Questions & Answers about Wie fühlst du dich?
Why is dich in this sentence? The English translation just says 'How do you feel?'
In German, the verb for expressing how you feel physically or emotionally is sich fühlen (literally, to feel oneself). It is a reflexive verb, meaning you have to include the reflexive pronoun dich (yourself) to match the subject du (you).
Is dich in the accusative or dative case here?
It is in the accusative case. With most reflexive verbs, including sich fühlen, the reflexive pronoun takes the accusative case.
Could I just say Wie fühlst du? instead?
No, that would sound confusing to a German speaker. Without the reflexive pronoun, fühlen means to physically touch or sense something exterior (like feeling the wind or the texture of a fabric). To express your own health or emotions, you must use the reflexive form.
What is the word order rule for the reflexive pronoun here?
In a question starting with a question word like Wie (position 1), the verb fühlst takes position 2. The subject du comes right after the verb, and the reflexive pronoun dich follows immediately after the subject.
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