Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the basics of Dutch reflexive verbs (wederkerende werkwoorden) like zich wassen and zich scheren, including their conjugations and reflexive pronouns such as me, je, and zich. This lesson covers essential grammar for A1 learners with practical examples and highlights key differences with English reflexive verbs.
  1. Reflexive verbs use me, je, zich as pronouns.
Persoon (Person)Vervoeging (Conjugation)Wederkerend voornaamwoord (Reflexive pronoun)
Ikwasme
Jijwastje
Hij/Zijwastzich
Wijwassenons
Julliewassenje
Zijwassenzich

Exercise 1: Wederkerende werkwoorden (zich wassen, zich scheren)

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

was me, scheert je, vergist zich, wassen zich, haasten je, herinner me, schaamt zich

1. Zich scheren:
Jij ... elke dag voor het werk.
(You shave yourself every day for work.)
2. Zich wassen:
Ik ... elke ochtend met koud water.
(I washed myself with cold water every morning.)
3. Zich vergissen:
Hij ... in de tijd.
(He is mistaken about the time.)
4. Zich schamen:
Hij ... voor zijn fout.
(He is ashamed of his mistake.)
5. Zich wassen:
Zij ... na het sporten.
(They wash themselves after exercising.)
6. Zich haasten:
Jullie ... om op tijd op school te komen.
(You hurry to get to school on time.)
7. Zich herinneren:
Ik ... de afspraak met de dokter.
(I remember the appointment with the doctor.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ____ me elke ochtend voordat ik naar mijn werk ga.

(I ____ myself every morning before I go to work.)

2. Jij ____ je gezicht en handen netjes.

(You ____ your face and hands neatly.)

3. Hij ____ zich elke dag vóór het ontbijt.

(He ____ himself every day before breakfast.)

4. Wij ____ ons na het sporten grondig.

(We ____ ourselves thoroughly after sports.)

5. Jullie ____ je nooit zonder scheerschuim.

(You (plural) ____ yourselves never without shaving foam.)

6. Zij ____ zich elke avond voordat ze naar bed gaat.

(She ____ herself every evening before she goes to bed.)

Understanding Dutch Reflexive Verbs

This lesson focuses on reflexive verbs in Dutch, specifically verbs like zich wassen (to wash oneself) and zich scheren (to shave oneself). Reflexive verbs are an important part of Dutch grammar for beginners at the A1 level.

What Are Reflexive Verbs?

Reflexive verbs describe actions that the subject performs on themselves. In Dutch, these verbs are always accompanied by a reflexive pronoun such as me, je, or zich. For example, "Ik was me" means "I wash myself." The pronoun matches the subject of the sentence.

Key Pronouns and Conjugations

  • Ik (I) uses me
  • Jij (you singular informal) uses je
  • Hij/Zij (he/she) uses zich
  • Wij (we) uses ons
  • Jullie (you plural) uses je
  • Zij (they) uses zich

The verbs conjugate accordingly, for example: Ik was me, Jij wast je, Hij wast zich.

Examples in Daily Use

Practical examples help you see these verbs in context: Jij wast je gezicht (You wash your face), or Hij scheert zich (He shaves himself). These sentences use the correct verb form and reflexive pronoun to clearly express the action.

Differences Between Dutch and English Reflexive Verbs

In Dutch, reflexive verbs always require a reflexive pronoun, whereas English sometimes omits it (e.g., "I wash" vs. "I wash myself"). Dutch reflexive pronouns must agree with the subject, and this structure is more consistently used compared to English reflexive verbs.

Useful phrases to remember include "zich wassen" (to wash oneself), "zich scheren" (to shave oneself), and pronouns like "me" (myself), "je" (yourself), and "zich" (himself/herself/themselves). Understanding these basics will help you form clear and correct sentences.

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Thursday, 05/06/2025 16:21