Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns show when someone does something to themselves, and they align with the subject in person and number. This guide goes over the basic reflexive pronouns in German and gives quick examples to make each one clear.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in German appear as forms like mich, dich, sich, uns, and euch, and they repeat the action back to the subject. Here's the table of standard reflexive pronouns for quick reference:

German Reflexive Pronoun	English Reflexive Pronoun
mich	myself
dich	yourself (informal)
sich	himself/herself/itself/yourself (formal)
uns	ourselves
euch	yourselves (plural)

German Example	English Translation
🧑 Ich wasche mich.	I wash myself.
🧑‍🦰 Du wäschst dich.	You wash yourself.
🧑‍🦳 Er wäscht sich.	He washes himself.
👩 Sie wäscht sich.	She washes herself.
🧑‍🦱 Es wäscht sich.	It washes itself.
👥 Wir waschen uns.	We wash ourselves.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Ihr wascht euch.	You (pl.) wash yourselves.
🧑‍🦲 Sie waschen sich.	They wash themselves.
🧑‍💼 Sie waschen sich.	You (formal) wash yourselves.

Using sich

The pronoun sich is used both for third person singular and plural, as well as for formal Sie, so context and the verb form determine its exact reference. When writing instructions or general statements, the infinitive with sich is common because it applies broadly.

German Example	English Translation
🧑 Ich erinnere mich.	I remember.
🧑‍🦰 Du erinnerst dich.	You remember.
🧑‍🦳 Er erinnert sich.	He remembers.
👩 Sie erinnert sich.	She remembers.
🧑‍🦱 Es erinnert sich.	It remembers.
👥 Wir erinnern uns.	We remember.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Ihr erinnert euch.	You (pl.) remember.
🧑‍🦲 Sie erinnern sich.	They remember.
🧑‍💼 Sie erinnern sich.	You (formal) remember.

Placement

Reflexive pronouns normally come right after the conjugated verb in main clauses and appear in the expected object position; in questions and subordinate clauses they follow standard German word order rules. This placement helps listeners spot the reflexive action and keeps sentences clear.

Examples

German Example	English Translation
🌅 Ich sehe mich im Spiegel.	I see myself in the mirror.
🪞 Du kannst dich im Fenster sehen.	You can see yourself in the window.
🚿 Er wäscht sich vor dem Spiegel.	He washes himself in front of the mirror.
🧴 Sie cremt sich das Gesicht ein.	She applies cream to her face.
🧑‍🦰 Wir kämmen uns die Haare.	We comb our hair.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Ihr zieht euch an.	You (pl.) get dressed.
🧑‍💼 Sie erinnern sich an den Termin.	You (formal) remember the appointment.

Non-Reflexive Uses

Some verbs look like reflexive verbs but can be used non-reflexively with a different meaning, so paying attention to whether the pronoun appears changes the sentence way. Learning example sentences helps you tell when to use the reflexive pronoun and when to leave it out.

Summary

Reflexive pronouns repeat the action back to the subject and must match in person and number, with sich covering third person and formal forms. Keep the reflexive pronoun close to the verb for clarity, and watch out for verbs that change meaning depending on whether they are used reflexively.

Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025