Reflexive pronouns: Myself, yourself
Learn how to use reflexive pronouns correctly and avoid common mistakes with verbs like wash or shave.
- check_circleI can use reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself) for actions done to oneself.
- check_circleI can avoid using reflexive pronouns with verbs that don't take them in English.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Anna: Did you hear about Tom’s accident?
Ben: No, what happened?
Anna: He cut himself while he was preparing dinner. He was trying to make a difficult recipe by himself.
Ben: Oh no! Is he okay?
Anna: Yes, he’s fine. But he was so annoyed. He wanted to relax after work, but instead he had to go to the pharmacy.
Ben: He should just relax and order takeout next time. I never cook when I’m tired. I just wash, change my clothes, and watch TV.
Anna: I agree! By the way, did you build that bookshelf yourself?
Ben: Yes, I did! I was quite proud of myself.
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
In English, we use reflexive pronouns when the subject and the object of the verb are the same person or thing.
The Reflexive Pronouns
- I -> myself
- you (singular) -> yourself
- he -> himself
- she -> herself
- it -> itself
- we -> ourselves
- you (plural) -> yourselves
- they -> themselves
She bought herself a new jacket. (She is both the buyer and the receiver).
Using “by myself”
If you do something “by yourself,” it means you do it alone, without help.
I built this table by myself. (No one helped me).
Common Mistakes: Verbs that DON’T take reflexive pronouns
In Spanish, many verbs describing daily routines are reflexive (e.g., lavarse, afeitarse, vestirse). However, in English, these verbs typically do not take a reflexive pronoun.
These include:
- wash
- dress
- shave
- feel
- relax
- concentrate
Common Mistake: ❌ I wash myself every morning. ✅ I wash every morning.
❌ He shaves himself in the shower. ✅ He shaves in the shower.
If you want to emphasize that it was difficult or unusual, you can use a reflexive pronoun with these verbs, but it’s rare.
Use the reflexive pronoun only if it’s surprising: The baby is finally able to dress herself!
- Reflexive pronouns end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural).
- Use them when the subject and object are the same person.
- Add “by” (by myself, by yourself) to mean “alone” or “without help.”
- Do NOT use them with verbs like wash, shave, dress, relax, or feel.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
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Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?