SmarterGerman
Reflexive Verbs Trainer
Every reflexive verb gets a tiny scene with one object made of mirror glass: the mirror reflects the person, and so does sich.
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Which verb matches the scene?
Example - tap for English
Mnemonic
Example - tap for English
Mnemonic
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Grammar
Tap a German sentence for English. It returns after two seconds.
A pronoun that points back
A reflexive pronoun points back at the person doing the action. In the dictionary you see sich. In a sentence it changes with the person.
English can simply say someone hurries. German needs the reflexive pronoun too. Learn sich beeilen as one unit.
True and fake reflexive verbs
With a true reflexive verb, the pronoun belongs to the verb: sich beeilen always needs it. Other verbs can refer back to the person or act on somebody else. I call these fake reflexive verbs:
My memory trick works for both: add a mirror to the scene you imagine. It reminds you to learn the verb with sich. You can learn the other uses later.
The reflexive pronouns
Choose the row for the person. The verb and its use tell you which case you need.
| Person | Akkusativ | Dativ |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | mir |
| du | dich | dir |
| er, sie, es | sich | sich |
| wir | uns | uns |
| ihr | euch | euch |
| sie, Sie | sich | sich |
Only ich and du change between the two columns: mich, dich become mir, dir.
When to use the Dativ
Learn the case with the expression: sich beeilen uses the Akkusativ. In sich etwas merken, the reflexive pronoun is Dativ.
In the last sentence, the hands are what I wash: Akkusativ. The person they belong to is Dativ.
Where the pronoun sits
With a subject such as ich or du, these three patterns get you started:
In the statement, the pronoun follows the verb. In the question it follows du. After weil, it follows ich, and the verb goes to the end.
Learn the preposition too
Learn each combination together: sich interessieren für, sich erinnern an, sich bedanken bei.
The preposition controls what follows it. Mich stays Akkusativ in all four examples. With two-case prepositions such as an, learn the case with the verb. Wo and wohin will not help here.
116 verbs remembered. Now the rest of German.
My courses take you from A1 to C1 with a memory hook in every lesson, and I am in the community every week. The mirror trick is only the tip of the iceberg, the ocean is called German, and my courses are a far better ship than the Titanic.
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