My German Hobby Adventures: Reflexive Verbs and Time – It’s Actually Getting Easier!

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and let’s be honest, the initial wave of “Oh mein Gott, I don’t understand anything!” has subsided. Mostly. I still have those moments, usually when a group of friends are discussing the latest Fußball match, but I’m getting better at picking out the key phrases and understanding the gist. My biggest struggle? The reflexive verbs and those pesky time expressions. Seriously, they felt like a complete brick wall at first. But I’ve found some little tricks that have actually made a difference, especially when it comes to talking about my hobbies.

Talking about My Wochenend Plans

I’ve been trying to join a local Running Club, and that’s where I really started to focus on this whole reflexive verb thing. The other day, I went to the first training session, and I really wanted to tell the guy, Martin, how keen I was to join.

“Ich gehe gerne joggen,” I said, feeling pretty proud of myself. (I like to jog.)

Martin looked at me, completely puzzled. “Warum sagst du das?” he asked. (Why are you saying that?)

It turned out I’d used “gehen” reflexively – I was saying I go jogging, as if I was becoming jogging. He just wanted to know why I enjoy jogging! The correct way to say it is: “Ich jogge gerne.” – “I jog (it) gladly.”

This was a huge lesson! Reflexive verbs, especially ones like gehen, sich treffen (to meet up), sich entspannen (to relax) and sich treiben lassen (to let oneself be carried away), are super common when talking about leisure activities.

“Ich mache” – A Phrase I Use All The Time

Another huge discovery was “Ich mache…” – “I do…” It’s so versatile! I use it constantly when talking about my hobbies.

Last weekend, I went to a Töpferkurs (pottery class) with a friend, Sarah. I told her, “Ich mache Keramik.” (I’m making ceramics.) And she asked, “Wie lange machst du Keramik?” (How long do you do ceramics?) I realized I hadn’t really thought about how to express how often I do it! I then learned that “Ich mache Keramik ein- oder zweimal pro Woche.” (I make ceramics once or twice a week.) is a much more natural way to say it.

It’s also great for describing what you do for fun. I told my coworker, Klaus, that I “Ich lese Bücher” (I read books) and he immediately asked, “Was liest du?” (What are you reading?).

Time Expressions – It’s Not Just “Immer”

Then there are the time expressions. “Immer” (always) feels like a trap. I nearly said “Ich gehe immer joggen” the other week, and thankfully, Sarah gently corrected me. “Nicht immer!” she laughed. (Not always!)

Instead, I’m learning to use phrases like:

• “Manchmal” (sometimes)
• “Oft” (often)
• “Selten” (rarely)
• “Jeden Tag” (every day)
• “An Wochenenden” (on weekends) – This one’s crucial for talking about my hobbies!

I’ve been using “An Wochenenden gehe ich joggen” (On weekends, I go jogging) a lot! It sounds so much more natural than just “Ich gehe joggen.”

A Little Mishap & a Helpful Correction

The funniest (and most embarrassing) thing happened last Tuesday. I was talking to a group of people at the Café, trying to explain that I “Ich spiele Gitarre” (I play guitar). One of the guys, Daniel, said, “Aber woher lernst du Gitarre?” (But where do you learn guitar?)

I panicked and blurted out, “Ich lerne Gitarre!” (I’m learning guitar!). It felt so wrong, so like I was admitting I was a complete beginner. Daniel just smiled and said, “Das ist gut! Bleib dran!” (That’s good! Keep at it!) It was a brilliant reminder that making mistakes is part of the process and that Germans are generally really encouraging.

My Takeaway – It’s About Practice!

Honestly, the reflexive verbs and time expressions still feel a little tricky sometimes. But I’m starting to get a feel for the patterns. The key for me has been practice – actually trying to use them in conversations, even if I stumble over them. And don’t be afraid to ask for corrections! Most people, especially in Berlin, are happy to help a newcomer.

Ich bin sicher, mit der Zeit wird es besser! (I am sure, with time it will get better!) Next week, I’m aiming to join a Sprachstammtisch (language exchange group) and focus on practicing these phrases in a relaxed setting. Wish me luck!

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