Learn Reflexive Pronouns in English
Myself, yourself, himself, herself — when the subject and object are the same.
Grammar Focus
Reflexive pronouns are special pronouns that refer back to the subject of the sentence. They are used when the subject and the object of a verb are the same person or thing — in other words, when someone performs an action on themselves.
- Use myself when the subject is "I": "I hurt myself."
- Use yourself when the subject is "you" (singular): "You should believe in yourself."
- Use himself when the subject is "he": "He taught himself to cook."
- Use herself when the subject is "she": "She introduced herself to the class."
- Use itself when the subject is "it": "The cat cleaned itself."
- Use ourselves when the subject is "we": "We enjoyed ourselves at the party."
- Use yourselves when the subject is "you" (plural): "Help yourselves to the food."
- Use themselves when the subject is "they": "They built the house themselves."
- Reflexive pronouns can also be used emphatically to stress that someone did something without help: "I myself fixed the car."
Form & Structure
Reflexive Pronoun Forms
Reflexive Use
Emphatic Use
Common Mistakes
Using a reflexive pronoun instead of a personal pronoun as the subject
Tip: Reflexive pronouns cannot be the subject of a sentence. Use 'I', 'he', 'she', 'we', or 'they' as the subject instead.
Using the wrong reflexive pronoun form
Tip: 'Hisself' is not a standard English word. The correct reflexive pronoun for 'he' is always 'himself'. Similarly, 'theirselves' is wrong — use 'themselves'.
Adding a reflexive pronoun unnecessarily after certain verbs
Tip: Verbs like 'feel', 'relax', 'concentrate', 'meet', and 'wash' do not normally take reflexive pronouns in English unless you want to emphasise the action. Use them only when the subject and object are truly the same.
Why This Grammar Matters
Talking about accidents or physical actions done to oneself
Introducing or presenting yourself or others
Emphasising that someone did something without help
Describing enjoyment or experience at social events
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This lesson content was created with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.
Quick Summary
| Use | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reflexive Pronoun Forms | I→**myself**, you→**yourself**, he→**himself**, she→**herself**, it→**itself**, we→**ourselves**, you(pl)→**yourselves**, they→**themselves** | I looked at **myself** in the mirror. |
| Reflexive Use | When subject = object: She **hurt herself**. They **enjoyed themselves**. | He didn't hurt **himself** when he fell. |
| Emphatic Use | For emphasis (optional): He **himself** made the decision. | Did you make this **yourself**? |
Reflexive pronouns are one of the most important but often misunderstood topics in English grammar. If you have ever wondered when to say 'himself' instead of 'him', or why we say 'themselves' but never 'theirselves', then this lesson is exactly what you need. Reflexive pronouns — myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves — are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing. In other words, they appear when someone does something to or for themselves. Understanding reflexive pronouns is essential for communicating naturally in English. They come up constantly in everyday conversation, from talking about getting dressed in the morning to discussing how much you enjoyed a party. They also appear in formal and professional contexts — in business emails, presentations, and reports — so mastering them is valuable at every level of English fluency. For intermediate English learners, reflexive pronouns can feel tricky for several reasons. First, many languages handle this differently — some use a single reflexive word for all persons (like 'sich' in German or 'se' in Spanish), while English has a separate form for each person and number. Second, English reflexive pronouns have two distinct uses — the reflexive use (when subject and object are the same) and the emphatic use (for emphasis) — and learners sometimes confuse these two functions. This lesson covers everything you need to know about English reflexive pronouns: the full list of forms, when to use them correctly, the difference between reflexive and emphatic use, and the most common mistakes learners make. By the end, you will be able to use reflexive pronouns confidently and accurately in both speaking and writing.
What Are Reflexive Pronouns in English?
A reflexive pronoun is a type of pronoun that is used when the subject of a verb and the object of that same verb refer to the same person or thing. The action of the verb, in other words, 'reflects' back to the subject — hence the name 'reflexive'. In English, there are eight reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. The key characteristic of a reflexive pronoun is that it requires a matching subject. You cannot simply place 'himself' in a sentence without a subject that 'himself' refers back to. For example, in the sentence 'He hurt himself', the subject is 'he', and 'himself' refers directly back to that subject. The action of hurting was performed by him and received by him — making the reflexive pronoun the correct choice. Reflexive pronouns are different from personal pronouns (him, her, them) and possessive pronouns (his, her, their). Personal pronouns refer to someone other than the subject, while reflexive pronouns always refer back to the subject itself. Understanding this distinction is the foundation for using reflexive pronouns correctly throughout your English studies.
Read the full grammar guide
List of English Reflexive Pronouns
English has a reflexive pronoun for every grammatical person and number. It is important to learn all eight forms and understand which subject each one matches. For the first person singular, use 'myself' — this matches the subject 'I'. For the second person singular, use 'yourself' — this matches 'you' when talking to one person. For the third person singular masculine, use 'himself' — this matches 'he'. For the third person singular feminine, use 'herself' — this matches 'she'. For the third person singular neuter, use 'itself' — this matches 'it'. For the first person plural, use 'ourselves' — this matches 'we'. For the second person plural, use 'yourselves' — this matches 'you' when talking to more than one person. For the third person plural, use 'themselves' — this matches 'they'. A common pattern to notice is that singular reflexive pronouns are formed with '-self' (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself) and plural reflexive pronouns are formed with '-selves' (ourselves, yourselves, themselves). One important note: 'hisself' and 'theirselves' are non-standard forms that you should avoid in all formal and academic contexts. The only correct forms are 'himself' and 'themselves'.
