se (zvratná slovesa)

1. Meaning and Function
Inherent reflexive verbs (reflexiva tantum) are extremely common in everyday Czech. They are always accompanied by either the reflexive particle se or si. Because the se or si has no independent meaning here, you shouldn't try to translate it. (Note: This applies only to inherent reflexives, unlike regular reflexive verbs where se/si actually does mean 'oneself' or 'to oneself'.) For example, smát se simply means 'to laugh,' not 'to laugh at oneself,' and stěžovat si means 'to complain.'

2. Word Order
Even though se belongs to the verb, it is a free-floating word. It must always occupy the second position in the clause, regardless of where the main verb goes.
Example: Já se toho psa bojím. (I am afraid of that dog.)
When using a modal verb with an infinitive, the se/si detaches from the infinitive and moves to the second position.
Examples: Musím se smát. (I have to laugh.), Chci si odpočinout. (I want to rest.)

3. Negation
When negating these verbs, the negative prefix ne- attaches to the main verb, while the se/si remains in the second position.
Examples: On se nesmál. (He didn't laugh.), Já jsem se nebál. (I wasn't afraid.)

4. The Past Tense, Conditional, and Clitic Order
When using these verbs in the past or conditional tenses, strict word order rules apply:
- 1st and 2nd person: The auxiliary verb always comes first in the clitic cluster, followed by se or si (e.g., já jsem se, my jsme se, vy jste se).
- 2nd person singular past contraction: The auxiliary verb jsi and the particle se or si must obligatorily contract into ses or sis. Example: Smál ses? (Did you laugh?) - Smál jsi se? is considered incorrect in standard Czech.
- 2nd person singular conditional contraction: The -s ending shifts from the auxiliary to the reflexive clitic, resulting in two words: by ses and by sis. Examples: Smál by ses? (Would you laugh?), Pamatoval by sis to? (Would you remember it?) This also applies to conjunctions like aby and kdyby, resulting in aby ses and kdyby sis (not abys se or kdybys si).
- Clitic sequence with other pronouns: When other object pronouns are involved, the strict order is: Auxiliary → Reflexive (se/si) → Dative/Accusative pronouns. Example: Pamatoval by sis to? (Would you remember it? - where sis contains the reflexive, followed by the accusative pronoun to).
- 3rd person trap: There is no auxiliary verb in the 3rd person past tense. The se stands alone in the second position. Do not insert 'je'. Example: On se smál. (He laughed.)

5. Verbs with 'si'
Some inherent reflexives take the dative si instead of se (e.g., stěžovat si - to complain, pamatovat si - to remember, odpočinout si - to rest). They follow the exact same rules, including the 2nd-person singular past tense contraction into sis (e.g., Pamatoval sis to? - Did you remember it?).

6. What they are NOT
Do not confuse these with true reflexive verbs (where the action is done to oneself, like mýt se - to wash oneself) or reciprocal verbs (doing something to each other, like znát se). A common misconception is that učit se (to learn) is an inherent reflexive, but it is actually a true reflexive meaning 'to teach oneself' (from the active verb učit - to teach).