Reflexive verbs sneak into German conversations more often than you’d expect. One minute you’re saying ich wasche (I wash), the next you’re wondering why it’s ich wasche mich (I wash myself). That little extra word changes the whole game.
We’ve rounded up around 80 of the most common German reflexive verbs – the ones you’ll actually use when you talk about your morning routine, your feelings, or just getting ready. No dusty textbook relics, just practical vocabulary that makes your German sound more natural. Each entry packs a plain‑English meaning and a realistic example sentence, so you can spot how the verb behaves in the wild. Because your ears need practice too, we’ve added audio – hearing a word once beats reading it ten times.
Grab your grammar cape and take a quick scroll to the bottom of the article, because that’s where the good stuff is waiting: a free printable german reflexive verbs vocabulary list PDF and free downloadable printable german reflexive verbs flashcards. Nice and tidy, no fuss—just a handy way to practice those sneaky little reflexive verbs.
Want more than one list? Browse our German section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you can tell a reflexive verb from a regular one? The quiz below is a friendly way to see where you stand – no pressure, just a quick check.
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Antike | Other | classical antiquity, ancient world |
| begleichen | Verb | settle, pay off, discharge, square, honor, honour, pay |
| beschweren | Verb | weight down |
| betragen | Verb | amount to, total, come to, work out at, run to |
| brät | Other | pork sausage meat |
| bullen | Verb | be on heat |
| einigermaßen | Verb | somewhat, to some extent , in some degree |
| einzahlen | Verb | pay in, deposit |
| entschieden | Other | decided, settled |
| entspannend | Adjective | relaxing |
| Enttäuschung | Other | disappointment |
| Falle | Other | trap, pitfall, snare |
| Fang | Other | catch, haul, take |
| FBI | Other | FBI |
| feind | Adjective | to remain an enemy of... |
| flüchtig | Adjective | fleeing, in flight |
| Fräulein | Other | young lady, girl, young woman |
| Friede | Other | peace |
| gebeten | Other | invited |
| gefangen | Other | caught |
| genannt | Other | named, called |
| geschlagen | Other | defeated, beaten |
| gespielt | Adjective | studied indifference |
| gewusst | Other | you’ve just got to know where to look |
| gleichen | Verb | be like, resemble |
Free German Reflexive Verbs Vocabulary List and Flashcard PDFs
You can download the purple german reflexive verbs vocabulary list button and the teal german reflexive verbs flashcards button anytime. Both are 100% free and need no signup, so you can start studying right away.
