MozhiLingo
via
Learning
← All lessons
Lesson 20A2

Reflexive Verbs

പ്രതിഫലന ക്രിയകൾ

German reflexive verbs use a small pronoun (mich, dich, sich...) to show the subject is acting on itself — a concept Malayalam expresses by folding the reflexive sense directly into the verb itself.

Grammar Comparison

വ്യാകരണ താരതമ്യം

sich waschen ≈ Malayalam's self-directed verb forms

German

Ich wasche mich. (I wash myself — mich is the reflexive pronoun)

Malayalam

ഞാൻ കുളിക്കുന്നു. (I bathe — the reflexive sense is already built into the verb, no extra word needed)

Malayalam, like other Dravidian languages, often builds the 'self-directed' sense straight into the verb's own meaning — കുളിക്കുക already means 'to bathe [oneself]', with no separate word required. German instead bolts a small reflexive pronoun onto an ordinary verb to signal the same thing: waschen ('to wash something') becomes sich waschen ('to wash oneself') by adding sich. Where Malayalam folds reflexivity into the verb's meaning, German makes it an explicit, separate word you must remember to include.

Vocabulary

വാക്കുകൾ

sich waschenzikh VAH-shen
Malayalam
കുളിക്കുകkulikkuka
English
to wash oneself
sich freuenzikh FROY-en
Malayalam
സന്തോഷിക്കുകsanthoshikkuka
English
to be happy / look forward to
sich anziehenzikh AHN-tsee-en
Malayalam
വസ്ത്രം ധരിക്കുകvasthram dharikkuka
English
to get (oneself) dressed
sich setzenzikh ZET-sen
Malayalam
ഇരിക്കുകirikkuka
English
to sit down
sich fühlenzikh FUE-len
Malayalam
അനുഭവപ്പെടുകanubhavappeduka
English
to feel