Se and si: reflexive, reciprocal and “for oneself”
Many verbs end in se, and that is not decoration: without the particle the verb means something else, or nothing. The whole difference between se and si is 'oneself' against 'for oneself'. For example: “Po prepiru sta se pobotala v en dan” — After the quarrel the two of them made up within a day. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Many verbs end in se, and that is not decoration: without the particle the verb means something else, or nothing. The whole difference between se and si is 'oneself' against 'for oneself'.
Se is 'oneself': the action comes back onto the doer. Sramovati se, zaljubiti se, obnašati se. With some verbs the particle cannot be taken away: bati se, smejati se — remove it and the word is gone.
Si is 'for oneself', and the thing stands beside it: privoščiti si dopust, kupiti si kavo, umiti si roke. The test is simple: if 'for myself' plus a thing fits, you need si.
The third use is the reciprocal one. Both particles can mean 'each other', and then the verb is nearly always about two. Pobotala sta se — they made up. Pišeta si — they write to each other.
Table
| form | case | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| se | object | the action onto oneself | umil se je |
| si | to whom | the action for oneself | umil si je roke |
| se | object | reciprocal | pobotala sta se |
| si | to whom | reciprocal with a thing | delita si sobo |
| se | inseparable | no verb without it | bati se |
| sem se | 1st person | the order in the past | zaljubil sem se |
| se je | 3rd person | the order in the past | zaljubil se je |
By example
- Po prepiru sta se pobotala v en danAfter the quarrel the two of them made up within a day
- Enkrat na leto si privoščim dober obedOnce a year I treat myself to a good meal
- Ne sramuj se vprašati, če česa ne razumešDon’t be ashamed to ask if you don’t understand something
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Se vs si in Slovenian?
Many verbs end in se, and that is not decoration: without the particle the verb means something else, or nothing. The whole difference between se and si is 'oneself' against 'for oneself'.
Umil se je or umil si je roke?
Se is 'oneself': the action comes back onto the doer. Sramovati se, zaljubiti se, obnašati se. With some verbs the particle cannot be taken away: bati se, smejati se — remove it and the word is gone.
What the particle se is for in Slovenian verbs?
Si is 'for oneself', and the thing stands beside it: privoščiti si dopust, kupiti si kavo, umiti si roke. The test is simple: if 'for myself' plus a thing fits, you need si.
Zaljubil sem se or zaljubil se sem?
The third use is the reciprocal one. Both particles can mean 'each other', and then the verb is nearly always about two. Pobotala sta se — they made up. Pišeta si — they write to each other.
How to say each other in Slovenian?
The third use is the reciprocal one. Both particles can mean 'each other', and then the verb is nearly always about two. Pobotala sta se — they made up. Pišeta si — they write to each other.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Po prepiru sta se pobotala v en dan” — After the quarrel the two of them made up within a day. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.