Reflexive verbs
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject: ich mich, du dich, er/sie/es sich, wir uns, ihr euch, sie/Sie sich. If there is another accusative object, some verbs use dative mir/dir instead. Learn verbs with their prepositions.
Understand the idea
A reflexive pronoun points back to the subject. Some verbs regularly require one in a particular meaning, while other verbs can be used reflexively or with a different object. Case still matters: a reflexive pronoun may be accusative or dative.
Build it step by step
Learn the verb's complete construction, including any preposition. Use mich, dich, sich, uns, euch, sich for common accusative reflexives. In constructions such as washing one's hands, the body part is the accusative object and the reflexive pronoun is dative: mir or dir. Third-person sich looks the same in both cases.
See it in a sentence
Ich freue mich auf den Urlaub.
Er interessiert sich für Musik.
A useful memory aid
Compare one sentence with only a reflexive object and one with a body-part object. This makes the mich/mir and dich/dir difference visible.
A common trap
Do not choose the reflexive form from the infinitive alone. Check whether another accusative object is already present and what construction the verb requires.