When to Use Reflexive Pronouns
There are two main situations in which reflexive pronouns are used in English: the reflexive use and the emphatic use. The reflexive use is the most common. It occurs when the subject of a verb and the object of that verb are the same entity. Many everyday verbs can trigger reflexive use: hurt, cut, burn, introduce, enjoy, teach, and find are all common examples. For instance, 'She introduced herself to the team' means that she was both the one who introduced and the one being introduced. 'He taught himself to play guitar' means that he was his own teacher. Certain verbs in English are so commonly used with reflexive pronouns that they form fixed phrases. 'Enjoy oneself', 'help oneself', 'make oneself at home', 'behave oneself', and 'express oneself' are all standard phrases where the reflexive pronoun is expected. The emphatic use is the second major function of reflexive pronouns. In this case, the reflexive pronoun is added to emphasise that the subject performed the action personally — usually without any help from others. For example, 'She baked the cake herself' means she did it without assistance. The emphatic reflexive pronoun can be placed immediately after the subject ('She herself baked the cake') or at the end of the sentence ('She baked the cake herself'). In the emphatic use, the reflexive pronoun is optional — removing it does not make the sentence ungrammatical, but it does remove the emphasis.
Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns
English learners at the intermediate level make several predictable mistakes with reflexive pronouns. Being aware of these errors will help you avoid them in your own speaking and writing. The most frequent mistake is using a reflexive pronoun as the subject of a sentence. Many learners write sentences like 'Myself and my colleague attended the meeting', thinking that 'myself' sounds more formal or polite than 'I'. In fact, this is always incorrect. Reflexive pronouns cannot function as the subject of a clause. The correct sentence is 'My colleague and I attended the meeting'. The second common mistake involves non-standard reflexive pronoun forms. 'Hisself' (instead of 'himself') and 'theirselves' (instead of 'themselves') are errors that appear regularly in learner writing. These forms simply do not exist in standard English grammar, and using them will mark your writing as incorrect. A third mistake is adding a reflexive pronoun unnecessarily after verbs that do not require one. In English, verbs like 'feel', 'relax', 'wash', 'dress', 'shave', and 'meet' typically do not need a reflexive pronoun because their meaning already implies a self-directed action. Saying 'I washed myself' is acceptable but slightly unusual — 'I washed' is more natural in most contexts. Saying 'She felt herself nervous' is simply incorrect. Finally, some learners confuse 'themselves' with 'each other'. 'They helped themselves' means each person helped themselves individually. 'They helped each other' means each person helped the other person. These two expressions have different meanings and are not interchangeable.
Reflexive vs Emphatic Use of Reflexive Pronouns
The distinction between the reflexive use and the emphatic use of reflexive pronouns is one that intermediate learners need to understand clearly. Although both uses involve the same set of pronouns — myself, yourself, himself, etc. — the function and position of the pronoun differ between the two. In the reflexive use, the pronoun serves as the grammatical object of the verb, and the sentence is incomplete or changes meaning without it. 'He introduced himself' cannot simply become 'He introduced' without losing the essential meaning of the sentence. In the emphatic use, the pronoun adds emphasis but is not grammatically required. 'She fixed the computer herself' and 'She herself fixed the computer' both carry the additional meaning of 'without help', but 'She fixed the computer' on its own is still a perfectly complete and grammatical sentence. The emphatic pronoun is simply removed when the emphasis is no longer needed. Practising both uses in context — through reading, listening, and writing — is the best way to develop an instinct for when a reflexive pronoun is necessary and when it is merely emphatic.
Practice In This Page
1. I looked at _____ in the mirror.
Show answer
myself
2. He didn't hurt _____ when he fell.
Show answer
himself
3. Myself and my friend went to the market.
Show answer
My friend and I went to the market.
4. He hurt hisself when he tripped.
Show answer
He hurt himself when he tripped.
5. She felt herself tired after the long walk.
Show answer
She felt tired after the long walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a reflexive pronoun in English?
- A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that refers back to the subject of the sentence. It is used when the subject and the object of a verb are the same person or thing. The eight English reflexive pronouns are: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
- What is the difference between 'himself' and 'him'?
- 'Him' is a personal pronoun used when the object is a different person from the subject. For example, 'She helped him' means she helped another person. 'Himself' is a reflexive pronoun used when the subject and object are the same person. 'He helped himself' means he helped himself — the subject and object are both the same man.
- Can I use 'myself' as the subject of a sentence?
- No. Reflexive pronouns cannot function as the subject of a sentence or clause. A sentence like 'Myself attended the meeting' is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is 'I attended the meeting'. The pronoun 'myself' is sometimes used informally in phrases like 'My colleague and myself attended', but this is considered non-standard and is best avoided in formal writing.
- What is the difference between reflexive and emphatic use?
- In the reflexive use, the reflexive pronoun is the grammatical object of the verb, and the sentence needs it to be complete. For example, 'She introduced herself' — removing 'herself' changes the meaning. In the emphatic use, the reflexive pronoun adds emphasis to show that someone did something personally or without help. For example, 'He himself made the decision' — 'himself' is optional but adds stress.
- Is 'theirselves' a correct English word?
- No. 'Theirselves' is a non-standard form that should be avoided in all formal and written English. The correct reflexive pronoun for the subject 'they' is always 'themselves'. Similarly, 'hisself' is not a standard English word — the correct form is 'himself'.
- Which verbs commonly take reflexive pronouns?
- Many verbs regularly take reflexive pronouns in English when the subject performs the action on themselves. Common examples include: hurt oneself, cut oneself, burn oneself, introduce oneself, enjoy oneself, help oneself, teach oneself, find oneself, and express oneself. Some verbs — like 'relax', 'feel', and 'wash' — do not typically require a reflexive pronoun in everyday English, though they can be used with one for added emphasis.