Learn Hardcore Danish: En refleksiv sætning bruger ord som mig, dig og sig. - A reflexive sentence uses words like “myself,” “yourself,” and “himself/herself/itself.”

In Danish, sig is a reflexive pronoun that points back to the subject of the sentence, regardless of whether that subject is masculine, feminine, or neuter. Ham and hende are direct object pronouns referring to him or her, but sig specifically indicates that the action is reflected back on the subject.

What is a refleksiv sætning in Danish?

A refleksiv sætning is a sentence where the verb’s action is directed back at the subject. In other words, the subject and object refer to the same person or thing, which is why reflexive pronouns like mig, dig, and sig are used.

When do I use mig versus dig versus sig?

These pronouns reflect the grammatical person of the subject. Mig is used when the subject is the first person singular (jeg), dig is used when the subject is second person singular (du), and sig is used when the subject is third person singular or plural (han, hun, den, det, de).

Why does the sentence have the word som before mig, dig og sig?

Som in Danish can be translated to like, such as, or that in English, depending on context. In this sentence, it introduces examples of the reflexive pronouns, so it means something akin to such as.

Can reflexive pronouns also show up in other parts of a Danish sentence?

Yes, reflexive pronouns can appear anywhere they are needed to reflect back to the subject. The most common placement is right after the verb, but the exact position can vary. Just keep in mind that they always refer back to the same entity as the subject.