
  • Ich ruhe mich nach der Arbeit aus. (I rest after work.)
  • Sie ruht sich aus. (She rests.)
  • Wir ruhen uns im Park aus. (We rest in the park.)
  • Das gefällt mir. (I like that.)
  • Es gefällt dir? (Do you like it?)
  • Der Film gefällt uns. (We like the film.)
  • Ich kann mir das nicht vorstellen. (I can’t imagine that.)
  • Stell dir vor! (Imagine that!)
  • Ich sorge mich um dich. (I worry about you.)
  • Sie sorgt sich um die Zukunft. (She worries about the future.)
  • Ich erinnere mich an den Urlaub. (I remember the holiday.)
  • Sie erinnert sich an das Meeting. (She remembers the meeting.)
  • Ich interessiere mich für Kunst. (I am interested in art.)
  • Er interessiert sich für Politik. (He is interested in politics.)
  • Ich fühle mich gut. (I feel good.)
  • Wie fühlst du dich heute? (How do you feel today?)

Examples of Reflexive Verbs in Sentences

"sich waschen" (to wash oneself)

"sich anziehen" (to get dressed)

"sich freuen" (to be happy, to look forward to)

"sich ausruhen" (to rest)

Reflexive Verbs with the Dative Case

Some reflexive verbs use the dative case rather than the accusative. These verbs are typically ones that involve emotions or states of being.

Examples:

"sich gefallen" (to like)

"sich vorstellen" (to imagine)

"sich sorgen" (to worry)

Higher Tier Example Sentences:

"sich erinnern" (to remember)

"sich interessieren" (to be interested in)

"sich fühlen" (to feel)

Important Notes:

• Reflexive verbs always require a reflexive pronoun that corresponds to the subject of the sentence.
• Reflexive verbs can be used intransitively (without a direct object) or with an object, depending on the verb.
• Reflexive verbs can change in meaning when not reflexive. For example, "sich setzen" (to sit down) is reflexive, but "setzen" (to set) is not.

Summary:

• Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject and object are the same.
• They are used with reflexive pronouns such as mich, dich, sich, uns, euch.
• Reflexive verbs are conjugated like regular verbs in the present tense, with the reflexive pronoun placed before the verb.
• Some reflexive verbs use the dative case instead of the accusative case.