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What are reflexive verbs in English?

By: Anna Classing Tue Sep 23 2025

Verbs, Sentence Structure

An English is called reflexive when the and the of the verb are the same. When it happens, the object is a reflexive pronoun, such as myself or herself. So basically, a reflexive verb is a verb used with a reflexive pronoun.

For example, who does the girl see when she looks in the mirror?

subjectreflexive verbreflexive pronoun

She sees herself.

The subject and the object are the same person! That’s why sees is a reflexive verb in this sentence.

A white girl wearing a flower crown looks at her reflection in a pink-framed oval mirror that she is holding up to her face.

This post will cover what a reflexive verb is, how it is structured, and how it is used in English. Can any verb be reflexive in English? Are there any verbs that are always reflexive? What are some common problems English learners may have with reflexive verbs? Let’s find out!

What do reflexive verbs look like in English?

In English, reflexive verbs do not look any different from other verbs, so only context can tell you if the verb is reflexive or not – look for a reflexive pronoun!

A verb is reflexive if the subject and the object of this verb are the same. You can recognize a reflexive verb by the typical sentence structure around it:

subject

reflexive verb

reflexive pronoun
(-self / -selves)

Notice the difference:

reflexive pronoun

He introduced himself.

→ This is a reflexive verb.

He introduced his friend.

→ This is not a reflexive verb.

You can see that the same verb introduced is reflexive in one sentence and not reflexive in the other. You do not need to do anything to “make” an English verb reflexive or not reflexive! Just use it with the same subject and object.

Important

In many languages, there is a special category of reflexive verbs that have certain pronouns, particles, or suffixes that make them easy to recognize. They are also marked as reflexive in dictionaries. For example:

Spanish: sentarse(to sit down)
French: se raser(to shave)
Russian: мыться(to wash (oneself))

In English, reflexive verbs look just like all other verbs, and they are not marked in any way in dictionaries. They are just regular verbs that can be reflexive when needed.

However, as we will see below, there are some verbs in English that can have a reflexive meaning without needing a reflexive pronoun, and this can get tricky for language learners! It’s easy to assume that a verb that is reflexive in your native language will follow the same rules in English, but it is not always the case. Make sure you learn which verbs can and cannot become reflexive in English.

Can any verb be reflexive in English?

Any English verb that can take a can be a reflexive verb. Most reflexive verbs have the same meaning they have when used non-reflexively, for example:

Non-reflexive use (subject + verb + direct object)	Reflexive use (subject + verb + reflexive pronoun)
Michael loves his daughter so much!	Michael loves himself more than anyone else.
I paid the workers weekly.	I paid myself a bonus at the end of the year.
Donna calls her mom every day.	Donna called herself to find her mobile phone.
You remember my brother, right?	Do you remember yourself as a three-year-old?

Phrasal verbs and verbs that need a after them (before the object) can be reflexive too. For example:

phrasal verb
reflexive pronoun
I don’t need any help, I can look after myself just fine!
You can't give up on yourself like that!
verb
preposition
reflexive pronoun
Wherever you go, you can never escape from yourself.
That’s nonsense! Just listen to yourself!
She can now rely on herself.

There are two types of verbs in English that stand out in their relationships with reflexive pronouns. The first type of verb doesn’t usually take a reflexive pronoun as its object, even though these verbs can generally take direct objects. The second type changes its meaning when the verbs are used reflexively. What are these verbs?

Verbs that have “reflexive” meanings when there is no object

Some English verbs, like wash, get up, shower, shave, or stretch have a reflexive meaning any time that they are used without an object. This means that when there is no object, we assume that the verb affects the subject, just like a reflexive verb.

Many verbs used to describe moving your body or caring for yourself are in this group.

No object	=	Reflexive verb
He washed.	=	He washed himself.
She got up.	=	She got herself up.
They showered.	=	They showered themselves.
We shaved.	=	We shaved ourselves.
You stretched.	=	You stretched yourself.

These verbs can all be non-reflexive verbs too – just add an object that is not the same as the subject:

No object	Non-reflexive
Mike shaves every morning.	The barber shaves ten clients a day.
Naomi bathes every Sunday.	Naomi bathes her baby every day.
Liam always stretches before running.	Liam stretches his legs before running.

Some common verbs that behave this way include:

wake up
get up
sit (down)
lie (down)

shower
wash
get dressed
(un)dress

turn (around)
trip
scratch
bathe

Exception!

Be careful! There are also verbs with the same kind of meaning which are always used with an object, so they don’t follow the same pattern. For example:

brush (my hair, my teeth...)
put on (a jacket, my shoes…)
take off (her coat, the hat…)

Some of these verbs can have a slightly different meaning if you do use them with a reflexive pronoun. Usually using the verb without an object sounds more like an activity, while using the verb with a reflexive pronoun sounds more like a physical process. Sometimes this means that the version with the reflexive pronoun will have a very odd meaning. Compare:

No object	With a reflexive pronoun object
He relaxed for an hour. → He rested.	He relaxed himself on the couch. → He made his body feel less tight and more comfortable.
I turned around and saw his face. → Focus is on the action of turning, which may be accidental.	I turned myself around to see his face. → The action of turning is definitely intentional, and maybe difficult to make.
Sophie showered before work. → This is the normal way to say it.	Sophie showered herself before work. → This sounds very strange, like Sophie carefully sprayed herself all over, like washing a dog.

Verbs that change meaning when they are reflexive

There are also verbs that do change their meaning when they become reflexive. Here are some of them:

Verb	Meaning	Example
to enjoy oneself	To enjoy an event / to be happy	Tim really enjoyed himself at the karaoke night.
to help oneself (to something)	to take what you want (usually about food)	We have candy, cupcakes, and brownies. Please, help yourselves!
to behave oneself	to show good behavior	Peter, Kyle, stop running! Behave yourselves, boys!
to find oneself	to discover who you really are	I didn’t really find myself until after I retired.
to find oneself	to realize your situation after not paying attention	I opened my eyes and found myself on a hospital bed.
to repeat oneself	to say something you have said before, often by mistake	Oh, have I told you that before? Sorry if I am repeating myself.
suit yourself	a set phrase we use to tell someone they can do whatever they want (usually when you think it’s a bad choice)	Speaker A: I think I will put mustard on this cake. Speaker B: Suit yourself!
to apply oneself	to work extremely hard	I didn’t apply myself and failed to become a pianist.
to see oneself	to imagine your future	Where do you see yourself in five years? → This is a typical question at a job interview.
to explain oneself	to give reasons for your (bad) behavior	Your teacher told me you were in a fight today! Can you explain yourself?
to distinguish oneself	to do something great that people remember, to prove you are different from others	She distinguished herself by becoming the first female train conductor in history.

Are there any verbs that are always reflexive in English?

Yes, there are verbs in English that are used exclusively with reflexive pronouns, but not many. Some examples are:

pride yourself in (doing) something
content yourself with (doing) something
avail yourself of something
absent yourself (from something)

Conclusion

Reflexive verbs in English are verbs that are used with reflexive pronouns as their direct objects.

Their key features are:

They have a reflexive pronoun as their object.
Only verbs that can have an object can be reflexive.
Some English verbs have a reflexive meaning when they are used without an object (e.g wash, get up, relax).
Some verbs change their meaning when used reflexively (e.g. enjoy, behave).

Try these activities to practice reflexive verbs in English now!

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