Reflexive pronouns refer back to the same person or thing already mentioned in the sentence. The full set is myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. Each form matches a different subject, so I takes myself, you takes yourself, he takes himself, and so on. A reflexive pronoun always points back to the subject, so it works together with Subject Pronouns and is one type of Pronouns.

Core reflexive pronoun forms

Word	Definition	Example
myself	The reflexive form for I when the subject and object are the same person.	I taught myself to cook.
yourself	The reflexive form for you when speaking to one person.	You should be proud of yourself.
himself	The reflexive form for he when the subject and object are the same male person.	He cut himself while cooking.
herself	The reflexive form for she when the subject and object are the same female person.	She made herself a sandwich.
itself	The reflexive form for it when a thing or animal acts on itself.	The robot fixed itself.
ourselves	The reflexive form for we when the subject and object are the same group.	We reminded ourselves to stay calm.
yourselves	The reflexive form for you when speaking to more than one person.	You can help yourselves to water.
themselves	The reflexive form for they when the subject and object are the same group.	They prepared themselves for the exam.

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Choose the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject’s person and number. Use myself with I, ourselves with we, and themselves with they. Use the singular forms for one person or thing and the plural forms for more than one. The subject controls the form even when the subject is not nearby in the sentence. In She taught herself, the subject is she, so the reflexive form is herself.

Agreement rules for reflexive forms

Example	Pattern
If the subject is I, use myself.	Use the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject person.
For she, use herself.	Use the singular form when the subject is one person.
For we, use ourselves.	Use the plural form when the subject is more than one person.
For they, do not use herself.	Do not use a reflexive pronoun that does not match the subject number.
In the sentence, he washed himself.	Choose the form that fits the subject and object together.

A reflexive pronoun can act as the object of a verb when the subject and the object are the same person. In I hurt myself, the verb hurt needs an object, and myself receives the action. Reflexives also appear after prepositions when the meaning points back to the subject, as in She kept the notes for herself and They prepared dinner by themselves. In these positions, the reflexive pronoun follows the verb or the preposition just like other object pronouns, and it is useful for Object Pronouns.

Reflexives as objects in sentences

Usage	Explanation	Example
Direct object after an action verb	Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject does the action to the same person.	She blamed herself for the mistake.
Object of a preposition	Use a reflexive pronoun after a preposition when the person is affected by the action.	I bought a gift for myself.
After verbs of injury or care	Use a reflexive pronoun when someone hurts or helps the same person.	He hurt himself on the stairs.
To avoid repetition	Use a reflexive pronoun when the object is the same person as the subject.	We introduced ourselves to the class.
With both subject and object	Use a reflexive pronoun when the sentence needs to show the subject and object are identical.	The cat cleaned itself after dinner.

Reflexive pronouns can add emphasis to a noun or pronoun. In I myself did it, myself does not replace the subject. It highlights that I was the person responsible. You can place the reflexive form right after the subject or after the object it emphasizes. The sentence still works without it, so this use is optional. Compare The manager herself answered the phone with The manager answered the phone.

Emphatic reflexive pronoun use

Usage	Explanation	Example
Strong emphasis on the subject	Use a reflexive pronoun to show that the subject alone did the action.	I myself finished the report.
Clarifying who is responsible	Use a reflexive pronoun to make the person responsible very clear.	The manager herself answered the email.
Highlighting direct involvement	Use a reflexive pronoun to stress that the subject was personally involved.	We ourselves checked every detail.
Optional emphasis	Use this form only when you want extra emphasis, because the sentence still works without it.	You yourself can see the difference.

Several reflexive phrases are fixed parts of everyday English. By myself can mean alone or without help: I finished the project by myself. All by herself adds strong emphasis: She opened the shop all by herself. Help yourself is a polite offer or invitation, often used at a table or in a store. Feel like myself means to feel normal again: After the flu, I finally felt like myself. These expressions should be learned as complete phrases because their meaning is not always created word by word.

Use a reflexive pronoun when one person or thing acts on the same person or thing: He blamed himself. Use each other or one another when two or more people act on each other: They blamed each other. The key difference is whether the action returns to the same subject or moves between different people in the group. Reflexive pronouns and reciprocal pronouns do not mean the same thing, and choosing the wrong one changes the sentence meaning. This contrast also matters with Relative Pronouns and Indefinite Pronouns, where the reference can be less direct.

Reflexive and reciprocal pronoun contrast

Example	Pattern
She blamed herself.	Use a reflexive pronoun when one person acts on the same person.
They helped each other.	Use each other when two people act on one another.
The students encouraged one another.	Use one another when more than two people act on one another.
The friends thanked each other.	Do not use a reflexive pronoun when the meaning is shared action between people.
We saw ourselves in the mirror.	Choose the form that makes the relationship in the sentence clear.

In some casual regional speech, people use me where standard English uses a reflexive pronoun. You may hear I hurt me or She bought me a book for me in informal speech, but standard English uses myself or another matching reflexive form when the subject and object are the same. In writing and in careful speech, use the reflexive form that matches the subject. The standard pattern is clear in sentences like I cut myself and They enjoyed themselves.

Casual regional reflexive forms

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
England	me	In some casual speech, me can replace a reflexive pronoun in very informal conversation.	I washed me before dinner.
Ireland	me	In some informal local speech, me may appear where standard English would use a reflexive form.	He hurt me in the game.
Australia	me	In relaxed speech, me can sometimes stand in for a reflexive pronoun in everyday talk.	I need to look after me today.
New Zealand	me	In informal speech, me may be used in place of a reflexive pronoun by some speakers.	She can take care of me.

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