sig
Oneself (Sig)
Use sig when a third-person subject (he, she, it, they) does something to themselves. It translates to 'himself', 'herself', 'itself', or 'themselves'.
How It Works
The pronoun sig is essential for clarity in Danish. It is used exclusively with third-person subjects (han, hun, den, det, de) and the generic man (one/you).
1. Singular and Plural: Unlike English, which distinguishes between 'himself' and 'themselves', Danish uses sig for both singular and plural subjects.
- Han vasker sig (He washes himself)
- De vasker sig (They wash themselves)
- Man skal vaske sig (One must wash oneself)
2. Reflexive vs. Object Pronouns: This is the most important distinction to understand. If you use a standard object pronoun like ham (him) or dem (them), it refers to a different person.
- Han ser sig i spejlet (He sees himself in the mirror)
- Han ser ham i spejlet (He sees him—someone else—in the mirror)
3. Reflexive Verbs: Many common Danish reflexive verbs require sig to function correctly, such as at skynde sig (to hurry) or at glæde sig (to look forward to).
4. Pronunciation: The 'g' is silent. In stressed positions, it is pronounced like 'sigh' [sɑj]. However, in natural, unstressed speech, it is very commonly pronounced simply as [si].
Examples (4)
- Han skynder sig til bussen.
He hurries to the bus.
Word by Word: He hurries himself to the bus.
The verb 'at skynde sig' is inherently reflexive in Danish.
- De glæder sig til jul.
They are looking forward to Christmas.
Word by Word: They gladden themselves to Christmas.
Here, 'sig' is used for a plural subject (they).
- Hunden lagde sig på gulvet.
The dog lay down on the floor.
Word by Word: The dog laid itself on the floor.
Reflexive pronouns are used for animals and objects (den/det) as well.
- Hun vasker sig hver morgen.
She washes herself every morning.
Word by Word: She washes herself every morning.
This shows a standard reflexive action where the subject and object are the same.
Common Mistakes
Using 'sig' for first or second person subjects.
Jeg vasker sig.Jeg vasker mig.'Sig' is only for the third person (he/she/it/they). For 'I', you must use 'mig'.
Confusing 'sig' with 'hinanden' (each other).
Different MeaningDe elsker sig.De elsker hinanden.'De elsker sig' means they love themselves (individually). 'De elsker hinanden' means they love each other.
Confusing the reflexive object 'sig' with the reflexive possessive 'sin'.
Han ser sig bil.Han ser sin bil.'Sig' is an object pronoun (himself), while 'sin' is a possessive determiner (his own).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'sig', you first need to be familiar with how Danish uses subject and object pronouns. 'Sig' is a specific type of object pronoun used only when the subject and the object are the same person or thing in the third person (he, she, it, or they). Knowing basic present tense verb forms will help you practice this in complete sentences.
- mig/dig/ham/hendeObject Pronouns Singular
Understanding standard object pronouns is necessary to see how 'sig' functions as a specialized reflexive alternative for the third person.
Level 1 - -rPresent Tense -r
Reflexive pronouns are used with verbs to indicate the action is performed on the subject; understanding basic verb conjugation is required to form these sentences.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- Reflexive Verbs
These are the specific verbs that require 'sig' to complete their meaning.
Level 2 - sin/sit/sineReflexive Possessive (Sin/sit/sine)
The reflexive possessive forms that also point back to the subject but indicate ownership.
Level 2 - hinandenEach Other (Hinanden)
Used for reciprocal actions (each other) instead of reflexive actions (oneself).
Level 2 - selvSelf (Selv)
Often added to 'sig' (sig selv) for extra emphasis or to clarify 'by oneself'.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice sig in Bubblegum
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