A1 Verb System 4 min read Fácil

Reflexive Verbs

If the subject and the object are the same person, use a reflexive pronoun!
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Reflexive verbs describe actions you do to yourself, using special pronouns like 'mig', 'dig', or 'sig'.

  • Use 'mig' for 'myself': Jag tvättar mig (I wash myself).
  • Use 'sig' for 'himself/herself/themselves': Hon tvättar sig (She washes herself).
  • The reflexive pronoun must match the subject of the sentence.
Subject + Verb + Reflexive Pronoun (e.g., Jag + tvättar + mig)

Overview

## Overview
In Swedish, reflexive verbs are a fundamental part of everyday life. You use them when you do something to yourself. Think of your morning routine: you wash yourself, you dress yourself, you brush your teeth.
In Swedish, these actions require a 'reflexive pronoun'. The most important thing to remember is that the pronoun must match the subject. If you are talking about yourself, you use mig.
If you are talking about someone else, you use sig. It might feel strange at first, but it is just like saying 'I wash myself' in English, except in Swedish, you do it for almost every routine verb! It makes the language very precise about who is doing what to whom.
## How to Form It
To form a reflexive sentence, you take the verb and add the reflexive pronoun immediately after it.
  1. 1Identify the subject (Jag, Du, Han/Hon, Vi, Ni, De).
  2. 2Choose the matching pronoun: mig, dig, sig, oss, er, sig.
  3. 3Combine: Subject + Verb + Pronoun.
Example: 'Jag (subject) tvättar (verb) mig (pronoun)'.
For negative sentences, add 'inte' after the verb: 'Jag tvättar mig inte'.
For questions, invert the subject and verb: 'Tvättar du dig?'
## When to Use It
You will use these verbs constantly. When you are texting a friend, you might say 'Jag skyndar mig' (I'm hurrying). When you are at a job interview, you might say 'Jag känner mig förberedd' (I feel prepared).
In travel, you might ask 'Var kan man sätta sig?' (Where can one sit down?). They are essential for describing daily habits, physical states, and social interactions.
## Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake is forgetting the pronoun entirely.
Wrong: 'Jag tvättar.' (This sounds like you are washing something else, like a car).
Correct: 'Jag tvättar mig.'
Another mistake is using the wrong pronoun.
Wrong: 'Han tvättar mig.' (This means he is washing ME, not himself!).
Correct: 'Han tvättar sig.'
## How It's Different From...
It is different from standard transitive verbs. A transitive verb like 'kasta' (to throw) doesn't need a reflexive pronoun unless you are throwing yourself. Reflexive verbs are 'built-in' to the action. You don't just 'wash' in Swedish; you 'wash-self'.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: Reflexive verbs are for things you do to yourself. If you wash, you say 'Jag tvättar mig'. Use 'mig' for I, 'dig' for you, and 'sig' for he/she/they. It is easy once you practice!
A2: At this level, you will notice that many common Swedish verbs are reflexive. You use them for routines like 'att klä på sig' (to get dressed) or 'att lägga sig' (to go to bed). Remember that the pronoun changes based on the person: Jag-mig, Du-dig, Han/Hon/Den/Det/De-sig, Vi-oss, Ni-er.
B1: Reflexive verbs often express states of being or changes in state. Beyond physical actions, we use them for emotional states like 'att känna sig' (to feel) or 'att oroa sig' (to worry). Note that some verbs are 'deponent'—they look reflexive but don't have a non-reflexive form, like 'attas' or 'att skynda sig'.
B2: In B2, we look at the distinction between true reflexive verbs and reciprocal verbs. While 'de tvättar sig' means they wash themselves, 'de slåss' (they fight) is a reciprocal action. Understanding the nuance of 'sig' as a reflexive versus a reciprocal marker is key to mastering Swedish syntax.
C1: Advanced learners should master the use of reflexive pronouns in subordinate clauses. The reflexive pronoun 'sig' is used when the subject of the subordinate clause is the same as the subject of the main clause (e.g., 'Han sa att han tvättade sig'). This avoids ambiguity and is a hallmark of native-like fluency.
C2: At the C2 level, one navigates the historical evolution of reflexive markers and their usage in archaic or literary Swedish. We also examine dialectal variations where reflexive pronouns might be omitted or replaced by emphatic particles, reflecting a deep understanding of Swedish sociolinguistics and historical morphology.

Meanings

Reflexive verbs are used when the subject of the sentence performs an action upon themselves.

1

Direct Reflexive

Action done to one's own body.

“Jag tvättar mig.”

“Han rakar sig.”

2

Mental/Emotional State

Describing how one feels or behaves.

“Jag känner mig glad.”

“Hon skyndar sig.”

