Reflexive verbs & pronouns (+ elkaar)
A2 Wederkerend voornaamwoord & werkwoord 29 / 48
In short
A reflexive verb turns the action back on the subject (“I wash myself”). It needs a reflexive pronoun: me, je, zich, ons, je, zich. Many Dutch verbs are reflexive even when their English equivalent is not (zich voelen, zich vergissen, zich herinneren). Do not confuse reflexive zich (“oneself”) with reciprocal elkaar (“each other”).
The rule
A reflexive verb (wederkerend werkwoord) is used with a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject. The pronoun changes per person, but zich is the special form used for the 3rd person (singular and plural) and for the formal u.
| Subject | Reflexive pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ik | me (mij) | ik was me |
| jij / je | je | jij wast je |
| u | zich (or u) | u wast zich |
| hij / zij / het | zich | hij wast zich |
| wij / we | ons | we wassen ons |
| jullie | je | jullie wassen je |
| zij (plural) | zich | zij wassen zich |
Note: me is the normal (unstressed) form; mij is only for emphasis. For all persons except the 3rd person and u, the reflexive pronoun is identical to the object pronoun (me, je, ons). Only the 3rd person and u get the unique word zich.
Forms & patterns
Conjugation of zich wassen (to wash oneself):
| Present | English | |
|---|---|---|
| ik | was me | I wash (myself) |
| jij | wast je | you wash |
| u | wast zich / u | you wash |
| hij/zij/het | wast zich | he/she/it washes |
| wij | wassen ons | we wash |
| jullie | wassen je | you wash |
| zij | wassen zich | they wash |
Word order — position of the pronoun. The reflexive pronoun behaves like an object pronoun and comes early, right after the finite verb (or after the subject when the subject follows the verb):
| Pattern | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Ik herinner me dat niet. | I don’t remember that. |
| Inversion | Gisteren heb ik me vergist. | Yesterday I made a mistake. |
| Yes/no question | Voel je je wel goed? | Do you feel okay? |
| Subordinate clause | …, omdat hij zich haast. | …, because he is hurrying. |
Perfect tense. Reflexive verbs always take hebben, and the pronoun stays before the past participle: Ik heb me gewassen. / Hij heeft zich vergist.
zich vs elkaar. Zich = the subjects act on themselves; elkaar (“each other”) = they act on one another. Compare: Ze wassen zich (each washes himself) vs Ze wassen elkaar (they wash one another). Watch the terminology: wederkerend = reflexive (zich), wederkerig = reciprocal (elkaar). Elkaar also has a possessive form elkaars (each other’s): Ze lazen elkaars brieven.
Examples
| Nederlands | English |
|---|---|
| Ik was me elke ochtend. | I wash (myself) every morning. |
| Voel je je wel goed vandaag? | Do you feel okay today? |
| Hij heeft zich vergist in de datum. | He was wrong about the date. |
| Herinner je je mijn naam nog? | Do you still remember my name? |
| We moeten ons haasten, de trein vertrekt zo. | We have to hurry, the train leaves soon. |
| De kinderen vervelen zich als het regent. | The children get bored when it rains. |
| Hij wast zich, niet de auto. | He washes himself, not the car. |
| Mijn ouders kennen elkaar al dertig jaar. | My parents have known each other for thirty years. |
Common mistakes
- Ik voel goed. -> Ik voel me goed. - zich voelen is reflexive in Dutch; the pronoun is obligatory.
- Ik herinner dat niet. -> Ik herinner me dat niet. - zich herinneren always needs the reflexive pronoun.
- Hij wast hem. -> Hij wast zich. - “hem” means someone else; use zich for “himself”.
- Ze ontmoeten zich. -> Ze ontmoeten elkaar. - meeting is mutual, so use the reciprocal elkaar.
- Ik was mij elke dag. -> Ik was me elke dag. - use unstressed me; keep mij only for emphasis/contrast.
Tips
- Remember just one new word: zich. It covers the 3rd person (singular + plural) and u. Every other reflexive pronoun (me, je, ons, je) is identical to the normal object pronoun.
- Many verbs about feelings, mental states and self-action are reflexive in Dutch but not in English: zich voelen, zich vervelen (be bored), zich schamen (be ashamed), zich vergissen (be mistaken), zich herinneren, zich haasten, zich gedragen (behave), zich realiseren.
- Quick test for zich vs elkaar: if you can add “themselves” -> zich; if you can add “each other” -> elkaar.
- All reflexive verbs use hebben in the perfect, and the pronoun stays right after the finite verb: Ik heb me gehaast.