Reflexive Pronouns in English, Your Easy English Guide

This article provides a comprehensive, all-in-one guide to reflexive pronouns in English, designed specifically for beginner learners at levels A0 and A1.

The essential idea you must understand is that reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) are used when the subject and object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing.

You will discover why the incorrect I hurt me. becomes the correct I hurt myself., and how reflexive pronouns add clarity and emphasis to your English sentences.

The key question to keep in mind is: Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?

The main rule to remember is: Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object are the same. Use an object pronoun when they are different.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use reflexive pronouns correctly in all their functions without guessing.

Overview: What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns are special words we use when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same person or thing. They "reflect" back to the subject — hence the name "reflexive."

The Reflexive Pronouns Table:

Subject Pronoun	Reflexive Pronoun	Example
I	myself	I hurt myself.
You (singular)	yourself	You hurt yourself.
He	himself	He hurt himself.
She	herself	She hurt herself.
It	itself	The cat hurt itself.
We	ourselves	We hurt ourselves.
You (plural)	yourselves	You hurt yourselves.
They	themselves	They hurt themselves.

Two Main Uses of Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns have two main functions in English:

1. As the Object of a Verb — When Subject and Object Are the Same

This is the most common use. The subject performs the action on itself.

I looked at myself in the mirror.
She taught herself English.
They enjoyed themselves at the party.

2. For Emphasis — To Emphasize the Subject

We use reflexive pronouns to emphasize that the subject did something alone or without help.

I myself saw the accident.
She made the cake herself.
The president himself visited the school.

The Key Question That Will Change Everything

As you read through this guide, keep one question in your mind:

"Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?"

If the answer is YES → use a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, etc.).
If the answer is NO → use an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them).

This simple question will help you choose the correct pronoun every time.

Rules & Detailed Explanations

Rule 1: Reflexive Pronouns as Objects

Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and the object of the verb are the same person or thing. The action "reflects" back on the subject.

Examples:

I cut myself while cooking.
She introduced herself to the class.
We enjoyed ourselves at the beach.
They hurt themselves playing football.

⚠️ Important: Reflexive pronouns are not used after every verb. They are used only when the subject and object are the same.

💡 Common Verbs Used with Reflexive Pronouns: cut, hurt, introduce, enjoy, teach, look at, help, burn, amuse, express, behave, etc.

Rule 2: Reflexive Pronouns for Emphasis

We use reflexive pronouns to emphasize that the subject performed the action alone or without help. In this case, the reflexive pronoun is not necessary for the sentence to be grammatically correct — it just adds emphasis.

Examples:

I myself built this table. (No one helped me.)
She did the laundry herself. (She didn't get help.)
The manager himself apologized. (The manager personally apologized.)
We painted the house ourselves.

In these sentences, the reflexive pronoun can be removed without changing the basic meaning:

"I built this table." — Still correct, but less emphasis.
"She did the laundry." — Still correct, but less emphasis.

Rule 3: Reflexive Pronouns with Prepositions

Reflexive pronouns are also used after certain prepositions when the subject and the object of the preposition are the same.

Common prepositions used with reflexive pronouns:

by — She lives by herself.
for — He bought a gift for himself.
to — I said to myself, "Be careful!"
about — They were talking about themselves.

⚠️ Important: Prepositions of place (like in, on, under, behind) usually do not take reflexive pronouns:

✅ She has no money on her. (NOT on herself)
✅ I have a secret between us. (NOT between ourselves)

💡 Learning Tip: "By + reflexive pronoun" means "alone" or "without help." Example: "I did it by myself." = I did it alone.

Rule 4: Reflexive Pronouns vs. Object Pronouns

This is the most important distinction to understand. Many learners confuse reflexive pronouns with object pronouns.

Object pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) are used when the subject and object are different.
Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) are used when the subject and object are the same.

Object Pronoun	Reflexive Pronoun
She cut him. (Different = She cut another person.)	She cut herself. (Same = She cut herself.)
I hurt her. (Different = I hurt someone else.)	I hurt myself. (Same = I hurt myself.)
They saw us. (Different = They saw us.)	We saw ourselves. (Same = We saw ourselves.)

💡 Remember: Ask yourself: "Is the subject doing the action to itself?" If yes → reflexive pronoun. If no → object pronoun.

