Explanation
A reflexive verb is one where the subject and the object are the same person — the action loops back to whoever is doing it. The reflexive pronoun is what carries that “back to self” meaning.
Ich wasche mich. — I wash myself.
Most reflexive verbs in German are used with an accusative reflexive pronoun. A smaller set use dative — this happens when the verb already has a separate direct object (accusative noun), so the reflexive pronoun becomes the indirect object instead.
Rules
Reflexive pronoun table:
| Person | Accusative | Dative |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | mir |
| du | dich | dir |
| er/sie/es | sich | sich |
| wir | uns | uns |
| ihr | euch | euch |
| sie/Sie | sich | sich |
Note: ich and du use the same forms as their regular personal pronouns. The key new form to learn is sich — used for all 3rd person and formal Sie.
When to use accusative vs. dative:
Use accusative when the reflexive pronoun is the only object:
Ich wasche mich. — I wash myself.
Use dative when there is already a separate direct object (the body part or thing becomes the accusative):
Ich wasche mir die Hände. — I wash my hands. (lit. “I wash myself the hands.“)
Examples
Accusative reflexive:
- Ich fühle mich gut. — I feel good.
- Er setzt sich hin. — He sits down.
- Wir freuen uns. — We are happy / looking forward to it.
- Wie heißt du? Ich stelle mich vor. — What’s your name? I’ll introduce myself.
Dative reflexive (with a direct object):
- Ich wasche mir die Hände. — I wash my hands.
- Er kauft sich ein Auto. — He buys himself a car.
- Kannst du dir das vorstellen? — Can you imagine that?
Related Vocabulary
- sprechen — Wir sprechen uns (we’ll talk / we’ll be in touch)
- kaufen — Er kauft sich ein Auto (dative reflexive with direct object)
Exceptions
Some verbs are always reflexive in German but don’t translate that way in English:
- sich freuen — to be happy / to look forward to (not “to happy oneself”)
- sich erinnern — to remember
- sich befinden — to be located
These are called obligatory reflexive verbs — the sich is part of the verb and has no standalone meaning.
Notes
The easiest way to know if a pronoun is accusative or dative: ask “is there another noun in the sentence being acted on?” If yes, the reflexive is dative. If the reflexive pronoun is the only object, it’s accusative.
See also: Personal Pronouns for the full personal pronoun case table.