Reflexive pronouns are used in German to indicate that the subject and object of a sentence are the same person or thing. In other words, they refer to an action that the subject performs on itself. In German, reflexive pronouns are formed by adding the suffix “-self” or “-selves” to the personal pronouns. There are six reflexive pronouns in German: mich (myself), dich (yourself), sich (himself/herself/itself/themselves), uns (ourselves), euch (yourselves), and sich (themselves).
Understanding the Use of German Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used in German to indicate that an action is being performed by the subject on itself. For example, “Ich wasche mich” (I wash myself) means that the subject (ich, or I) is performing the action of washing on themselves (mich, or myself). Reflexive pronouns are also used to indicate that an action is being performed on someone else, but that the subject is affected by the action as well. For example, “Er schneidet sich” (He cuts himself) means that the subject (er, or he) is cutting himself, but is also affected by the action of being cut.
Using “Mich” (Myself) in German
The reflexive pronoun “mich” is used to refer to the first person singular (I) performing an action on themselves. For example, “Ich rasiere mich” (I shave myself) or “Ich wasche mich” (I wash myself). Here are a few more examples:
Ich ziehe mich an. (I get dressed.)
Ich setze mich auf den Stuhl. (I sit down on the chair.)
Ich freue mich auf das Wochenende. (I’m looking forward to the weekend.)
Using “Dich” (Yourself) in German
The reflexive pronoun “dich” is used to refer to the second person singular (you) performing an action on themselves. For example, “Du wäschst dich” (You wash yourself) or “Du schneidest dich” (You cut yourself). Here are a few more examples:
Du putzt dir die Zähne. (You brush your teeth.)
Du verletzt dich nicht. (Don’t hurt yourself.)
Du musst dich beeilen. (You have to hurry.)
Using “Sich” (Himself/Herself/Itself/Themselves) in German
The reflexive pronoun “sich” is used to refer to the third person singular (he/she/it) or the third person plural (they) performing an action on themselves. For example, “Er rasiert sich” (He shaves himself), “Sie wäscht sich” (She washes herself), or “Es verletzt sich” (It hurts itself). Here are a few more examples:
Er setzt sich auf die Bank. (He sits down on the bench.)
Sie freut sich über das Geschenk. (She is happy about the gift.)
Es versteckt sich hinter dem Baum. (It hides behind the tree.)
Sie helfen sich gegenseitig. (They help each other.)
Using “Uns” (Ourselves) in German
The reflexive pronoun “uns” is used to refer to the first person plural (we) performing an action on ourselves. For example, “Wir waschen uns” (We wash ourselves) or “Wir setzen uns hin” (We sit down). Here are a few more examples:
Wir kleiden uns für die Party. (We get dressed up for the party.)
Wir freuen uns auf den Urlaub. (We’re looking forward to the vacation.)
Wir erinnern uns an die gute alte Zeit. (We remember the good old days.)
Using “Euch” (Yourselves) in German
The reflexive pronoun “euch” is used to refer to the second person plural (you all) performing an action on yourselves. For example, “Ihr wascht euch” (You all wash yourselves) or “Ihr verletzt euch” (You all hurt yourselves). Here are a few more examples:
Ihr setzt euch an den Tisch. (You all sit down at the table.)
Ihr helft euch gegenseitig. (You all help each other.)
Ihr müsst euch beeilen. (You all have to hurry.)
Using “Sich” (Themselves) in German
The reflexive pronoun “sich” is also used to refer to the third person plural (they) performing an action on themselves. For example, “Sie waschen sich” (They wash themselves) or “Sie verletzen sich” (They hurt themselves). Here are a few more examples:
Sie setzen sich auf die Couch. (They sit down on the couch.)
Sie freuen sich über das Ergebnis. (They’re happy about the result.)
Sie erinnern sich an die Geschichte. (They remember the story.)
Conclusion
Reflexive pronouns are an important part of German grammar and are used to indicate that the subject and object of a sentence are the same person or thing. There are six reflexive pronouns in German: mich (myself), dich (yourself), sich (himself/herself/itself/themselves), uns (ourselves), euch (yourselves), and sich (themselves). Each reflexive pronoun is used to refer to a different person or group of people performing an action on themselves. By understanding the use of reflexive pronouns in German, learners can improve their comprehension and communication skills in the language.
Originally posted 2023-07-17 14:52:00.