Examples with Deep Explanation

Example 1: "Myself" — Subject and Object Are the Same

I cut myself while cooking.

In this sentence, the subject is "I" and the object is "myself." They refer to the same person. The action (cutting) reflects back on the subject.

Why it works: "I" did the cutting, and "I" was also the person who got cut. So we use "myself" (reflexive) instead of "me" (object pronoun).

Compare: "I cut him." (Different person — so we use the object pronoun "him.")

Example 2: "Herself" — Reflexive with "She"

She taught herself English.

Here, "She" is the subject and "herself" is the object — both refer to the same person. She did the teaching, and she was also the person who learned.

Why it works: The action (teaching) is directed back to the subject. "Herself" is the reflexive pronoun for "she."

Compare: "She taught him English." (Different person — so we use "him.")

Example 3: "Themselves" — Reflexive with "They"

They enjoyed themselves at the party.

"They" is the subject and "themselves" is the object — both refer to the same group of people. They enjoyed their own company.

Why it works: "Themselves" is the reflexive pronoun for "they." It shows that the action (enjoying) is directed back to the subjects.

Example 4: Reflexive for Emphasis — "Myself"

I myself built this house.

In this sentence, "myself" is not the object. It is used for emphasis. It means "I built this house alone / without help."

Why it works: The reflexive pronoun is placed next to the subject "I" to add emphasis. It's not required for grammar, but it adds meaning.

Without emphasis: "I built this house." — Still correct, but less powerful.

Example 5: Reflexive for Emphasis — "Herself"

She made the cake herself.

"Herself" is used for emphasis here. It means "She made the cake without any help."

Why it works: The reflexive pronoun comes after the object "the cake" to emphasize that she did it alone.

Without emphasis: "She made the cake." — Still correct.

Example 6: Reflexive with Prepositions — "By Himself"

He lives by himself.

"By himself" means "alone." The preposition "by" is followed by the reflexive pronoun "himself."

Why it works: "By" + reflexive pronoun is a common phrase meaning "alone" or "without help."

More examples:

She did it by herself. = She did it alone.
We organized everything by ourselves. = We organized everything without help.

Example 7: Reflexive vs. Object Pronoun — Key Difference

She cut herself. (Same person)

She cut her. (Different person)

These two sentences have completely different meanings:

"She cut herself." = She cut her own body. (Subject = Object)
"She cut her." = She cut another woman. (Subject ≠ Object)

This is why it's so important to choose the correct pronoun!

Example 8: Reflexive Pronouns in Everyday Conversation

Please help yourself to the food.

This is a common polite phrase. "Yourself" is the reflexive pronoun for "you." It means "take food for yourself without waiting to be served."

Other common phrases:

Make yourself at home.
Take care of yourself.
Behave yourself!

Common Mistakes & Logical Corrections

Mistake 1: Using an Object Pronoun Instead of a Reflexive Pronoun

I cut me.

I cut myself.

Why Does It Change?

When the subject and object are the same person, we must use a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, etc.), not an object pronoun (me, you, him, etc.).

❌ I cut me. → ✅ I cut myself.

Remember: "I" and "me" refer to the same person here. So we use the reflexive form "myself."

Mistake 2: Using a Reflexive Pronoun When It's Not Needed

She opened the door for myself.

She opened the door for me.

Why Does It Change?

We use reflexive pronouns only when the subject and object are the same. In this sentence, "She" is the subject and "myself" is the object — they are different, so we use the object pronoun "me."

❌ She opened for myself. → ✅ She opened for me.

Remember: "She" and "myself" are different people. So we use "me" (object pronoun), not "myself."

Mistake 3: Confusing "Themselves" with "Themself"

Someone hurt themself.

Someone hurt themselves.

Why Does It Change?

In modern English, "themselves" is used as a singular gender-neutral reflexive pronoun for "someone," "anyone," and "everyone." While "themself" exists in some dictionaries, "themselves" is much more common and widely accepted.

❌ Someone hurt themself. → ✅ Someone hurt themselves.

Note: Some style guides accept "themself," but "themselves" is the safer choice in most contexts.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to Match the Reflexive Pronoun with the Subject

We enjoyed myself at the party.

We enjoyed ourselves at the party.

