Reflexive Verben und Körperteile

Reflexive Verben (Reflexive Verbs)

Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject and the object refer to the same person — the action "reflects back" onto the doer. In German, they are formed with a reflexive pronoun (Reflexivpronomen) and are extremely common in everyday speech, especially with body-related actions.

What Is a Reflexive Verb?

A reflexive verb describes an action that a person performs on or for themselves.

• Ich wasche mich. — I wash myself.
• Er rasiert sich. — He shaves (himself).
• Sie kämmt sich die Haare. — She combs her hair.

The key element is the reflexive pronoun, which changes depending on the subject.

Reflexive Pronouns

There are two sets of reflexive pronouns in German: accusative and dative. The accusative set is used when the reflexive pronoun is the direct object. The dative set is used when there is already another object in the sentence (usually a body part).

Dative Reflexive Pronouns

Note: For er/sie/es, sie (plural), and Sie (formal), both accusative and dative use sich. Only ich and du have distinct dative forms (mir / dir).

Accusative vs. Dative: When to Use Which

This is one of the most important distinctions with reflexive verbs.

Use the accusative pronoun when the reflexive pronoun is the only object in the sentence:

• Ich setze mich. — I sit down.
• Sie zieht sich an. — She gets dressed.
• Er verletzt sich. — He injures himself.

Use the dative pronoun when there is a separate accusative object in the sentence — most often a body part or piece of clothing:

• Ich wasche mir die Hände. (die Hände = accusative object)
• Er bricht sich den Arm. (den Arm = accusative object)
• Sie schminkt sich die Augen. (die Augen = accusative object)

A helpful rule: if you can see a body part in the sentence, you almost certainly need the dative pronoun.

Word Order

In a standard main clause, the reflexive pronoun follows the conjugated verb directly.

• Ich wasche mich jeden Morgen.
• Er hat sich die Hände gewaschen.

In subordinate clauses, the reflexive pronoun follows the subject:

• ..., weil ich mich jeden Morgen wasche.
• ..., obwohl er sich den Arm gebrochen hat.

Truly Reflexive Verbs

Some verbs only exist in reflexive form — they have no non-reflexive counterpart. These must always be learned with sich:

Truly Reflexive Verbs

These verbs always take the accusative reflexive pronoun because there is no second object.

Reflexive Verbs in the Perfect Tense

Reflexive verbs always form the Perfekt with haben, regardless of whether they imply movement.

• Ich habe mich gewaschen.
• Sie hat sich die Haare gekämmt.
• Er hat sich verletzt.

The reflexive pronoun stays in its usual position, directly after the auxiliary haben:

• Ich habe mich gestern erkältet.
• Wir haben uns sehr gefreut.

Summary

• Reflexive verbs use a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject.
• Use accusative (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch) when there is no other object.
• Use dative (mir, dir, sich, uns, euch) when a body part or other noun is the direct object.
• Body part sentences in German never use a possessive adjective — use the dative reflexive pronoun + definite article instead (mir die Hände, not meine Hände).
• Truly reflexive verbs must always be learned with sich as part of the infinitive.