Reflexive verbs with se and si

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Reflexive verbs with se (accusative) and si (dative): usage and clitic position rules

Can use reflexive verbs with se and si correctly, including proper clitic placement

Examples

Jmenuju se Anna. — My name is Anna.
Jak se máš? — How are you?
Chci si objednat kávu. — I want to order a coffee (for myself).

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Reflexive verbs with se and si

Reflexive verbs with se (accusative) and si (dative): usage and clitic position rules

Learning Goal

Can use reflexive verbs with se and si correctly, including proper clitic placement

Exam Skills:ListeningSpeaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Jmenuju se Anna.

My name is Anna.

Jak se máš?

How are you?

Chci si objednat kávu.

I want to order a coffee (for myself).

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Many everyday Czech verbs come with a little extra word, se or si, where English has nothing at all. "I'm learning" is učím se, "I'm looking forward" is těším se, "I'll have a coffee" is dám si kávu. Treat the small word as part of the verb and learn the two together.

with se	English	with si	English
jmenovat se	be called	dát si	have, order (food, drink)
učit se	learn, study	myslet si	think, believe
dívat se (na)	look at, watch	koupit si	buy (for yourself)
těšit se (na)	look forward to	vzít si	take (for yourself)
smát se	laugh	povídat si	chat
mít se	be, get on (Jak se máš?)	přát si	wish, want

One word for every person

English changes "myself, yourself, ourselves". Czech uses the same se or si for everybody: učím se, učíš se, učí se, učíme se, učíte se, učí se. Only the verb ending moves.

se or si?

Se means "oneself": the action comes back to you. Si means "to or for oneself". The difference shows when one verb takes both: Myju se. - "I'm washing (myself)." Myju si ruce. - "I'm washing my hands", literally "washing the hands for myself". Notice that Czech needs no "my" there; si already says whose hands. For most verbs, though, the choice is simply fixed: dát si in a restaurant (Dám si svíčkovou a Kofolu.), dívat se in front of the television (Díváme se na Večerníček.).

Second place, not next to the verb

This is the hard part for English speakers. Se and si are not glued to the verb; they go to the second position in the sentence, after the first word or phrase:

Jmenuju se Emma. - after the verb, because the verb is first
Jak se jmenuješ? - after the question word
Moc se těším na Vánoce. - after the first word, away from its verb
Večer si dám pivo.

Two mistakes to avoid. Do not move it to the end, as English does with "myself": *Jmenuju Emma se. And do not drop it: Jmenuju Emmu without se means "I'm naming Emma", as if appointing her to something.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Learners confuse se vs si, and place the reflexive pronoun in the wrong position (often at the end of the sentence). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English reflexives (myself, yourself) are full words placed after the verb. Czech clitics se/si must go in second position, which feels unnatural. Speakers often say *Jmenuju Tomáš se.

Common Error Patterns

Used se where si is required or vice versa (e.g., *objednat se instead of objednat si)

Se = accusative (action returns to subject: mýt se). Si = dative (action benefits subject: koupit si). Learn each verb's reflexive pronoun.

Placed se/si in wrong position (e.g., *Jmenuju Tomáš se instead of Jmenuju se Tomáš)

Se/si always goes in second position: after the first stressed word or phrase in the clause

Jmenuju se Anna.

My name is Anna.

Jmenovat se: the reflexive se goes after the verb in second position. Se = accusative reflexive.

Jak se máš?

How are you?

After a question word, se moves to second position: Jak SE máš? (not *Jak máš se?)

Chci si objednat kávu.

I want to order a coffee (for myself).

Objednat si: si (dative) means 'for oneself'. With modal verbs, si stays with the infinitive.

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5. When is it?

Frequently asked questions

When do you use Reflexive verbs with se and si?: Many everyday Czech verbs come with a little extra word, se or si , where English has nothing at all. "I'm learning" is učím se , "I'm looking forward" is těším se , "I'll have a coffee" is dám si kávu . Treat the small word as part of the verb and learn the two together.
How do you form Reflexive verbs with se and si?: English changes "myself, yourself, ourselves". Czech uses the same se or si for everybody: učím se, učíš se, učí se, učíme se, učíte se, učí se . Only the verb ending moves. Se means "oneself": the action comes back to you. Si means "to or for oneself". The difference shows when one verb takes both: Myju se. - "I'm washing (myself)." Myju si ruce. - "I'm washing my hands", literally "washing the hands for myself". Notice that Czech needs no "my" there; si already says whose hands. For most verbs, though, the choice is simply fixed: dát si in a restaurant ( Dám si svíčkovou a Kofolu. ), dívat se in front of the television ( Díváme se na Večerníček. ).
What are common mistakes with Reflexive verbs with se and si?: Learners confuse se vs si, and place the reflexive pronoun in the wrong position (often at the end of the sentence). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English reflexives (myself, yourself) are full words placed after the verb. Czech clitics se/si must go in second position, which feels unnatural. Speakers often say *Jmenuju Tomáš se.

with se

English

with si

English

jmenovat se

be called

dát si

have, order (food, drink)

učit se

learn, study

myslet si

think, believe

dívat se (na)

look at, watch

koupit si

buy (for yourself)

těšit se (na)

look forward to

vzít si

take (for yourself)

smát se

laugh

povídat si

chat

mít se

be, get on (Jak se máš?)

přát si

wish, want

Frequently asked questions

When do you use Reflexive verbs with se and si?

Many everyday Czech verbs come with a little extra word, se or si , where English has nothing at all. "I'm learning" is učím se , "I'm looking forward" is těším se , "I'll have a coffee" is dám si kávu . Treat the small word as part of the verb and learn the two together.

How do you form Reflexive verbs with se and si?

English changes "myself, yourself, ourselves". Czech uses the same se or si for everybody: učím se, učíš se, učí se, učíme se, učíte se, učí se . Only the verb ending moves. Se means "oneself": the action comes back to you. Si means "to or for oneself". The difference shows when one verb takes both: Myju se. - "I'm washing (myself)." Myju si ruce. - "I'm washing my hands", literally "washing the hands for myself". Notice that Czech needs no "my" there; si already says whose hands. For most verbs, though, the choice is simply fixed: dát si in a restaurant ( Dám si svíčkovou a Kofolu. ), dívat se in front of the television ( Díváme se na Večerníček. ).

What are common mistakes with Reflexive verbs with se and si?

Learners confuse se vs si, and place the reflexive pronoun in the wrong position (often at the end of the sentence). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English reflexives (myself, yourself) are full words placed after the verb. Czech clitics se/si must go in second position, which feels unnatural. Speakers often say *Jmenuju Tomáš se.