German Reflexive Pronouns: Accusative vs Dative
German reflexive pronouns accusative vs dative: when to use mich/dich/sich and when mir/dir/sich, with the second-object rule, tables, and examples.
German reflexive pronouns accusative vs dative comes down to a single question: is there another accusative object in the clause? If the reflexive pronoun is the only object, it is accusative (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, sich). The moment a second accusative object — a body part, a piece of clothing, a thing being imagined or bought — appears, the reflexive pronoun moves to dative (mir, dir, sich, uns, euch, sich).
You already met the accusative reflexive forms in the A2 reflexive verbs unit. What's new at B1 is the contrast: same verb, different case, driven by what else is in the sentence.
Quick reference: reflexive pronouns side by side
| Person | Accusative reflexive | Dative reflexive | Accusative example | Dative example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | mir | Ich wasche mich. | Ich wasche mir die Hände. |
| du | dich | dir | Du setzt dich hin. | Du ziehst dir eine Jacke an. |
| er / sie / es | sich | sich | Er fühlt sich gut. | Er kauft sich ein Auto. |
| wir | uns | uns | Wir freuen uns. | Wir sehen uns den Film an. |
| ihr | euch | euch | Ihr beeilt euch. | Ihr merkt euch die Nummer. |
| sie / Sie | sich | sich | Sie entschuldigt sich. | Sie überlegt sich das. |
Only ich and du have visibly different accusative and dative reflexive forms. For everyone else the form is identical — but the underlying case is not, and it still determines which other objects are allowed in the clause.
Want to test whether it's mich or mir before you read on? Try the practice set on this page: the free, no-sign-up drills throw minimal pairs at you and grade each one the instant you answer, so the second-object rule turns into a reflex.
What is the German reflexive pronoun?
A reflexive pronoun is the object that points back at the subject: the subject does the action to itself. Compare it with the personal pronouns ich/mich/mir, du/dich/dir — the reflexive forms are mostly identical, except that the 3rd person and the polite Sie collapse into the single form sich in both accusative and dative.
Ich sehe dich. — I see you. (personal pronoun, object ≠ subject) Ich sehe mich im Spiegel. — I see myself in the mirror. (reflexive pronoun, object = subject)
The interesting question at B1 is no longer whether a pronoun is reflexive — that's locked in by the verb — but which case the reflexive pronoun takes.
How does reflexive case choice work in German?
One rule covers nearly every situation:
- No other accusative object in the clause → reflexive is accusative (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, sich).
- Another accusative object is present → reflexive is dative (mir, dir, sich, uns, euch, sich).
The reflexive pronoun is the default accusative object. As soon as something else claims the accusative slot, the reflexive yields and moves to dative — because German clauses don't tolerate two accusative objects on the same verb.
Ich ziehe mich an. — I'm getting dressed. (no other object → accusative reflexive) Ich ziehe mir eine Jacke an. — I'm putting on a jacket. (eine Jacke is accusative → reflexive shifts to dative)
Accusative reflexive verbs: sich mich dich
These verbs typically appear with the reflexive pronoun as the only object. The reflexive is therefore accusative.
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sich freuen | to be glad, look forward | Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub. |
| sich setzen | to sit down | Bitte setz dich. |
| sich fühlen | to feel | Er fühlt sich müde. |
| sich ärgern | to be annoyed | Sie ärgert sich über den Lärm. |
| sich erinnern | to remember | Erinnerst du dich an ihn? |
| sich beeilen | to hurry | Wir müssen uns beeilen. |
| sich anziehen | to get dressed | Ich ziehe mich an. |
| sich entschuldigen | to apologize | Er entschuldigt sich. |
| sich konzentrieren | to concentrate | Ich kann mich nicht konzentrieren. |
| sich erholen | to recover, rest | Wir erholen uns am Meer. |
Prepositional phrases (auf den Urlaub, über den Lärm, an ihn, am Meer) do not count as a second accusative object — they belong to the preposition, not the verb, so they don't push the reflexive into dative.
Dative reflexive verbs: sich mir dir
These verbs appear with a second accusative object — often a body part, a piece of clothing, or "something" (etwas). The reflexive pronoun shifts to dative.
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sich (dat.) die Hände waschen | to wash one's hands | Ich wasche mir die Hände. |
| sich (dat.) die Zähne putzen | to brush one's teeth | Putzt du dir die Zähne? |
| sich (dat.) etwas vorstellen | to imagine something | Ich stelle mir das Leben vor. |
| sich (dat.) etwas wünschen | to wish for something | Was wünschst du dir? |
| sich (dat.) etwas merken | to memorize, remember | Ich merke mir die Nummer. |
| sich (dat.) etwas ansehen | to watch, look at | Wir sehen uns den Film an. |
| sich (dat.) etwas kaufen | to buy oneself something | Er kauft sich ein Auto. |
| sich (dat.) etwas überlegen | to think something over | Ich überlege mir das. |
| sich (dat.) etwas anziehen | to put something on | Sie zieht sich den Mantel an. |
| sich (dat.) etwas vornehmen | to make a plan / resolution | Ich nehme mir das fest vor. |
In every line there is a clear second accusative object — die Hände, die Nummer, den Film, ein Auto. That is what forces the reflexive into dative.