Reflexive Pronoun Table

Subject Pronoun
Jag mig
Du dig
Han/Hon/Den/Det/Man sig
Vi oss
Ni er
De sig

Reference Table

Reference table for Reflexive Verbs
Form Structure Example
Affirmative Subj + Verb + Pronoun Jag tvättar mig.
Negative Subj + Verb + inte + Pronoun Jag tvättar inte mig.
Question Verb + Subj + Pronoun? Tvättar du dig?
Past Tense Subj + Verb(past) + Pronoun Jag tvättade mig.
Future Subj + ska + Verb + Pronoun Jag ska tvätta mig.
Short Answer Ja/Nej + Subj + Pronoun Ja, jag tvättar mig.

Espectro de formalidade

Formal
Jag går och lägger mig.

Jag går och lägger mig. (Going to sleep)

Neutro
Jag lägger mig.

Jag lägger mig. (Going to sleep)

Informal
Jag drar och lägger mig.

Jag drar och lägger mig. (Going to sleep)

Gíria
Jag däckar.

Jag däckar. (Going to sleep)

Reflexive Pronoun Map

Reflexive Action

1st Person

  • mig myself
  • oss ourselves

2nd Person

  • dig yourself
  • er yourselves

3rd Person

  • sig himself/herself/themselves

Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive

Reflexive
Jag tvättar mig I wash myself
Non-Reflexive
Jag tvättar bilen I wash the car
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Examples by Level

1

Jag tvättar mig.

I wash myself.

2

Du rakar dig.

You shave.

3

Hon klär sig.

She gets dressed.

4

Vi sätter oss.

We sit down.

1

Han lägger sig tidigt.

He goes to bed early.

2

De skyndar sig till bussen.

They hurry to the bus.

3

Jag känner mig trött.

I feel tired.

4

Ni tvättar er.

You wash yourselves.

1

Hon oroar sig för provet.

She worries about the exam.

2

Vi bestämmer oss imorgon.

We will decide tomorrow.

3

Han vänjer sig vid kylan.

He is getting used to the cold.

4

De förbereder sig för resan.

They are preparing for the trip.

1

Han sa att han tvättade sig.

He said that he washed himself.

2

De slogs om bollen.

They fought over the ball.

3

Hon satte sig ner för att läsa.

She sat down to read.

4

Vi måste anpassa oss.

We must adapt.

1

Han insåg att han hade lurat sig själv.

He realized he had fooled himself.

2

De fann sig till rätta i staden.

They settled into the city.

3

Hon uttryckte sig mycket tydligt.

She expressed herself very clearly.

4

Vi förbehåller oss rätten att ändra.

We reserve the right to change.

1

Han begav sig av mot horisonten.

He set off towards the horizon.

2

De fördjupade sig i ämnet.

They delved into the subject.

3

Hon föreställde sig en annan framtid.

She imagined a different future.

4

Detta visar sig vara sant.

This turns out to be true.

Easily Confused

Reflexive Verbs vs Reflexive vs. Possessive

Learners confuse 'sin/sitt/sina' with reflexive pronouns.

Reflexive Verbs vs Reflexive vs. Reciprocal

Some verbs look reflexive but imply mutual action.

Reflexive Verbs vs Reflexive vs. Transitive

Using a reflexive verb without the pronoun.

Erros comuns

✗

Jag tvättar.

✓

Jag tvättar mig.

The verb is reflexive and requires the pronoun.
✗

Han tvättar mig.

✓

Han tvättar sig.

Wrong pronoun used for the subject.
✗

Jag mig tvättar.

✓

Jag tvättar mig.

Wrong word order.
✗

Jag tvättar sig.

✓

Jag tvättar mig.

Pronoun must match subject.
✗

Vi tvättar oss inte.

✓

Vi tvättar oss inte.

Placement of 'inte' is correct, but ensure pronoun follows verb.
✗

Sätter han sig?

✓

Sätter han sig?

Correct inversion.
✗

De klär sig inte.

✓

De klär sig inte.

Correct usage.
✗

Han oroar sig för mig.

✓

Han oroar sig för mig.

Correct usage of reflexive with preposition.
✗

De bestämmer sig.

✓

De bestämmer sig.

Correct.
✗

Vi vänjer oss.

✓

Vi vänjer oss.

Correct.
✗

Han sa att han tvättar sig.

✓

Han sa att han tvättade sig.

Tense agreement in reported speech.
✗

Hon uttryckte sig själv.

✓

Hon uttryckte sig.

Redundant 'själv'.
✗

De fann sig.

✓

De fann sig till rätta.

Missing particle.
✗

Det visar sig vara.

✓

Det visar sig vara.

Correct.

Sentence Patterns

Jag ___ ___.

Hur ___ du ___?

Han ___ ___ för provet.

Vi måste ___ ___ till situationen.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Jag förbereder mig för helgen! #helg

Texting constant

Ska lägga mig nu, god natt.

Job Interview common

Jag har förberett mig väl för denna roll.

Travel common

Var kan man sätta sig?

