Beziehungen: reflexive and non-reflexive verbs, reciprocal verbs
I can differentiate between reflexive and non-reflexive uses of verbs and use reflexive and reciprocal verbs to talk about relationships.
Beziehungen: reflexive and non-reflexive verbs, reciprocal verbs
I can differentiate between reflexive and non-reflexive uses of verbs and use reflexive and reciprocal verbs to talk about relationships.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Some verbs are reflexive in German but their English translation does not have a reflexive meaning.
- The meaning of a verb can change depending on its reflexive or non-reflexive use.
- Reflexive use means the subject (doer) and object (receiver) of the action are the same.
- With plural verbs, reflexive pronouns can also mean 'each other', if the action is reciprocal.
Keywords
Reflexive - describes an action where the subject and object of the verb are the same
Reciprocal - describes an action that is two-way or mutual
Common misconception
Verbs have the same meaning whether they are used reflexively or non-reflexively.
Some verbs have the same or similar meanings when used reflexively and non-reflexively, e.g. nennen, to call, sich nennen, to call oneself. However, some verbs completely change their meaning e.g. anziehen, to attract, sich anziehen, to get dressed.
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
separated
divorced
important
similar
foreign, strange
safe, secure
to feel, feeling
to get, receive
to decide, deciding
to interest, interesting
to know, knowing
to name, naming
mich
dich
sich
uns
euch
sich
Exit quiz
6 Questions
argument
twin
size, height
suggestion
capital city
dad
to attract, attracting
to get dressed, getting dressed
to excuse, excusing
to apologise, apologising
to introduce, introducing
to imagine, imagining