Reflexive verbs with the dative
Reflexive Verben mit Dativ
Some use a reflexive , often with an additional .
Structure
Subjekt + Verb + mir/dir/sich (Dativ) + Akkusativobjekt
subject + verb + mir/dir/sich (dative) + accusative object
Details
- Part of Speech
- Verb
- Register
- Standard
Explanation
Most use an accusative reflexive (ich wasche mich). But some take a dative reflexive - typically when there is also a separate accusative object in the sentence, such as a body part or a thing.
The reflexive pronouns differ from the only in the 1st and 2nd person :
| ich | mich | mir |
| du | dich | dir |
| er/sie/es | sich | sich |
| wir | uns | uns |
| ihr | euch | euch |
| sie/Sie | sich | sich |
Examples:
- Ich wasche mir die Hände. - I wash my hands. (die Hände = → reflexive in )
- Kannst du dir das vorstellen? - Can you imagine that?
- Ich putze mir die Zähne. - I brush my teeth.
Common mistakes. When a thing/body part is the , the "self" must be dative: Ich wasche mir die Hände, not Ich wasche mich die Hände. Compare Ich wasche mich (just "I wash (myself)", , no other ). German uses the reflexive where English says "my hands", so don't translate with a : it is mir die Hände, not meine Hände waschen in this construction.
About Reflexive verbs with the dative
Some use a reflexive , often with an additional .
Verbs like 'sich etwas vorstellen' or 'sich die Hände waschen' take a reflexive (mir/dir/sich) plus an .
Manche verlangen ein Reflexivpronomen im , oft mit .
Caution
When a body part or thing is the accusative object, the reflexive pronoun is dative: 'Ich wasche mir die Hände' (not 'mich'). Only 1st/2nd person differ from the accusative.