What is a Reflexive Verb?
Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject and the receiver of the action are the same person. In English, we express this with words like myself or yourself (e.g., "I wash myself"). In Dutch, this structure is very common, especially for daily routines and self-care.
In the dictionary, these verbs are listed with the pronoun zich (oneself), such as zich wassen (to wash oneself) or zich voelen (to feel).
Reflexive Pronouns
When you conjugate a reflexive verb, you must use a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject. The reflexive pronoun typically comes immediately after the conjugated verb.
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|
| ik | me |
| jij | je |
| hij / zij / het | zich |
| u (formal) | zich |
| wij | ons |
| jullie | je |
| zij (plural) | zich |
Using "me" and "je"
For ik (I) and jij (you), the reflexive pronouns are me and je.
Using "zich"
For the third-person singular (hij, zij, het), the third-person plural (zij), and the formal "you" (u), the reflexive pronoun is always zich.
Using "ons"
When the subject is wij (we), the reflexive pronoun is ons.
Reflexive and Separable Verbs
Many common reflexive verbs are also separable, like zich afdrogen (to dry oneself) and zich aankleden (to get dressed).
When using a separable reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun directly follows the conjugated verb, and the separable prefix goes to the end of the sentence.