Food Delivery App occasional

Jag unnar mig en pizza ikväll.

Gym/Fitness very common

Jag känner mig stark idag.

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💡

The Mirror Trick

If you can add 'myself' to the English sentence, you likely need a reflexive verb in Swedish.
⚠️

Don't skip the pronoun

Dropping the pronoun changes the meaning of the verb entirely.
🎯

Focus on routines

Learn the 5 most common reflexive verbs first: tvätta sig, klä sig, lägga sig, sätta sig, känna sig.
💬

Politeness

Using reflexive verbs like 'sätta sig' sounds more polite when asking someone to sit.

Smart Tips

Always add the reflexive pronoun immediately after the verb.

Jag tvättar. → Jag tvättar mig.

Use 'känna sig' instead of just 'känna'.

Jag känner glad. → Jag känner mig glad.

Ensure 'sig' refers to the subject of the main clause.

Han sa att han tvättar. → Han sa att han tvättade sig.

Distinguish between reflexive (self) and reciprocal (each other).

De kramar sig. → De kramas.

Pronúncia

mej / dej / sej

Pronoun reduction

In fast speech, 'mig', 'dig', and 'sig' are often pronounced as 'mej', 'dej', and 'sej'.

Statement

Jag tvättar mig. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

Tvättar du dig? ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember the 'Mirror Rule': If the action hits the mirror (you), use the reflexive pronoun!

Visual Association

Imagine a person standing in front of a mirror. Every time they do an action, the reflection does it too. The reflection is the 'sig' or 'mig'.

Rhyme

When the action turns to you, add 'mig' or 'dig' too!

Story

Sven wakes up. He washes himself (tvättar sig). He dresses himself (klär sig). He feels happy (känner sig glad). He sits down (sätter sig) to eat breakfast.

Word Web

migdigsigossertvättarklärkännersätter

Desafio

Describe your morning routine in 5 sentences using reflexive verbs.

Notas culturais

Swedes value personal space. Reflexive verbs like 'sätta sig' are used politely to offer space.

In some Finland-Swedish dialects, reflexive usage can be slightly more formal.

Young people often drop the reflexive pronoun in very casual texting, though it is technically incorrect.

Reflexive pronouns in Swedish derive from Old Norse 'sik', which was used to indicate self-reference.

Conversation Starters

“

Vad gör du på morgonen?

“

Hur känner du dig idag?

“

När lägger du dig vanligtvis?

“

Har du någonsin skyndat dig till ett möte?

Journal Prompts

Beskriv din morgonrutin.
Hur känner du dig när du lär dig svenska?
Berätta om en gång när du var tvungen att skynda dig.
Reflektera över hur du anpassar dig till nya situationer.
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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.

Jag tvättar ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mig
Jag requires mig.
Choose the correct sentence. Múltipla escolha

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Han tvättar sig.
Subject Han requires sig.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Du tvättar mig.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du tvättar dig.
Du requires dig.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag tvättar mig.
Standard word order.
Translate to Swedish. Tradução

I feel tired.

Answer starts with: Jag...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag känner mig trött.
Känna sig is the correct verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Hur mår du? B: Jag ___ bra.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: känner mig
Känna sig is used for feelings.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'skynda sig' and 'bussen'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vi skyndar oss till bussen.
Correct structure.
Match the pronoun. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mig
Jag matches mig.

Score: /8

Exercicios praticos

8 exercises
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.

Jag tvättar ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mig
Jag requires mig.
Choose the correct sentence. Múltipla escolha

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Han tvättar sig.
Subject Han requires sig.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Du tvättar mig.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du tvättar dig.
Du requires dig.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

mig / tvättar / Jag

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag tvättar mig.
Standard word order.
Translate to Swedish. Tradução

I feel tired.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag känner mig trött.
Känna sig is the correct verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Hur mår du? B: Jag ___ bra.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: känner mig
Känna sig is used for feelings.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'skynda sig' and 'bussen'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vi skyndar oss till bussen.
Correct structure.
Match the pronoun. Match Pairs

Jag -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mig
Jag matches mig.

Score: /8

Perguntas frequentes (8)

It's the reflexive pronoun for 'I'. It shows the action is done to yourself.

No, it changes the meaning or makes the sentence ungrammatical.

Yes, and for 'they' (de) and 'it' (den/det).

Use 'dig'.

No, English uses 'myself', but Swedish uses it more often.

Some verbs are always reflexive, some never are.

Describe your daily routine.

Forgetting the pronoun.

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Reflexive verbs (lavarse)

Word order is the main difference.

French high

Verbes pronominaux (se laver)

Pronoun placement.

German moderate

Reflexive Verben (sich waschen)

German pronouns are more varied.

Japanese low

Jibun (self)

Structural difference.

Arabic low

Nafs (self)

Morphological difference.

Chinese low

Ziji (self)

No conjugation.

Next
Reflexive Pronouns

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