Reflexive Verbs in German: How to Use 'Sich' and 'Mich'

Quick Key Summary for Reflexive Verbs

• A reflexive verb is a verb where the subject and the object refer to the same person, so the action "reflects back" onto the subject.

• Reflexive verbs use special pronouns:
  These pronouns refer back to the subject: mich/mir, dich/dir, sich, uns, euch.

• Use the accusative if the reflexive pronoun is the only object
  Ich wasche mich. – I wash myself.

• Use the dative if there is another direct object
  Ich wasche mir die Hände. – I wash my hands.

• Third-person reflexive forms are always "sich"
  Er/sie/es/man/sie/Sie → sich

• Reflexive verbs can be "true" (always reflexive) or "optional"
  Example: sich freuen (always reflexive) vs. sich waschen (sometimes reflexive).

What Is a Reflexive Verb (Reflexive Verben)?

When subject and object are the same

A reflexive verb describes an action that the subject performs on itself. In other words the subject and the object refer to the same person.

• Ich entspanne mich. – I relax (myself).

• Du erinnerst dich. – You remember.

These sentences require a reflexive pronoun because the action "comes back" to the doer.

German vs. English – why German uses reflexives more

English uses reflexives only occasionally ("I hurt myself," "They introduced themselves").
German, however, uses reflexive constructions far more frequently and with more verbs, including many everyday expressions.

Examples of verbs that are reflexive in German but not in English:

• sich freuen (auf/über) – to look forward to / be happy about

• sich erinnern an – to remember

• sich interessieren für – to be interested in

German uses reflexives to express:

• mental or emotional processes (sich fühlen, sich wundern)

• changes of state (sich beeilen, sich setzen)

• idiomatic or fixed expressions (sich Mühe geben, sich bedanken)

This is why learners often encounter reflexive verbs much earlier and more frequently in German than in English.

Reflexive Pronouns

Here is the essential table of German reflexive pronouns.
Focus on the accusative and dative columns – those are the ones used with reflexive verbs.

The Core Rule: Accusative vs. Dative

If the reflexive pronoun is the only object → use the accusative

A reflexive pronoun defaults to the accusative case.

• Ich wasche mich. – I wash myself.

• Du entspannst dich. – You relax.

• Er erinnert sich. – He remembers.

Here, there is no other object in the sentence. The reflexive pronoun is the single (and direct) object → accusative.

This is the rule learners use 80–90% of the time.

If the sentence has another direct object → reflexive pronoun becomes Dative

When the verb takes another object (usually a body part, item or noun phrase) that object becomes the direct object.
The reflexive pronoun then shifts to the dative.

Compare:

• Ich wasche mich. – I wash myself.
  → Reflexive = accusative (only object)

• Ich wasche mir die Hände. – I wash my hands.
  → "die Hände" is now the direct object → reflexive = dative (mir)

More examples:

• Du rasierst dir den Bart. – You shave your beard.

• Sie kauft sich ein neues Kleid. – She buys herself a new dress.

• Wir kochen uns eine Suppe. – We cook ourselves a soup.

Types of Reflexive Verbs

True Reflexive Verbs (Always Reflexive)

These verbs must use a reflexive pronoun – dropping it changes or destroys the meaning.

Examples:

• sich freuen – to be happy / look forward

• sich erinnern – to remember

• sich beeilen – to hurry

• sich schämen – to be ashamed

• sich wundern – to be surprised

• sich erholen – to recover/rest

These do not have a meaningful non-reflexive version.

Optional Reflexive Verbs

These verbs can be used with or without a reflexive pronoun.
Often the meaning slightly shifts.

Examples:

• setzen / sich setzen

  • setzen – to place something

    • Ich setze die Vase auf den Tisch. – I place the vase on the table.

  • sich setzen – to sit down

    • Bitte setz dich auf den Stuhl. – Please sit down on the chair.

