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English uses reflexive pronouns when an action loops back to the same person or thing that started it. If I blame myself, the blamer and the blamed person are both me. The main forms are myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. These words also help us add stress, as in “I made it myself.” This guide explains the forms, the main uses, and the mistakes learners often make with reflexive pronouns.
In This Guide
What Counts as a Reflexive Pronoun?
A reflexive pronoun appears when the subject of the verb is also the object of that verb. The same person or thing does the action and receives the action. Singular forms end in -self, and plural forms end in -selves.
I burned myself on the hot pan. (I = subject, myself = object; one person)
She trained herself to run long distances. (She is both the trainer and the person trained)
The dog scratched itself behind the ear. (The dog did the action to its own body)
The word “reflexive” is connected to the idea of reflection: the action turns back toward the subject, almost like a mirror. If you remove the reflexive pronoun or replace it with a different pronoun, the sentence may point to a completely different object.
The English Reflexive Pronoun Set
| Subject Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | myself | I poured myself a glass of water. |
| you (singular) | yourself | Did you make yourself comfortable? |
| he | himself | He reminded himself about the appointment. |
| she | herself | She saved herself a seat near the front. |
| it | itself | The light switched itself on at sunset. |
| we | ourselves | We found ourselves lost downtown. |
| you (plural) | yourselves | Please make yourselves at home. |
| they | themselves | They organized themselves into small groups. |
Themself is becoming more common as a gender-neutral singular form, as in “Everyone should prepare themself.” Many speakers and writers also use “themselves” in that same singular context.
When the Action Points Back to the Subject
The basic job of a reflexive pronoun is to show that the subject and object are identical. This is the most direct and common reflexive use.
I reminded myself to call the dentist.
She saw herself on the video screen.
He found himself in the wrong classroom.
They presented themselves at the front desk.
The twins can feed themselves now.
One small pronoun can change the whole meaning:
She embarrassed herself. (She caused her own embarrassment)
She embarrassed her. (She embarrassed another woman or girl)
Using Reflexive Pronouns to Add Stress
Reflexive pronouns can also underline that a particular person did something personally. In this emphatic use, the sentence still works without the reflexive pronoun, but the extra word adds force.
I myself heard the announcement. (emphasis: I personally heard it)
The manager himself answered the phone. (emphasis: the manager, not an assistant)
She painted the room herself. (emphasis: she did the work without someone else doing it)
We ourselves had doubts at first.
For emphasis, the reflexive pronoun may come right after the noun or pronoun it highlights, or it may be placed at the end of the sentence. Both patterns are normal English.
By Plus a Reflexive Pronoun
The pattern “by + reflexive pronoun” usually means “alone” or “without anyone’s help.” Context tells you which meaning is intended.
She eats lunch by herself. (She eats alone.)
He fixed the bike by himself. (He did it without help.)
Can the students finish the project by themselves?
I like walking through the museum by myself.
Verbs That Commonly Pair with Reflexive Pronouns
Certain English verbs often appear with reflexive pronouns, especially when the action naturally turns back toward the subject:
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| prepare | They prepared themselves for the final round. |
| introduce | Let me introduce myself to the group. |
| hurt / cut / burn | She cut herself while slicing tomatoes. |
| enjoy | We enjoyed ourselves on the trip. |
| blame | Don’t blame yourself for the delay. |
| teach | He taught himself basic Spanish. |
| behave | The children behaved themselves during the ceremony. |
| express | She expresses herself clearly in writing. |
| help | Help yourself to some tea. |
| pride | She prides herself on being punctual. |
Where Reflexive Pronouns Are Usually Left Out
English is different from languages such as Spanish, French, and German because it normally does not add reflexive pronouns to ordinary personal-care actions when the meaning is already clear. Washing, dressing, shaving, and similar actions often stand without a reflexive pronoun.
✅ I washed my face. (NOT “I washed myself my face”)
✅ She got dressed quickly. (NOT “She dressed herself” — though this can be correct in some contexts)
✅ He shaved before work. (NOT necessarily “He shaved himself”)
✅ I need to concentrate. (NOT “I need to concentrate myself”)
You can use a reflexive pronoun with these verbs when you need to remove possible confusion or when you want to stress independence or self-directed action:
The little boy can dress himself now. (emphasis on doing it without help)
He cut himself while shaving. (makes clear that his own skin was cut)
Use Ordinary Pronouns After Many Place Prepositions
After many prepositions of place or movement, English usually uses object pronouns such as me, him, and her, not reflexive pronouns. Use the reflexive only when it truly points back to the subject or when you are adding special emphasis.
She shut the gate behind her. (NOT “behind herself” in ordinary use)
He tucked the blanket around him.
Reflexive Pronouns Compared with Reciprocal Pronouns
Do not mix up reflexive pronouns with reciprocal pronouns such as each other and one another. A reflexive pronoun means the subject acts on itself. A reciprocal pronoun means two or more people or things act on one another.
They looked at themselves in the mirror. (Each person looked at his or her own reflection)
They looked at each other. (Person A looked at Person B, and Person B looked at Person A)
| Reflexive | Reciprocal |
|---|---|
| They introduced themselves. (each person gave his or her own name) | They introduced each other. (one person introduced another, and the other did the same) |
| They hurt themselves. (each one caused harm to himself or herself) | They hurt each other. (they caused harm to one another) |
Mistakes People Often Make
Wrong Forms Such as “Hisself” and “Theirself”
❌ He finished it hisself.
✅ He finished it himself.
❌ They packed theirselves for the trip.
✅ They packed themselves for the trip.
Using a Reflexive Pronoun Where an Object Pronoun Belongs
❌ Please email the notes to Anna and myself.
✅ Please email the notes to Anna and me.
❌ Myself and David are presenting first.
✅ David and I are presenting first.
Rule: Use a reflexive pronoun only when it refers back to the subject. If the subject and object are not the same person or thing, choose a regular personal pronoun such as me, him, or her.
Adding Reflexive Pronouns to Verbs That Do Not Need Them
❌ I need to rest myself.
✅ I need to rest.
❌ She focused herself on the problem.
✅ She focused on the problem.
Practice with Reflexive Pronouns
Choose the correct reflexive pronoun, or decide whether the sentence needs one.
1. She smiled at _______ in the mirror.
Answer: herself
2. We really enjoyed _______ at the festival.
Answer: ourselves
3. He taught _______ to use the new software.
Answer: himself
4. Please help _______ to some soup. (you, singular)
Answer: yourself
5. The cat was washing _______.
Answer: itself
6. They blamed _______ for the missed deadline.
Answer: themselves
7. I _______ wrote the announcement. (emphatic)
Answer: myself
8. She lives by _______ near the station.
Answer: herself
Reflexive pronouns make English clearer when the subject receives its own action, and they are useful for emphasis too. The key is restraint: use myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves when the meaning truly turns back to the subject, but avoid them where a simple object pronoun or no pronoun at all is the natural choice.
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