This Worksheet Is for Private Or Classroom Use Only and May Not Be Used in Any Publication

This worksheet is for private or classroom use only and may not be used in any publication or for-profit purpose

Reflexivpronomen

Expressions where reflexive pronouns can either be accusative or dative.

If a German clause has both a direct object (accusative) and an indirect object (dative), the accusative object is USUALLY a thing (what?), whereas the dative object is USUALLY a person (whom? or to whom?).

Wir geben den Kindern das Geld.

subject verb dative object accusative object

person/people thing/things

to whom? what?

Therefore, it is normally not very difficult to decide whether your reflexive pronoun should be in the accusative or the dative: if there is a “what?” in your clause, your reflexive pronoun will be dative because the “what” is already taking up the accusative function.

Without accusative object: NO “WHAT?”è With accusative object : there is a “what?” è

Reflexive pronoun is the accusative object reflexive pronoun is the dative object

Beispiel: Du wäschst dich. Du wäschst dir die Hände.

No specific body part = no “what” è specific body part (Hände) = what? è

Reflexive pronoun is ACCUSATIVE Reflexive pronoun is DATIVE

Ich ziehe _____________ an. Ich ziehe _____________ die Jacke an.

Du ziehst _____________ aus. Du ziehst _____________ die Handschuhe aus.

Ich bade _____________

Du duschst _____________

Ich föhne _____________ die Haare.

Du kämmst _____________ Du kämmst _____________ die Haare.

Ich putze _____________ die Zähne.

Ich rasiere _____________ Ich rasiere _____________ die Beine.

Du schminkst _____________ Du schminkst _____________ die Lippen.

Du trocknest _____________ ab. Du trocknest _____________ die Haare.

Ich habe _____________ verletzt. Ich habe _____________ den Fuß verletzt.

Ich wasche _____________ Ich wasche _____________ die Hände.