Learn how to use verbs that refer back to the subject.
Welcome!
In Danish, some verbs are reflexive. That means the action of the verb comes back to the subject.
In simple terms:
the person doing the action also receives the action.
English sometimes does the same thing:
- I wash myself
- She hurts herself
- We prepare ourselves
Danish uses reflexive pronouns for this.
1️⃣ Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive verbs use special pronouns that match the subject.
| Subject | Reflexive |
|---|---|
| jeg | mig |
| du | dig |
| han | sig |
| hun | sig |
| den / det | sig |
| vi | os |
| I | jer |
| de | sig |
Example:
Jeg vasker mig.
I wash myself.
Hun vasker sig.
She washes herself.
Notice how the pronoun changes depending on the subject.
2️⃣ Common Reflexive Verbs
Some Danish verbs are often used with reflexive pronouns.
Examples:
at sætte sig – to sit down
at føle sig – to feel
at huske sig – to remember (rare)
at koncentrere sig – to concentrate
at glæde sig – to look forward to
Examples in sentences:
Jeg sætter mig.
I sit down.
Han koncentrerer sig.
He concentrates.
Vi glæder os til ferien.
We look forward to the vacation.
3️⃣ Word Order with Reflexive Pronouns
The reflexive pronoun usually comes right after the verb.
Example:
Jeg vasker mig.
Hun sætter sig ned.
Vi glæder os til weekenden.
This pattern is very common in Danish.
4️⃣ Important: Some Verbs Are Always Reflexive
Some Danish verbs almost always require a reflexive pronoun.
For example:
at glæde sig (to look forward to)
You cannot say:
❌ Jeg glæder til ferien
You must say:
✅ Jeg glæder mig til ferien
Meaning:
I look forward to the vacation.
5️⃣ Reflexive Verbs vs Normal Verbs
Sometimes the same verb changes meaning when used reflexively.
Example:
at vaske → to wash something
Jeg vasker bilen.
I wash the car.
at vaske sig → to wash oneself
Jeg vasker mig.
I wash myself.
The reflexive pronoun tells us who receives the action.
✅ Quick Recap
Reflexive verbs:
• Use reflexive pronouns (mig, dig, sig, os, jer)
• The action returns to the subject
• The pronoun usually comes after the verb
• Some verbs always require the reflexive form
🎯 Practice Time
Translate these sentences into Danish.
1️⃣ I wash myself.
2️⃣ She sits down.
3️⃣ We look forward to the weekend.
4️⃣ They concentrate.
Answers
1️⃣ Jeg vasker mig.
2️⃣ Hun sætter sig.
3️⃣ Vi glæder os til weekenden.
4️⃣ De koncentrerer sig.
👍 Tip from Freja
When learning Danish reflexive verbs, try to learn them as a pair:
- glæde sig
- koncentrere sig
- sætte sig
This helps you remember that the verb needs the reflexive pronoun.