Reflexive pronoun

Reflexivpronomen

We use reflexive pronouns when a person does something to himself/herself (a reflexive verb) or when the activity refers to at least two or more persons/things and is mutual (reciprocal verb).

Declension of the reflexive pronoun

Reflexive pronoun is inflected for case (only Dativ and Akkusativ).

Person	Dativ	Akkusativ
ich	mir	mich
du	dir	dich
er/sie/es	sich	sich
wir	uns	uns
ihr	euch	euch
sie/Sie	sich	sich

The reflexive pronoun and its applications

Reflexive verbs

Ich wasche mir die Hände.

Translation
I am washing (literally: myself) my hands.

Ich wasche mich jeden Tag.

Translation
I wash myself every day.

Ich freue mich.

Translation
I am happy.

Er regt sich über seine Arbeit auf.

Translation
He is nervous because of his job.

Reciprocal verbs

Wir treffen uns.

Translation
We are meeting (literally: ourselves).

Explanation
We are meeting each other. (you with me and me with you)

Julian und Lothar kennen sich.

Translation
Julian and Lothar know each other.

Explanation
Julian knows Lothar and Lothar knows Julian.