Reflexive Pronouns (Accusative) in German

Overview

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing. In German, many everyday actions — washing, getting dressed, feeling happy — require a reflexive pronoun in the accusative case. This is one of the first grammatical patterns you will encounter at the A1 level.

In English, reflexive pronouns end in "-self" or "-selves" (myself, yourself, himself), but they are used far less frequently than in German. Many German verbs are inherently reflexive, meaning they always need a reflexive pronoun even when the English translation does not use one. For example, "sich freuen" means "to be happy" — there is no "oneself" in the English version.

Understanding accusative reflexive pronouns early on will help you express daily routines, emotions, and personal actions naturally in German.

How It Works

The accusative reflexive pronouns correspond to each personal pronoun:

Person	Subject Pronoun	Reflexive Pronoun (Accusative)
1st singular	ich	mich
2nd singular (informal)	du	dich
3rd singular	er / sie / es	sich
1st plural	wir	uns
2nd plural (informal)	ihr	euch
3rd plural / formal	sie / Sie	sich

Key rules:

• The reflexive pronoun sich is the same for all 3rd person forms (er, sie, es, sie plural, Sie formal).
• For 1st and 2nd person, the reflexive pronouns are identical to the regular accusative pronouns (mich, dich, uns, euch).
• In a main clause, the reflexive pronoun typically comes right after the conjugated verb.
• In questions and subordinate clauses, word order may shift, but the reflexive pronoun stays close to its verb.

Common reflexive verbs (accusative):

German	English
sich waschen	to wash (oneself)
sich anziehen	to get dressed
sich freuen	to be happy / glad
sich setzen	to sit down
sich fühlen	to feel
sich beeilen	to hurry
sich erinnern	to remember
sich entschuldigen	to apologize

Examples in Context

German	English	Note
Ich wasche mich jeden Morgen.	I wash myself every morning.	Daily routine
Du musst dich beeilen!	You need to hurry!	Reflexive with modal verb
Er rasiert sich vor dem Frühstück.	He shaves before breakfast.	"sich" for 3rd person
Sie freut sich über das Geschenk.	She is happy about the gift.	"sich freuen über" + accusative
Wir setzen uns an den Tisch.	We sit down at the table.	"uns" for wir
Ihr müsst euch anziehen.	You (all) need to get dressed.	"euch" for ihr
Die Kinder fühlen sich wohl.	The children feel comfortable.	Plural 3rd person uses "sich"
Entschuldigen Sie sich!	Apologize!	Formal "Sie" also uses "sich"
Ich erinnere mich an den Urlaub.	I remember the vacation.	"sich erinnern an" + accusative
Kannst du dich bitte setzen?	Can you please sit down?	Reflexive in a question

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong reflexive pronoun for 3rd person

• Wrong: Er wäscht ihn. (means he washes him — someone else)
• Right: Er wäscht sich.
• Why: "ihn" refers to another person; "sich" refers back to the subject.

Forgetting the reflexive pronoun entirely

• Wrong: Ich fühle gut.
• Right: Ich fühle mich gut.
• Why: "sich fühlen" is inherently reflexive in German — the pronoun is required.

Placing the reflexive pronoun in the wrong position

• Wrong: Ich mich wasche jeden Morgen.
• Right: Ich wasche mich jeden Morgen.
• Why: In a main clause, the reflexive pronoun comes after the conjugated verb.

Confusing accusative and dative reflexive pronouns

• Wrong: Ich wasche mir. (for washing the whole body)
• Right: Ich wasche mich.
• Why: When the action applies to the whole self, use accusative. Dative is used when there is a separate body part as the direct object (e.g., "Ich wasche mir die Hände").

Practice Tips

1. Learn reflexive verbs as a unit — memorize "sich waschen" rather than just "waschen." This helps you remember that the reflexive pronoun is required.
2. Practice your morning routine out loud: "Ich wache auf, ich wasche mich, ich ziehe mich an, ich setze mich hin..." This builds muscle memory for the pronoun positions.
3. When you encounter a new verb, check whether it is reflexive — German dictionaries mark reflexive verbs with "sich" before the infinitive.

Related Concepts

• Accusative Pronouns — the broader category of accusative pronouns that includes reflexive forms
• Reflexive Pronouns (Dative) — reflexive pronouns in the dative case, used when a separate accusative object is present