Reflexive Verben
German uses "myself/yourself" constructions far more than English does - for daily routines (showering, getting dressed) and for emotions (being glad, being interested). This lesson sets up the vocabulary you'll need for describing a typical day next.
| ich | mich |
|---|---|
| du | dich |
| Sie | sich |
sich is what you'll see in a dictionary entry - the citation form for any reflexive verb, e.g. sich freuen ("to be glad"). Full table: Reference - Reflexive Verbs.
| sich duschen | to shower |
| sich anziehen | to get dressed |
| sich freuen | to be glad |
Ich dusche mich um sieben Uhr. (I shower at seven.)
Ich freue mich auf die Reise. (I'm looking forward to the trip.)
The reflexive pronoun sits right after the conjugated verb, in the same slot an accusative object would take (Lesson 7) - it just always matches the subject rather than naming something separate.
1. Reflexive pronoun for "ich"?
2. "I shower at seven." - Ich dusche ______ um sieben Uhr.
3. Which pronoun is the dictionary citation form for reflexive verbs?
4. "Are you interested in music?" - Interessierst du ______ für Musik?
5. What does "sich freuen" mean?
Cross-checked against the Goethe-Institut A1 practice materials.
Unsure whether a specific verb is reflexive? Ask your teaching agent to check.