се for Each Other
Each Other with Се
When two or more people do something to one another, Bulgarian often just adds се: Те се обичат. (They love each other.) Виждаме се утре! (See you tomorrow!)
How It Works
1. Се = each other. Take a verb with a direct object and a plural subject, and add се:
- обичам някого (love someone) → Обичаме се. (We love each other.)
- познавам някого (know someone) → Познавате ли се? (Do you know each other?)
- виждам някого (see someone) → Виждаме се утре. (We'll see each other tomorrow.)
2. Си = to each other. If the verb takes на (to someone), use си, like in reflexive verbs with си:
- помагам на някого → Помагаме си. (We help each other.)
- пиша на някого → Пишем си всеки ден. (We write to each other every day.)
- подарявам на някого → Подаряваме си подаръци за Коледа. (We give each other presents at Christmas.)
3. One person + с. A singular subject can express the same shared action with с: Утре се виждам с Петър. (I'm meeting Petar tomorrow.)
4. Where се goes. Се is a short form, so it follows the rules in placement of short pronouns: Те се обичат, but Обичат се at the start of a sentence.
5. Making it clear. Some verbs can also be read as "oneself": Те се снимат can mean "they take photos of themselves" or "they take photos of each other". To be clear, add взаимно (mutually) or use един друг: Те се снимат един друг. (They take photos of each other.)
Examples (6)
- Виждаме се утре!
See you tomorrow!
Literally "We see each other tomorrow".
- Те се обичат много.
They love each other very much.
- Познавате ли се?
Do you know each other?
- Помагаме си с домашните.
We help each other with our homework.
Помагам takes на, so the reciprocal form is си.
- Утре се виждам с Петър.
I'm meeting Petar tomorrow.
A singular subject with с expresses the shared action.
- Двамата братя често се карат.
The two brothers often argue with each other.
Common Mistakes
Using се with a verb that takes на.
Помагаме се.Помагаме си.Помагам takes на (помагам на някого), so "each other" is си, not се.
Putting се after the verb when a word comes before it.
Те обичат се.Те се обичат.Се cannot come right after the verb when a word such as те stands before it. It goes before the verb: Те се обичат.
Using a singular subject without с.
Аз се виждам утре.Утре се виждам с него.With the intended meaning "I'm meeting him tomorrow", a singular subject needs с plus the other person. Аз се виждам means "I see myself".
How It Connects
Learn This First
Each other with се combines се and plural subjects.
Related Patterns
- Reflexive Verbs With се
The same се also marks reflexive verbs; context separates the meanings.
Level 2 - един другEach Other with Един Друг
A fuller way to say each other when се alone would be unclear.
Level 4 - Placement of Short Pronouns
Се follows the word-order rules for short forms.
Level 2 - Passive With сеThe Passive with Се
Another use of се, where it marks the passive.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice се for Each Other in Bubblegum
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