Why Does It Change?

The reflexive pronoun must match the subject in both person and number.

We → ourselves (not myself)

Matching Table:

I → myself
You (singular) → yourself
He → himself
She → herself
It → itself
We → ourselves
You (plural) → yourselves
They → themselves

Mistake 5: Using "Me" Instead of "Myself" for Emphasis

I me built this house.

I myself built this house.

Why Does It Change?

For emphasis, we use the reflexive pronoun (myself), not the object pronoun (me). "I myself" means "I alone" or "I without help."

❌ I me built... → ✅ I myself built...

Remember: "Myself" for emphasis is placed next to the subject "I."

Practice Exercises

Task 1: Write Sentences with Reflexive Pronouns

Write five sentences where the subject and object refer to the same person. Use a different reflexive pronoun in each sentence.

Example: "I taught myself to play the guitar."

✅ Try these:

I ... myself ...
You ... yourself ...
He ... himself ...
She ... herself ...
We ... ourselves ...

Task 2: Identify and Underline Reflexive Pronouns

Underline the reflexive pronouns in the following sentences:

She hurt herself playing tennis.
We enjoyed ourselves at the concert.
He did the homework himself.
They introduced themselves to the new student.
I looked at myself in the mirror.

Task 3: Rewrite Sentences to Test the Key Question

Rewrite the following sentences so they test the key question: "Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?"

"I cut me." → Rewrite correctly.
"She taught him English." → Change to reflexive.
"They saw us." → Change to reflexive.

Task 4: Find Reflexive Pronouns in Real Texts

Find one real sentence online or in a book that shows reflexive pronouns used after verbs or for emphasis. Write the sentence and explain why the reflexive pronoun is used.

Task 5: Explain How Reflexive Pronouns Change Meaning

Write a short note explaining how using a reflexive pronoun instead of an object pronoun changes the meaning of a sentence.

Example: "She cut her" vs "She cut herself" — Explain the difference.

Quick Quiz

Quiz 1: The Key Question

What is the key question you should ask yourself when using reflexive pronouns?

Answer

"Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?"

Quiz 2: Choose the Correct Pronoun

Complete the sentence: "She cut ___ while cooking."

Answer

She cut herself while cooking.

Why? "She" and the object are the same person, so we use the reflexive pronoun "herself."

Quiz 3: Reflexive vs. Object Pronoun

What is the difference between "I hurt me" and "I hurt myself"?

Answer

"I hurt me" is incorrect. "I hurt myself" is correct because the subject and object are the same person.

Remember: When the subject and object are the same, use a reflexive pronoun.

Quiz 4: Find the Mistake

What is wrong with: "He opened the door for myself."

Answer

He opened the door for me.

Why? "He" and "myself" are different people. We need the object pronoun "me," not the reflexive pronoun "myself."

Quiz 5: Write Your Own Sentence

Write your own sentence using a reflexive pronoun for emphasis.

Model Answer

"I myself painted the whole house."

Analysis: "Myself" is used for emphasis to show that I did it alone without help.

Final Review: Master Reflexive Pronouns

To complete your journey with reflexive pronouns, review these key points and use this checklist to ensure you've mastered everything.

Ask the key question: Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing? If YES → reflexive pronoun. If NO → object pronoun.
Same person? → Reflexive | Different person? → Object Pronoun
Memorize the reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.
I → myself • You → yourself • He → himself • She → herself • It → itself
We → ourselves • You (plural) → yourselves • They → themselves
Remember the two uses: (1) As the object when subject and object are the same. (2) For emphasis to show the subject did something alone or without help.
Use 1: She hurt herself. | Use 2: She did it herself.
Compare your sentences with correct models: Before finishing, compare your sentences with the examples in this article to catch any errors.
Compare → Correct → Confirm

📌 Quick Summary: Reflexive Pronouns

✅ As Object

Subject = Object

I hurt myself.

She taught herself.

✅ For Emphasis

Alone / Without help

I myself did it.

She made it herself.

✅ With Prepositions

Common phrases

He lives by himself.

Help yourself!

🔑 Remember: Ask yourself — "Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?" If yes, use a reflexive pronoun!

🎯 Next Step: Write five sentences where the subject and object refer to the same person.

Remember: "Does the subject do the action to the same person or thing?"