Reflexive verbs by kakis 9. Nov 2009
I have a question about using reflexive verbs:
Ich kämme mir die Haare. or Ich kämme meine Haare.
kämmen is reflexive verb, so second sentence is wrong? |
oliver  9. Nov 2009
Sounds both ok. |
kakis 9. Nov 2009
Thank you |
billybob012 18. Nov 2009
Im pretty sure its, "Ich kämme mich die Haare". Reflexive uses either sich, for example, "Deuschst du sich?" (Do you shower?), and your answer, "Ja, Ich deusche mich". I am sure that dative case is not used with reflexive. |
oliver 18. Nov 2009
Billy, that's wrong. "Ich kaemme mir die Haare" is corrrect. Do you shower means: "Duscht du?" "Ja, ich dusche" |
billybob012 21. Nov 2009
Well that's what my german professor says, this is just the way germans talk, "do you shower yourself?" and "he shook the head" insead of, "he shook his head". |
billybob012 21. Nov 2009
sorry, i spelled it wrong, it's "duschen", but everything else is correct :) |
billybob012 21. Nov 2009
Also, you can say just "Duschst du?" but the point is that when you use reflexive verbs you use either "sich" or "mich" becuase it shows that you are receiving the action (accusative case). So, "Ich kämme mich die Haare". I am the one that is combing the hair on my head. |
oliver 21. Nov 2009
"Ich kaemme mich" is ok. But if you want to add Haare, it has to be "Ich kaemme mir die Haare" |
18. Dec 2009
Hello billy. Sorry, but "Ich kämme mich die Haare" is wrong! Also "Deuschst du sich?" is wrong! "Ja, ich deusche mich" is also wrong!
Right:
Ich kämme mir die Haare
Duschst du dich?
Ja, ich dusche mich. |
18. Dec 2009
Hello admin, "Duscht du?" is wrong.
Right: "Duschst du?" |
deutch01 24. Feb 2010
I agree its Ich kaemme mir die Haare |
Nidhogg 13. Apr 2010
The above is not correct, it is most definitely the dative case.
Ich wasche mir die Haare.
Warum wäschst du dir die Hände?
Er putzt sich die Zahne.
Ich wasche mir den Rücken. (Masc. object)
But
Ich dusche mich./Du wäschst dich/Sie duscht sich. are correct
As I understand it:
The pronoun is in the dative as the direct object is the thing you are washing. The pronoun "Sich" is the same in both the Accusative and Dative cases.
In "Ich dusche mich./Du wäschst dich/Sie duscht sich." you are the object rather than a specific body part, and therefore accusative case is correct. |
deutch01 21. Apr 2010
I agree, the hair is the direct object being washed, you are the indirect object. I wash the hair of me. |
mohamedamine 19. Feb 2013
" Ich kämme mir die Haare " is the correct one , we use dativ-reflexivpronomen when there's the # handlung # , the case of using akkusativ reflexivpronomen when we have no # handling ( Ergänzung )example : ich wasche mich , ( this is akkusativ ) , ich wasche mir die Hände , in this case we are obligated to use DATIV :) thank you |
kash.manchan 10. Jul 2013
wow. this was informative! :D |
lomastv0909 13. Nov 2013
Many Thanks to all previous posters for such an informative discussion. I am self-studying German, and this is what I found from online dictionaries:
(A) WASCHEN
===========
(1)from de.PONs.eu
(a) jdN/ etw waschen = to wash sb/ sth
(b) sich AKK waschen = to wash oneself
(c) sich AKK kalt/warm waschen = to wash oneself in cold/hot water
(d) [sich DAT] etwas waschen = to wash [one's]something
Note : [ ] means optional
(2) from dict.cc
(a) sich DAT die Haare waschen = to wash one's hair
(b) Er koennte sich mal wieder die Haare waschen [ugs.]
=His hair could do with a wash [coll.]
(c) sich die Haende waschen = to wash one's hands
(d) Ich wasche die Haende = I wash my hands
(e) Geh und wasch dich! = Go & have a wash!
(3) from dict.tu-chemnitz.de
(a) sich waschen {vr} = to wash oneself
(b) sich die Haende waschen =to wash one's hands
(c) Du must dir noch die Haende waschen, bevor wir essen koennen.
=You must wash your hands first before we're ready to eat
(d) Geh dich waschen! = Go and have a wash!
(B) KAeMMEN
===========
(1) from all those 3 dictionaries:
(a) sich AKK kaemmen = to comb one's hair
(2) from PONS
(a) [jdM] etw kaemmen = to comb [sb's] hair
(b) [jdM] etw aus etw DAT kaemmen
= to comb sth out of [sb's] sth
(b1)Ich kaemme dir das Stroh aus deN HaareN
=I'll comb the straw out of your hair
(C) CONCLUSION
==============
It appears that mohamedamine's explanation is the best,the most comprehensive, the most helpful answer to this question.
P.S. I am still puzzled by dict.cc in A.2.d. . Perhaps, it is an error in that online dictionary !? Any comment. Please? |
