zich

Meaning

1. (broadly,reflexive) Third person singular and plural reflexive pronoun; himself, herself, itself, themselves, oneself
2. (broadly,formal,reflexive) Second person singular and plural formal reflexive pronoun; yourself, yourselves
3. expresses an unintended result with many otherwise non-reflexive and ergative verbs

Concepts

oneself

himself

themselves

herself

itself

dissociate

kowtow

acquit

bed

butt in

don

entrench

epitomize

fain

get along

habit

meddle

occur

punt

query

recede

resolve

wry

usurp

them

return

Pronounced as (IPA)

/zɪx/

Etymology

From Middle Dutch sich, from Middle High German sich, from Old High German sih, from Proto-West Germanic *sik, from Proto-Germanic *sek. Old Dutch did not have a reflexive pronoun (only rarely in early Limburgish texts), but used the normal accusative pronoun (if necessary intensified by selven, cf. English himself). Although the use of zich in Holland-based Dutch was clearly triggered by written German, this development was assisted by the fact that the south-eastern dialects of Dutch had already adopted certain High German pronoun forms in much earlier times (cf. Limburgish ich, mich, dich, zich).

Sentences

Stelt u zich eens voor wat daar gebeurt .

We have to imagine what is happening over there.

Daar hebt u zich aan verbonden .

You have committed yourself to this.

Drie weken later voelde hij zich al veel beter .

Three weeks later, he was feeling much better.

Hij was voorwaardelijk vrij maar nadat hij zich misdragen had moest hij terug naar de gevangenis .

He was paroled, but after he misbehaved, he had to go back to prison.

Handelsbeleid is geen doel op zich .

Trade policy is not an end in itself.

Hierdoor breidt de epidemie zich uit .

And so the disease spreads further.

De pers had zich in Den Haag verzameld voor een persconferentie .

The press had gathered in The Hague for a press conference.

Nadat ze gisteren had hardgelopen voelde ze zich stijf .

After running yesterday, she felt stiff.