Reflexiv

Reflexiv, or reflexive, is a grammatical feature in which the subject and the involved participant of an action refer to the same entity. Reflexive constructions are typically marked by reflexive pronouns or by special verb forms, and they can indicate that the action returns to or directly affects the subject.

Across languages, marking varies. In English, reflexive pronouns like myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, and themselves function as objects or after prepositions (I blamed myself). In German, reflexivity is marked with a reflexive pronoun such as mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, or sich, depending on the person and number (Ich wasche mich). Romance languages use clitics tied to the verb: Spanish se or me, te, se before conjugated verbs or attached to infinitives (lavarse, ducharse). In many languages, the reflexive element can appear with verb stems indicating a middle or self-directed action, or as an intensifier in English (“I did it myself”).

Reflexivity is distinct from reciprocity, where multiple subjects act on each other (they greet each other). It can also function as a cognitive or aspectual marker in some languages, or as part of a verb’s morphology. In addition, some languages allow reflexive constructions to carry meanings such as “expressing the subject’s experience” or “emphasizing the subject’s involvement.”

In linguistic analysis, reflexivity interacts with syntax, morphology, and semantics, shaping how actions relate to the actor and how speakers encode perspective, focus, and voice. It is a common topic in grammars, phonology, and typological studies, illustrating how languages encode self-directed or self-referential actions.