• waschen / sich waschen

  • waschen – to wash something

    • Ich wasche das Auto. – I am washing the car.

  • sich waschen – to wash oneself

    • Ich wasche mich jeden Morgen. – I wash myself every morning.

• öffnen / sich öffnen

  • öffnen – to open something

    • Sie öffnet das Fenster. – She opens the window.

  • sich öffnen – to open up (emotionally)

    • Er öffnet sich seinen Freunden gegenüber. – He opens up to his friends.

Reciprocal Verbs (Plural meaning: "each other")

A reciprocal verb describes an action done mutually between two or more people.

The reflexive pronoun = "each other".

Examples:

• Wir treffen uns. – We meet (each other).

• Sie streiten sich. – They argue (with each other).

• Wir sehen uns morgen. – We’ll see each other tomorrow.

Key difference:

• Reflexive = the subject acts on itself.

• Reciprocal = subjects act on one another.

Context and plural subjects usually make the meaning clear.

Changes of Meaning When Reflexive

Some verbs completely change meaning when the reflexive pronoun is added.
Here is a list of useful, high-frequency examples.

List of Verbs That Change Meaning

Separable Verbs + Reflexive Verbs (Word Order)

Infinitive & Present Tense: sich anziehen, Er zieht sich an.

Some reflexive verbs include separable prefixes (an-, aus-, ein-, vor-, weg-, etc.).
In the infinitive, the prefix is attached:

• sich anziehen – to get dressed

• sich ausruhen – to rest

• sich vorstellen – to introduce oneself / imagine

In the present tense, the prefix moves to the end of the clause, while the reflexive pronoun stays immediately after the conjugated verb:

• Ich ziehe mich an. – I get dressed.

• Er zieht sich an. – He gets dressed.

• Wir ruhen uns aus. –We rest / We take a rest.

• Ich stelle mir etwas vor. – I imagine something.

Formula:
Verb (conjugated) + reflexive pronoun + … + prefix

This pattern is non-negotiable and is crucial for natural German.

Past Tenses / Perfekt / Auxiliaries (haben/sein)

Reflexive verbs in the Perfekt (present perfect) almost always use haben as the auxiliary:

• Ich habe mich hingelegt. – I lay down.

• Sie hat sich beschwert. – She complained.

Even when the base verb would normally take sein, a reflexive form typically switches to haben:

fahren → ist gefahren
(to drive / to go by vehicle — normally uses sein)

But in the reflexive form:

✅ sich verfahren → hat sich verfahren
(to get lost while driving)

Example sentence:

• Wir haben uns verfahren. – We got lost while driving.

Examples:

• Wir haben uns angezogen.

• Er hat sich vorgestellt.

• Ich habe mir die Hände gewaschen.

Reflexives in Different Tenses & Moods

Present, Perfekt, Präteritum, Plusquamperfekt

Using the verb sich erinnern (to remember):

Präsens:

• Ich erinnere mich. — I remember.

• Wir erinnern uns. — We remember.

Perfekt:

• Ich habe mich erinnert. — I remembered. (or: I have remembered.)

• Wir haben uns erinnert. — We remembered. (or: We have remembered.)

Präteritum:

• Ich erinnerte mich. — I remembered.

• Wir erinnerten uns. — We remembered.

Plusquamperfekt:

• Ich hatte mich erinnert. — I had remembered.

• Wir hatten uns erinnert. — We had remembered.

Notice:

With Modal Verbs

Modal verbs push the reflexive verb into the infinitive at the end of the clause.

• Ich muss mich beeilen. — I have to hurry.

• Du willst dir die Schuhe anziehen. — You want to put on your shoes.

• Wir können uns vorstellen, dort zu leben. — We can imagine living there.

Word order formula:
Subject + modal (conjugated) + reflexive pronoun + … + infinitive (with prefix separated if needed)

Example with separable prefix:

• Sie möchte sich ausruhen. — She would like to rest.

