The meanings of -ся verbs
One -ся, five meanings: reflexive, reciprocal, passive, change of state, impersonal.
⚡Key points
One -ся, several meanings
The suffix -ся does not have a single meaning. Depending on the verb and context, it expresses an action on oneself, a mutual action, a passive, a change of state, or an impersonal use. Learning to recognise the value helps you understand and produce these verbs.
1–2. Reflexive and reciprocal
Reflexive / reciprocal
| Reflexive (on oneself) | мыться, одеваться | to wash, to dress (oneself = себя́) |
| Reflexive | причёсываться, бриться | to comb one’s hair, to shave |
| Reciprocal (each other) | встречаться, целоваться | to meet, to kiss (each other = друг дру́га) |
| Reciprocal | обниматься, ссориться | to hug, to quarrel |
Reflexive vs reciprocal
Reflexive: the action falls on the subject
Она́ бы́стро оде́лась. (She dressed quickly.)
Reciprocal: “each other”
Мы встреча́емся каждый день. (We meet every day.)
Они́ переписываются. (They write to each other.)
3–4. Passive and change of state
Passive / change of state
| Passive (inanimate subject) | стро́ится, продаётся | is built, is sold |
| Change of state / emotion | радоваться, сердиться | to rejoice, to get angry |
| State / emotion | волноваться, успокоиться | to worry, to calm down |
Passive vs state
Passive: the thing undergoes the action
Дом стро́ится рабо́чими. (The house is built by the workers.)
Emotion / change of state
Я ра́дуюсь твоему́ успе́ху. (I rejoice at your success.)
Не сердись на меня́. (Do not be angry with me.)
5. Impersonal and inherently -ся verbs
Impersonal + always-ся verbs
Impersonal: subject in the dative
Мне не спится. (I cannot sleep.)
Мне хо́чется ча́я. (I feel like having tea.)
Как вам здесь работается? (How do you find working here?)
Verbs that never exist without -ся
бояться, смеяться, надеяться, нравиться, улыбаться
💡⚠️ Recognise the value; -сь after a vowel
Dialogue: in the morning
Olia: Why are you so gloomy? Did something happen? — Gena: I cannot sleep these last few days, so I get irritable in the morning. — Olia: Do not worry like that. Let us meet this evening and talk. — Gena: Agreed. Thanks, I feel better already.