Reflexive pronouns are pronouns used when the subject and the object of a verb refer to the same person or thing. They “reflect” the action back to the subject, showing that someone does something to themselves. In English, they usually end in -self or -selves.

English reflexive pronouns match a personal pronoun in person, number, and gender where relevant. Singular forms end in -self, and plural forms end in -selves. Some forms are irregular in spelling, especially the plural of self.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
myself	reflexive for I	I taught myself to cook.
yourself	reflexive for you singular	You should treat yourself with respect.
himself	reflexive for he	He blamed himself for the mistake.
herself	reflexive for she	She cut herself while cooking.
itself	reflexive for it	The cat cleaned itself.
ourselves	reflexive for we	We prepared ourselves for the exam.
yourselves	reflexive for you plural	Please help yourselves to some water.
themselves	reflexive for they	They introduced themselves to the class.

Reflexive pronouns most often appear as the object of a verb or preposition when the same person is both doer and receiver. A common pattern is Subject + verb + reflexive pronoun, especially with actions people can direct toward themselves. They can also follow a preposition when someone does something by, for, or to themselves.

Some verbs commonly take a reflexive pronoun to make the meaning clear when the subject and object are the same. Without the reflexive, the sentence may sound incomplete or may change meaning. This is especially common with verbs about injury, blame, control, preparation, and introduction.

Rule	Example
Use a reflexive when the subject acts on the same person as the object	She hurt herself.
Use a reflexive to avoid ambiguity when the verb normally takes an object	He introduced himself.
Use a reflexive after a preposition when it refers back to the subject	He was talking to himself.

Sometimes a reflexive pronoun is optional because the verb can be intransitive and still make sense. Adding the reflexive makes the action feel more deliberate, careful, or clearly self-directed. In these cases, English often allows both versions with a slight difference in emphasis.

Rule	Example
Reflexive can add emphasis to a self-directed action that could be implied	He dressed. He dressed himself.
Reflexive can highlight personal effort or responsibility	She learned French. She learned French herself.

Reflexive pronouns are different from object pronouns like me, him, and them. Use an object pronoun when the object is a different person from the subject, and use a reflexive pronoun when they are the same. Choosing the wrong type changes the meaning or makes the sentence ungrammatical.

Rule	Example
Different people: use an object pronoun	She saw him.
Same person: use a reflexive pronoun	She saw herself in the mirror.
Reflexives cannot replace subject pronouns	He and I did it.

Reflexive pronouns can also be used as intensive pronouns to add emphasis, meaning the person did something personally. In this use, the pronoun does not function as an object; it emphasizes the subject or another noun. Intensive pronouns are often removable without changing the basic meaning, only the emphasis.

Rule	Example
Place after the noun or pronoun it emphasizes	The CEO herself answered the email.
Place after the verb for emphasis on the subject	I made the cake myself.
If you can remove it and the grammar stays intact, it is likely intensive	They fixed the problem themselves.

The phrase by + reflexive pronoun has two common meanings in English. It can mean alone without other people, or it can mean without help, emphasizing independence. Context usually makes the intended meaning clear.

Rule	Example
by + reflexive meaning alone	She lives by herself.
by + reflexive meaning without help	He built the desk by himself.

Choose the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject in person and number. With you, use yourself for singular and yourselves for plural when the number is clear from context. For animals, objects, or situations referred to as it, use itself.

Reflexive pronouns usually appear right after the verb they relate to or after the object they emphasize. In emphasis use, they can move, but they should stay close to the word they intensify to avoid confusion. They are typically not separated by commas unless the sentence structure requires it for other reasons.