Reciprocal se / jedan drugoga
Actions Between Participants
With several participants, se can describe an action directed at one another. Jedan drugoga and its case forms make reciprocity explicit.
How It Works
Susjedi se pozdravljaju. naturally describes reciprocal greetings. Djeca se peru. normally describes each child washing themself. The verb and situation determine which reading is intended.
An explicit reciprocal expression follows the verb’s case requirements: pomažu jedan drugomu uses dative, while gledaju jedan drugoga uses accusative. With a preposition, use the required form: razgovaraju jedan s drugim.
The expression can reflect gender: sestre slušaju jedna drugu. Do not treat jedan drugoga as a fixed unchanging translation of English “each other”; its case and, where appropriate, gender must fit the sentence.
Examples (3)
- Prijatelji se često posjećuju.
The friends often visit each other.
- Susjedi pomažu jedan drugomu.
The neighbours help each other.
- Sestre pažljivo slušaju jedna drugu.
The sisters listen carefully to each other.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A plural subject can support a reciprocal reading of se, or an explicit reciprocal phrase.
Related Patterns
- Preposition + kojiRelative Pronouns with Prepositions
A preposition also determines the case of a pronoun.
Level 4 - A Dative of Personal Involvement
Distinguish a required dative participant from an optional personal-involvement dative.
Level 6 - Relative što + CliticRelative Što
Compare another function of short pronouns in a clause.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Reciprocal se / jedan drugoga in Bubblegum
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