Reflexive Verbs With sech
Reflexive verbs come with sech in the dictionary, and sech changes to match the subject: Ech wäsche mech (I wash myself), Mir freeën eis (We are happy).
How It Works
The pronouns
- ech ... mech: Ech wäsche mech.
- du ... dech: Du wäschs dech.
- hien, si, hatt, et ... sech: Hie wäscht sech.
- mir ... eis: Mir wäschen eis.
- dir ... iech, polite Dir ... Iech: Setzt Iech, wannechgelift!
- si (they) ... sech: Si wäsche sech.
Only the third person has its own form, sech. The others look like the object pronouns.
Common reflexive verbs
sech wäschen (to wash), sech setzen (to sit down), sech freeën (to be happy), sech treffen (to meet), sech erkalen (to catch a cold), sech interesséieren (to be interested). Several of them are used with a fixed preposition: sech freeën op (to look forward to), sech freeën iwwer (to be pleased about), sech interesséiere fir – see verbs with fixed prepositions.
Position
The pronoun comes right after the conjugated verb, and in a subordinate clause right after the subject: Ech weess, datt hatt sech freet. See pronouns early in the clause.
In the perfect
Reflexive verbs always take hunn: Ech hu mech erkaalt.
With another object
When the verb already has a direct object, ech and du use mir and dir instead: Ech wäsche mir d'Hänn. See dative reflexive.
Examples (6)
- Ech wäsche mech all Moien.
I wash every morning.
Word by Word: I wash myself every morning.
Wäschen becomes wäsche before the m of mech because of the n-rule.
- Mir freeën eis op d'Vakanz.
We are looking forward to the holidays.
Word by Word: We gladden us on the holiday.
Sech freeën op means to look forward to.
- D'Kanner freeë sech op Niklosdag.
The children are looking forward to Saint Nicholas Day.
Word by Word: The children gladden themselves on Nicholas-day.
Freeën becomes freeë before the s of sech.
- Setzt Iech, wannechgelift!
Please sit down.
Word by Word: Set yourself, please!
In a polite command the pronoun is Iech with a capital I.
- Mir treffen eis um aacht Auer.
We are meeting at eight o'clock.
Word by Word: We meet us at eight o'clock.
Sech treffen means to meet each other.
- Ech hu mech erkaalt.
I've caught a cold.
Word by Word: I have myself chilled.
Reflexive verbs form the perfect with hunn.
Common Mistakes
Using sech with ech or mir.
Ech wäsche sech.Ech wäsche mech.Sech is only for the third person: hien, si, hatt, et, the plural si, or a noun such as d'Kanner. With ech the pronoun is mech, and with mir it is eis.
Leaving out the reflexive pronoun.
Mir freeën op d'Vakanz.Mir freeën eis op d'Vakanz.Freeën needs a reflexive pronoun when it means to be happy or to look forward to.
Using sinn in the perfect of a reflexive verb.
Ech si mech erkaalt.Ech hu mech erkaalt.All reflexive verbs form the perfect with hunn.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Reflexive Verbs With Sech, learn Object Pronouns (Accusative).
Related Patterns
- Dative Reflexives: mir / dirDative Reflexives: Mir and Dir
With a second object, ech and du use mir and dir: Ech wäsche mir d'Hänn.
Level 3 - Verbs With Fixed Prepositions
Sech freeën op and sech interesséiere fir are reflexive verbs with fixed prepositions.
Level 3 - Pronouns Come Early
The reflexive pronoun comes early, right after the verb or the subject.
Level 3 - Perfect-Tense Auxiliary: hunnPerfect Tense with Hunn
Reflexive verbs always use hunn in the perfect.
Level 2 - Polite Dir
The polite reflexive pronoun is Iech, with a capital I.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Reflexive Verbs With sech in Bubblegum
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