Ich wasche mich vs ich wasche mir die Hände
The minimal-pair contrast that captures the whole rule:
| Accusative reflexive (only object) | Dative reflexive (second object present) |
|---|---|
| Ich wasche mich. — I'm washing (myself). | Ich wasche mir die Hände. — I'm washing my hands. |
| Ich ziehe mich an. — I'm getting dressed. | Ich ziehe mir eine Jacke an. — I'm putting on a jacket. |
| Er setzt sich. — He sits down. | Er setzt sich einen Hut auf. — He puts on a hat. |
| Ich stelle mich vor. — I introduce myself. | Ich stelle mir das vor. — I imagine that. |
| Sie kämmt sich. — She is combing her hair. | Sie kämmt sich die Haare. — She combs her hair. |
The verb hasn't changed. The difference is purely whether a second accusative object (die Hände, eine Jacke, einen Hut, das, die Haare) is sitting in the sentence with it.
sich vorstellen vs sich etwas vorstellen
The most quoted example is vorstellen, which is really two verbs that share a spelling:
- sich vorstellen (akk.) = to introduce oneself. No second object. → Darf ich mich vorstellen?
- sich etwas vorstellen (dat.) = to imagine something. The "something" is the accusative object. → Kannst du dir das vorstellen?
If you swap the cases, you don't just make a grammar mistake — you change the meaning. "Ich stelle mich das vor" is not a sentence; "Ich stelle mir vor" without a what is incomplete.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
These are the reflexive-case errors B1 learners produce most often, with the fix in each case.
| Mistake | Why it's wrong | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Ich wasche mich die Hände. | Die Hände is already an accusative object, so the reflexive cannot also be accusative — it must shift to dative. | Ich wasche mir die Hände. |
| Ich kaufe mich ein Auto. | Ein Auto is the accusative direct object; the reflexive yields the accusative slot. | Ich kaufe mir ein Auto. |
| Treating every reflexive verb as accusative by default. | A2 introduced reflexives as accusative-only, which is why this becomes a habit. The accusative form is the default only when there is no second accusative object. | Scan for an accusative noun after the verb before choosing the reflexive form. |
| Ich stelle mich das vor. (intending "I imagine that") | "Das" is the accusative object of imagining, so the reflexive must be dative. The accusative form here means "introduce", not "imagine". | Ich stelle mir das vor. (sich etwas vorstellen = imagine) |
| Erinnerst du dir an ihn? | "An ihn" is a prepositional object, not a second accusative object. The reflexive stays accusative. | Erinnerst du dich an ihn? |
| Ich freue mir auf den Urlaub. | Same trap: "auf den Urlaub" belongs to the preposition auf, not directly to the verb. No second accusative object → reflexive is accusative. | Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub. |
| Was wünschst du dich? | The implied accusative object is the wish itself ("a present", "good luck"). With wünschen the wish slot is always accusative, so the reflexive is dative. | Was wünschst du dir? |
The shortcut: look to the right of the verb for a noun phrase in accusative. If you find one, the reflexive is dative. If you find only a prepositional phrase or nothing, the reflexive is accusative.
When the form is the same: sich, uns, euch
For er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie the accusative and dative reflexive forms are identical (sich, uns, euch). It is tempting to conclude that the case "doesn't matter" for these persons — but it still does, because it controls which other objects can appear:
Wir sehen uns. — We see each other. (accusative, no other object) Wir sehen uns den Film an. — We're watching the movie. (dative, "den Film" is the accusative object)
The form uns is identical in both clauses, but only the second is allowed to add an accusative object. Knowing the underlying case still matters for understanding the sentence structure and for parallel constructions with ich/du, where the form does change.
Reflexive pronouns in the wider picture
Reflexive case choice is one slice of a broader principle: in a German clause, each case slot can usually be filled only once. Knowing which case a reflexive pronoun occupies tells you what else is allowed to share the sentence with it. If you're shaky on the underlying case forms themselves, revisit German personal pronouns for the mich/mir, dich/dir, ihn/ihm contrasts, and accusative prepositions for what counts as an accusative object in the first place.
10 exercises on this rule · about 5 min
Frequently asked questions
When are German reflexive pronouns accusative vs dative?
A reflexive pronoun is accusative when it is the only object in the clause (Ich wasche mich). It shifts to dative as soon as another accusative object appears (Ich wasche mir die Hände — die Hände is the accusative object, so mir is dative).
What is the difference between mich and mir, dich and dir?
Mich and dich are the 1st- and 2nd-person-singular accusative reflexive forms; mir and dir are their dative counterparts. Only ich and du show a visible accusative–dative split: for er/sie/es/wir/ihr/sie/Sie the reflexive form is identical in both cases (sich, uns, euch, sich).
Why is it 'Ich wasche mir die Hände' and not 'Ich wasche mich die Hände'?
German does not allow two accusative objects in the same clause. Die Hände is already accusative, so the reflexive pronoun cannot also be accusative — it moves to dative as mir. This is the core 'second-object rule' for reflexive case choice.
Which German reflexive verbs always take the dative?
Verbs of the pattern sich (dat.) + etwas: sich etwas vorstellen (imagine), sich etwas wünschen (wish for), sich etwas merken (memorize), sich etwas überlegen (think over), sich etwas ansehen (watch), sich etwas kaufen (buy oneself). The 'etwas' slot is the accusative object, forcing the reflexive into dative.
Is 'sich vorstellen' accusative or dative?
Both — it depends on the meaning. Sich vorstellen with no other object means 'to introduce oneself' and takes accusative: Darf ich mich vorstellen? Sich etwas vorstellen means 'to imagine something' and takes dative: Kannst du dir das vorstellen?
How do you know when a German verb is reflexive at all?
Reflexive verbs are listed in the dictionary with sich (e.g. sich freuen, sich beeilen). For case choice, ignore the lookup form and apply the second-object rule: only-reflexive object means accusative, additional accusative object means dative.
Where can I practise the mich-vs-mir reflexive choice for free?
Right below, on this page. The free exercises put minimal pairs like Ich wasche mich / mir die Hände in front of you with no sign-up, marking each answer instantly so you can train the second-object rule case by case.