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Questions & Answers about Ich freue mich darauf.
Why is mich used after freue rather than another pronoun or none at all?
Because sich freuen is a reflexive verb. Reflexive verbs in German always take a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject. For ich, the reflexive pronoun is mich.
What is the main verb in Ich freue mich darauf? Is darauf part of the verb?
The main verb is sich freuen. Darauf is not part of the verb; it’s a pronominal adverb (da + auf) that replaces auf + das, showing what you look forward to.
What part of speech is darauf, and why is it used instead of auf das?
Darauf is a pronominal adverb. When a prepositional object (like auf + das) is replaced by a pronoun, German combines da with the preposition to form darauf. You don’t say auf das or es here.
Why does darauf come at the end of the sentence?
In a German main clause, the finite verb (freue) is in second position after the subject (Ich). All other elements—including the reflexive pronoun (mich) and the pronominal adverb (darauf)—follow, with the pronominal adverb typically in final position.
Can the sentence be inverted? For example, Darauf freue ich mich?
Yes. German allows you to front any element for emphasis. Starting with darauf gives the structure: Darauf [verb] [subject] [rest], so Darauf freue ich mich is correct and emphasizes darauf.
When can you omit darauf in similar sentences?
If you immediately specify what you’re looking forward to with a dass-clause or an infinitive with zu, you don’t need darauf:
• Ich freue mich, dass du kommst.
• Ich freue mich, dich zu sehen.
But without such a clause, you need darauf to indicate the object: Ich freue mich darauf.
How do you explicitly state what you’re looking forward to instead of using darauf?
Use the full prepositional phrase in the accusative after freuen:
• Ich freue mich auf das Konzert.
If you then want to refer back to das Konzert later, you can replace it with darauf: Ich freue mich darauf.