Reflexive Verbs in German
Reflexive Verbs in German.Reflexive verbs in German are verbs where the action of the verb is reflected back onto the subject. These verbs often involve actions that one performs on oneself, such as washing or dressing oneself. In German, reflexive verbs use reflexive pronouns like “mich” (myself), “dich” (yourself), “sich” (himself, herself, itself, themselves), “uns” (ourselves), and “euch” (yourselves).
Here are some examples of reflexive verbs in German, along with their translations in English:
- sich waschen (to wash oneself)
- German: Ich wasche mich.
- English: I wash myself.
- sich anziehen (to dress oneself)
- German: Er zieht sich an.
- English: He gets dressed.
- sich entspannen (to relax oneself)
- German: Sie entspannt sich.
- English: She relaxes.
- sich erinnern (to remember)
- German: Wir erinnern uns.
- English: We remember.
- sich fühlen (to feel)
- German: Ich fühle mich gut.
- English: I feel good.
- sich treffen (to meet up)
- German: Sie treffen sich.
- English: They meet up.
- sich interessieren für (to be interested in)
- German: Er interessiert sich für Musik.
- English: He is interested in music.
- sich vorstellen (to imagine, or to introduce oneself)
- German: Stell dich bitte vor.
- English: Please introduce yourself.
- sich entscheiden (to decide)
- German: Ich entscheide mich für das rote Kleid.
- English: I decide on the red dress.
- sich ärgern über (to be annoyed about)
- German: Sie ärgert sich über den Lärm.
- English: She is annoyed about the noise.
In these examples, the reflexive pronoun changes according to the subject of the sentence, and it’s a crucial part of the verb structure in German reflexive verbs.
Examples
Here’s a table providing examples of reflexive verbs in German, along with their English translations:
| German Sentence with Reflexive Verb (Deutsch) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Ich freue mich. | I am happy. |
| Du wäschst dich. | You wash yourself. |
| Er erinnert sich an den Tag. | He remembers the day. |
| Sie setzt sich hin. | She sits down. |
| Wir treffen uns um acht Uhr. | We meet at eight o’clock. |
| Ihr entschuldigt euch. | You (plural) apologize. |
| Sie interessieren sich für Kunst. | They are interested in art. |
| Ich bereite mich auf die Prüfung vor. | I prepare myself for the exam. |
| Du kämmst dich. | You comb your hair. |
| Er zieht sich schnell an. | He gets dressed quickly. |
| Sie freut sich auf das Wochenende. | She is looking forward to the weekend. |
| Wir beschweren uns über das Essen. | We complain about the food. |
These sentences show how reflexive verbs are used in various contexts in German. The reflexive pronoun in each sentence corresponds to the subject and reflects the action back onto the subject.
Sentences
Certainly! Here’s a table featuring sentences with reflexive verbs in German, alongside their English translations:
| German Sentence with Reflexive Verb (Deutsch) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Ich rasiere mich jeden Morgen. | I shave myself every morning. |
| Du erholst dich am Wochenende. | You relax on the weekend. |
| Er freut sich auf die Party. | He is looking forward to the party. |
| Sie beschwert sich über das Wetter. | She complains about the weather. |
| Wir treffen uns im Café. | We meet at the café. |
| Ihr beeilt euch, um den Zug zu erreichen. | You (plural) hurry to catch the train. |
| Sie interessieren sich für Geschichte. | They are interested in history. |
| Ich bereite mich auf die Präsentation vor. | I prepare myself for the presentation. |
| Du konzentrierst dich auf deine Arbeit. | You focus on your work. |
| Er erinnert sich an seine Kindheit. | He remembers his childhood. |
| Sie ärgert sich über den Lärm. | She gets annoyed by the noise. |
| Wir freuen uns auf unseren Urlaub. | We look forward to our vacation. |
These sentences illustrate the use of reflexive verbs in various contexts in German. The reflexive pronoun changes according to the subject of the sentence, reflecting the action back onto the subject.
Phrases
Here’s a table featuring phrases with reflexive verbs in German, along with their English translations:
| German Phrase with Reflexive Verb (Deutsch) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Ich freue mich auf das Konzert. | I am looking forward to the concert. |
| Erinnerst du dich an mich? | Do you remember me? |
| Sie entspannt sich am Strand. | She relaxes on the beach. |
| Wir treffen uns um sechs Uhr. | We are meeting at six o’clock. |
| Beeil dich! | Hurry up! |
| Er zieht sich für die Party um. | He is changing his clothes for the party. |
| Sie ärgert sich über den Stau. | She is annoyed about the traffic jam. |
| Wir bereiten uns auf die Prüfung vor. | We are preparing for the exam. |
| Setzt euch, bitte! | Please sit down! (plural/informal) |
| Er erkundigt sich nach dem Weg. | He is asking for directions. |
| Sie interessiert sich für Kunst. | She is interested in art. |
| Macht euch keine Sorgen! | Don’t worry! (plural/informal) |
These phrases illustrate the use of reflexive verbs in German in a variety of contexts. Reflexive verbs are often used to express actions that the subject performs on or for themselves.
Comprison
Comparing reflexive verbs and negation in German sentences offers an interesting glimpse into the language’s structure. Reflexive verbs involve actions that the subject performs on itself, while negation is used to express the absence of an action, quality, or object. Here’s a table illustrating this difference:
| Sentence Type | German Example | English Translation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflexive Verb | Ich wasche mich. | I wash myself. | The action of washing is performed by the subject on itself. |
| Negation with Verb | Ich wasche nicht. | I do not wash. | The action of washing is negated. |
| Reflexive Verb | Du erinnerst dich an den Tag. | You remember the day. | The action of remembering is performed by the subject on itself. |
| Negation with Noun | Du hast keinen Tag frei. | You have no day off. | The existence of a free day is negated. |
| Reflexive Verb | Sie freut sich auf das Konzert. | She is looking forward to the concert. | The feeling of anticipation is directed back at the subject. |
| Negation with Adjective | Das Konzert ist nicht interessant. | The concert is not interesting. | The quality of being interesting is negated. |
| Reflexive Verb | Er ärgert sich über den Lärm. | He is annoyed about the noise. | The feeling of annoyance is directed inwardly. |
| Negation with Verb | Er hört den Lärm nicht. | He does not hear the noise. | The action of hearing is negated. |
This comparison shows how reflexive verbs in German often involve an inward action or feeling, while negation can be applied to verbs, nouns, or adjectives to express the absence or the opposite of a statement.
