sich

Sich is the German reflexive pronoun used to indicate that the subject acts upon or is affected by the action in reference to itself. It is used with reflexive verbs and can appear in either the accusative or the dative case, depending on the sentence structure and the presence of another object.

Forms and usage

- Accusative: mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, sich

- Dative: mir, dir, sich, uns, euch, sich

The third-person forms are identical in both cases: sich. In sentences with another direct object, the reflexive pronoun typically takes the dative (mir, dir, sich, uns, euch, sich), while the direct object serves as the accusative (if present). For example: Ich wasche mir die Hände. (I wash my hands, with mir as the indirect object and die Hände as the direct object.) Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself.)

Common uses

- Reflexive verbs: sich erinnern, sich duschen, sich waschen, sich kämmen. Examples: Ich wasche mich. Er rasiert sich jeden Morgen.

- With two objects or when emphasis is needed: Wir gönnen uns etwas. (We treat ourselves to something.)

- Intensification: sich selbst can be used for emphasis: Er hat sich selbst überrascht.

Notes

- Some verbs require a reflexive form more naturally than an ordinary object, while others can be used reflexively or not depending on meaning.

- With prepositional complements, the reflexive pronoun remains the object of the verb: Sie freut sich über das Geschenk.

- Etymology: sich is a Germanic reflexive pronoun, cognate with Dutch zich and Swedish sig, and is built to refer back to the subject across Germanic languages.

Overall, sich plays a central role in expressing actions directed at the subject itself and in forming many common reflexive constructions in German.