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Have you noticed how often English uses words ending in -self or -selves?
Examples
Believe in yourself.
We have to love ourselves first.
They only think of themselves.
These words ending in -self or -selves are reflexive pronouns. These pronouns help you say more about the subject of a sentence. They also help you express yourself (another reflexive pronoun example!) clearly when you need to use other pronouns in a sentence.
What are reflexive pronouns?
Reflexive pronouns act like a mirror: they reflect the subject.
Photo by Caroline Veronez on UnsplashIn English, the subject is usually near the beginning of the sentence. A reflexive pronoun tells us more about that subject somewhere else in the sentence. Specifically, we need it when we talk about the subject again as an object.
Formation
You make reflexive pronouns by sticking -self or -selves to a personal pronoun.
my + self
him + self
them + selves
your + self (talking to one person)
your + selves (talking to MORE THAN ONE person)
Examples
The woman looks at herself in the mirror. ✅
The subject (woman) tells us who is doing the action of looking. What is she looking at? Her own image! The reflexive pronoun (herself) reflects back to the subject to show she's looking at her own image.
I built a house for myself! ✅
The subject (I) tells us who built the house. The reflexive pronoun (myself) reflects back to the subject, telling us another detail: the house is for the subject.
Quiz 1
Which of these sentences has a reflexive pronoun? There may be more than one correct answer.
A. I love myself!
B. They're taking care of him.
C. I will remember you.
D. They bought it for themselves.
Quiz
Select any correct answer:
A and D have pronouns ending in -self or -selves. The words "myself" and "themselves" both help you talk more about the subjects of their sentences. In B and C, "him" and "you" are pronouns, but they are not reflexive because they do not reflect the subjects of their sentences.
Which reflexive pronoun do you use?
What is WRONG with these sentences?
Believe in you. ❌
We have to take care of us first. ❌
They only thought of their selves. ❌
Answer: All of them have other pronouns or other words where a reflexive pronoun should be. They all need a reflexive pronoun to talk about the subject again. Now, the subject is turning into an object.
Here are all of the reflexive pronouns with their matching subjects. The examples show subjects and reflexive pronouns together.
Image created by author using Canva.
*Themselfis less common. Experts disagree on how to form reflexive pronouns for singular they, so it's safe to use the older form, themselves.
Did you know?
In the example "Believe in yourself," the subject is second-person singular you. Therefore, the matching reflexive pronoun is yourself.
How do you use reflexive pronouns in conversation?
Imagine this conversation between a parent and their teenage child. Look for the reflexive pronouns in bold.
Teenager: Can I take the car and drive myself to the concert?
Parent: I’m not sure. Why do you want to drive yourself?
T: I have my driver’s license. That says I can keep myself safe!
P: I know, I just worry about you. Are your friends also driving themselves?
T: Dan is driving himself! Jane’s parents are taking her there.
P: OK, you can drive yourself. But text me when you get there and when you leave.
How many times did the speakers use reflexive pronouns? Which other words were pronouns, but NOT reflexive?
Common mistakes ⚠️
Using reflexive pronouns instead of personal pronouns.
Yourself can finish this alone. ❌
You can finish this alone. ✅
Jan and myself can help. ❌
Jan and I can help you. ✅
They can give it to ourselves. ❌
They can give it to us. ✅
Not using reflexive pronouns when you need to reflect the subject.
I can take care of me. ❌
I can take care of myself. ✅
You only have cake for you, not me? ❌
You only have cake for yourself, not me? ✅
Did you know?
Native speakers of English often make these mistakes! Also, these mistakes can be correct in some communities and situations. This Byte is about business and academic English.
Quiz 2
Which of these sentences uses a reflexive pronoun correctly? There can be one or more correct answers.
A. Amy, Becky, and I are driving themselves to the movies.
B. I have lunch for you and for me.
C. You must protect himself from them.
D. John Lennon cann't hear himself singing.
Quiz
Select any correct answer:
Only D correctly matches the subject (John Lennon) to a reflexive pronoun (himself). In A, “themselves” should be “ourselves.” In B, “for me” should be “for myself.” In C, either “You” must change to “He,” or “himself” must change to “yourself.” C could also switch “himself” to “him,” taking out the reflexive pronoun. Right now, “himself” makes the meaning of C very unclear.
Watch out for lookalikes! ⚠️
The reflexive pronoun looks exactly like the intensive pronoun. (Yes, this is confusing!) The intensive pronoun has a different job: it's added to a noun or pronoun to show emphasis.
Intensive pronoun examples:
I myself built this house.
She worked with Barack Obama himself!
Reflexive pronouns can change the basic meaning of a sentence, but intensive pronouns never change the basic meaning.
Quiz 3
Imagine a cooking competition TV show:
People on the show may say all of these next sentences. Which of these sentences uses a reflexive pronoun correctly? There can be one or more correct answers.
A. You must cook everything yourselves with no help.
B. Bread by itself is not a dish!
C. When I ring the bell, you bring the dish to myself and the judges.
D. We are not cooking for ourselves!
Quiz
Select any correct answer:
In both B and D, a -self/selves pronoun reflects the subject when needed later in the sentence. Without “itself” and “ourselves,” B and D would be missing words. In A, “yourselves” is an intensive pronoun: it is added to emphasize “you” but does not change the basic meaning. In C, “myself” should be “me” because the subject of “bring” is “you,” not “I.”
Take Action
Reflexive pronouns are tricky! Here are some next steps to help you practice:
This Byte has been authored by
Elisabeth Lorenc
Instructional Designer
M.S.