What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use reflexive pronouns such as myself, yourself, and ourselves when the subject and object of a sentence are the same person, and to add emphasis.
When do I use it?
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject does an action to themselves.
- I cut myself while cooking.
- She taught herself to play guitar.
- Be careful, or you will hurt yourself.
The reflexive pronoun is also used for emphasis, meaning "personally, without help": I fixed the car myself.
The pairs are: I → myself, you → yourself, he → himself, she → herself, it → itself, we → ourselves, they → themselves.
How do I form it?
subject + verb + reflexive pronoun
Subject + verb + reflexive pronoun. Example: He talks to himself when he is nervous. We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Spanish uses reflexive verbs (me levanto, se llama) where English uses a plain verb: "I get up" is not "I get up myself", and "My teacher is called Ana" is not "se llama". Adding "myself" here is over-translation. The opposite error is also common: learners say "I cut me" instead of "I cut myself" because Spanish "me" can be just "me". And watch "se" dativo: Spanish "se me olvidó" becomes "I forgot", not "I forgot myself".
Only add a reflexive pronoun when the same person does and receives the action, or to stress that you did it alone. If the object is someone else, use the ordinary pronoun.
Practice
Multiple Choice
A2Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
A2My brother taught English on the internet.
Hint: He is referring back to himself, so use the masculine reflexive form.
Find the Error
A2Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: A2