Imperative Forms

The imperative keeps the reflexive pronoun, adjusting to the grammatical person.

du-form:

• Rasier dich! — Shave!

• Zieh dich an! — Get dressed!

ihr-form:

• Rasiert euch! — Shave (yourselves)!

• Zieht euch an! — Get dressed!

Sie-form (formal):

• Rasieren Sie sich! — Shave!

• Ziehen Sie sich an! — Get dressed!

High-Frequency Reflexive Verbs

Below is a curated list of 30 common reflexive verbs found frequently in everyday German
The table includes meaning and an example sentence for each.

Top 30 High-Frequency Reflexive Verbs

Extra: Advanced Topics & Exceptions

Verbs That Govern a Preposition + Reflexive

Some reflexive verbs require a specific preposition that determines the meaning:

• sich freuen auf + Akk. – to look forward to

• sich freuen über + Akk. – to be happy about

• sich erinnern an + Akk. – to remember

• sich interessieren für + Akk. – to be interested in

• sich kümmern um + Akk. – to take care of

• sich bewerben um + Akk. – to apply for

The pronoun changes, but the preposition + case stay fixed.

Example:

• Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub.

• Er erinnert sich an den Termin.

Reflexive Infinitives & Passive-Like Constructions

Reflexive infinitives appear with modals, causatives and certain expressions:

• Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden.

• Du musst dich beeilen.

"Passive-like" idioms:

• Es tut mir leid. – literally "It does pain to me," but meaning I’m sorry.

• Es handelt sich um … – It concerns / It’s about …

• Es lohnt sich. – It’s worth it.

These expressions must include a reflexive pronoun even though the meaning is not reflexive.

Subjunctive & Idiomatic Reflexive Expressions

Reflexive verbs also appear in Konjunktiv II (polite or hypothetical situations):

• Ich würde mich freuen. – I would be glad.

• Ich könnte mir vorstellen… – I could imagine…

Useful idioms:

• sich Mühe geben – to make an effort

• sich Zeit lassen – to take your time

• sich etwas merken – to memorize something

• sich sicher sein – to be certain

• sich nicht unterkriegen lassen – to not let yourself be defeated

Mein Tagesablauf: Ein typischer Tag

My daily routine: A typical day - an example story with reflexive verbs:

✅ Complete reflexive verbs list with meanings:

• sich wachen / aufwachen – to wake up

• sich waschen – to wash oneself

• sich anziehen – to get dressed

• sich ausziehen – to undress

• sich kämmen – to comb one’s hair

• sich schminken – to put on makeup

• sich die Zähne putzen – to brush one’s teeth

• sich beeilen – to hurry

• sich interessieren – to be interested

• sich freuen – to be happy / look forward to

• sich fühlen – to feel

• sich entspannen – to relax

• sich treffen – to meet

• sich unterhalten – to chat / have a conversation

• sich hinlegen / sich legen – to lie down

• sich ausruhen – to rest

• sich entscheiden – to make a decision

• sich setzen – to sit down

FAQs

When do I use mir vs. mich?

Use this quick rule:

• ✅ Only object → accusative → mich/dich/sich

• ✅ Another object present → dative → mir/dir/sich

• ✅ Third person → always "sich"

Examples:

• Ich wasche mich. – I wash myself.

• Ich wasche mir die Hände. – I wash my hands.

Does every language have reflexive verbs?

No.
Many languages use reflexives sparingly or not at all.
German uses them much more often, including for emotions, daily routines, and idiomatic expressions.

Which verbs are always reflexive?

Common "true reflexive verbs" include:

• sich freuen – to be happy / to look forward to

• sich erinnern – to remember

• sich beeilen – to hurry

• sich schämen – to be ashamed

• sich erholen – to recover / to rest

• sich wundern – to be surprised

• sich bedanken – to thank

• sich befinden – to be located / to be situated