Reflexive Verbs in Russian

Reflexive Verbs in Russian

In the Russian language, reflexive verbs are verbs that indicate the subject is performing an action on itself. These verbs are formed by adding the reflexive pronoun -ся (or -сь in its shortened form) to the end of the verb in its infinitive form. Reflexive verbs are used to express actions that are self-directed, reciprocal, or even to form passive meanings in certain contexts.

Understanding reflexive verbs is crucial for mastering Russian, as they are commonly used in both everyday language and more complex grammatical structures.


1. What Are Reflexive Verbs?

A reflexive verb in Russian is a verb that indicates the subject is performing an action on itself. The reflexive pronoun -ся or -сь is added to the verb to indicate this self-directed action.

For example:

  • мыться (to wash oneself)
  • одеваться (to dress oneself)
  • запомнить (to memorize – also reflexive in certain cases)

2. How Reflexive Verbs Are Formed

Reflexive verbs are typically formed by adding the suffix -ся or -сь to the verb’s infinitive form. The form -сь is used when the verb ends in a vowel or the hard sign (ь).

2.1. Example of Reflexive Verb Formation

VerbInfinitive FormReflexive Form
мыть (to wash)мытьмыться (to wash oneself)
одевать (to dress)одеватьодеваться (to dress oneself)
учить (to teach)учитьучиться (to study)
смотреть (to look)смотретьсмотреться (to look at oneself)
гулять (to walk)гулятьгуляться (to walk oneself)

3. Uses of Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs are used in Russian to express a range of meanings, from self-directed actions to reciprocal actions and impersonal passive constructions. Below are the main uses of reflexive verbs:


3.1. Self-Directed Actions

A reflexive verb can describe an action that the subject performs on itself. This is the most common use of reflexive verbs in Russian.

Examples:

  • Я моюсь. (I wash myself.)
  • Она одевается. (She dresses herself.)
  • Мы купаемся в море. (We swim in the sea.)

In these examples, the reflexive pronouns -ся or -сь indicate that the action is being done to oneself.


3.2. Reciprocal Actions

Reflexive verbs can also be used to describe reciprocal actions—actions in which two or more people perform an action on each other. In this case, the reflexive verb indicates that the action is mutual.

Example:

  • Они целуются. (They kiss each other.)
  • Мы обнимаемся. (We hug each other.)

Here, the verb целоваться (to kiss) and обниматься (to hug) are reflexive, indicating that the action is happening between two or more people.


3.3. Impersonal or Passive Actions

Some reflexive verbs do not imply a self-directed or reciprocal action, but rather describe something that happens by itself or in an impersonal way. These verbs are often used to describe situations where the subject is not clearly specified, similar to the passive voice in English.

Example:

  • Здесь строится новый дом. (A new house is being built here.)
  • Здесь продаются книги. (Books are sold here.)

In these sentences, the reflexive form (e.g., строится – is being built, продаются – are sold) gives an impersonal meaning, similar to the passive construction in English.


3.4. Expressing Changes of State or Condition

Some reflexive verbs express a change in the subject’s state or condition. These verbs describe processes of becoming, feeling, or changing.

Example:

  • Он устал. (He got tired.)
  • Она заболела. (She became ill.)
  • Я веселюсь. (I am having fun.)

These reflexive verbs indicate that the subject has undergone a change or is in a new state (tired, sick, having fun).


4. Reflexive Pronouns: -ся and -сь

The reflexive pronouns -ся and -сь are the key markers of reflexive verbs. These suffixes are added to the verb in its infinitive form. The difference between -ся and -сь lies in their usage based on the phonetic structure of the verb.

  • -ся is used for most verbs.
  • -сь is used when the verb ends in a vowel or the soft sign ь.

Examples:

  • Я моюсь. (I wash myself.)
  • Ты учишься. (You study – informal.)
  • Он купается. (He is swimming.)
  • Я боюсь. (I am afraid.)

5. Common Reflexive Verbs

Here are some common reflexive verbs in Russian, along with their meanings:

VerbTranslationExample Sentence
мытьсяto wash oneselfЯ моюсь. (I am washing myself.)
одеватьсяto dress oneselfОна одевается. (She is dressing herself.)
учитьсяto studyМы учимся. (We study.)
забыватьсяto forget (oneself)Я забылся. (I forgot myself.)
интересоватьсяto be interested inТы интересуешься историей. (You are interested in history.)
смеятьсяto laughОни смеются. (They are laughing.)
страшитьсяto be afraid ofОна страшится темноты. (She is afraid of the dark.)
пользоватьсяto useЯ пользуюсь компьютером. (I am using the computer.)
гулятьсяto go for a walkМы гуляемся в парке. (We are walking in the park.)

6. Reflexive Verbs in Different Tenses

Like other verbs, reflexive verbs can be used in the present, past, and future tenses. The reflexive pronoun -ся or -сь does not change across tenses, but the verb conjugates according to the usual rules of verb conjugation.

Present Tense Example:

  • Я моюсь. (I wash myself.)

Past Tense Example:

  • Она купалась. (She swam.)

Future Tense Example:

  • Мы будем учиться. (We will study.)

7. Conclusion

Reflexive verbs are an important part of Russian grammar, expressing actions that the subject performs on itself, reciprocal actions, or impersonal/passive actions. By mastering reflexive verbs, you can better understand and communicate a wider range of actions in Russian. Remember that reflexive verbs are formed with the suffix -ся or -сь and are used in various tenses to convey different meanings.


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