Reflexive Pronouns
Learn when to use a reflexive pronoun, such as myself or themselves, and how it shows that the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing.
When the subject acts on itself
A reflexive pronoun shows that the subject and object are the same.
A reflexive pronoun is used when the person or thing performing the action is also the person or thing affected by it.
In the sentence She hurt herself while running., the word herself refers back to she. The same person is both doing the hurting and being hurt.
English reflexive pronouns are formed by adding -self or -selves to a personal pronoun or possessive word.
Before you begin
Reflexive pronouns often act as the object of a sentence.
Understanding how subject and object pronouns work can make this lesson easier to follow, since reflexive pronouns usually appear in the object position.
If you have not yet covered that lesson, reviewing it first may help.
The central idea
Compare a sentence with two different people and a sentence with only one.
01
Subject and Object Are Different
Use an ordinary object pronoun.
She hurt him.
02
Subject and Object Are the Same
Use a reflexive pronoun.
She hurt herself.
The useful question is: Is the subject also the object?
He taught himself to play the guitar.
He taught his brother to play the guitar.
A reflexive pronoun is only used when the two roles, subject and object, belong to the same person or thing.
The reflexive pronoun forms
Each personal pronoun has a matching reflexive form.
Singular reflexive pronouns
I → myself
you → yourself
he → himself
she → herself
it → itself
He introduced himself to the new team.
Plural reflexive pronouns
we → ourselves
you → yourselves
they → themselves
We treated ourselves to dinner after the exam.
Singular versus plural spelling
Singular reflexive pronouns end in -self. Plural reflexive pronouns end in -selves.
Reflexive pronouns as the object of a verb
The reflexive pronoun usually follows the verb directly.
Verbs commonly used with a reflexive pronoun
enjoy
hurt
introduce
blame
express
The children enjoyed themselves at the party.
Many English verbs do not need a reflexive pronoun
I washed. (not: I washed myself, unless emphasising the action)
He shaved this morning.
Some actions people commonly do to themselves are expressed in English without a reflexive pronoun at all, unless the speaker wants to add emphasis.
Reflexive pronouns after prepositions
Reflexive pronouns can also follow a preposition.
Common fixed expressions
by myself → alone, without help
to himself → privately, or as a habit
She finished the whole project by herself.
The phrase by plus a reflexive pronoun is often used to mean that no one else was involved.
Reflexive pronouns and intensive pronouns
The same words can serve a different purpose.
Words such as himself and themselves are also used to add emphasis to a noun that has already been mentioned, rather than to show that the subject and object are the same. This related use is called an intensive pronoun.
Reflexive: She blamed herself. (herself is the object)
Intensive: She herself finished the report. (herself adds emphasis, but is not the object)
This distinction is explored fully in the Intensive Pronouns lesson.
A useful decision guide
Ask whether the subject and the object are the same.
01
Does the subject perform the action on itself?
Use a reflexive pronoun.
He cut himself.
02
Does the action affect someone or something else?
Use an ordinary object pronoun.
He cut the bread.
03
Is one person or more than one involved?
Choose the singular -self or plural -selves form.
04
Is the word only adding emphasis?
If the same word is not acting as the object, it may be an intensive pronoun rather than a reflexive one.
Common mistakes
Do not use a reflexive pronoun when a plain pronoun is needed.
Using a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object are different people.
Not: Please contact myself with any questions.
Correct: Please contact me with any questions.
The speaker and the person being contacted are not the same, so an ordinary object pronoun is needed instead.
Using an incorrect reflexive form.
Not: They hurt theirself.
Correct: They hurt themselves.
The plural subject they needs the plural reflexive form themselves.
Adding a reflexive pronoun where none is needed.
Not: I concentrate myself on my work.
Correct: I concentrate on my work.
Some verbs are simply not used with a reflexive pronoun in English.
Check your understanding
Should a reflexive pronoun be used here?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.
She looked at __________ in the mirror. (she / herself)
✅ Exactly! She is both looking and being looked at, so a reflexive pronoun is needed.
❎ Not quite. Ask who is performing the action, and who is receiving it.
The person looking and the person being seen are the same here.
Please send the invoice to __________. (I / me)
✅ Exactly! The person sending the invoice and the speaker are not shown to be the same in this sentence, so an ordinary object pronoun is used.
❎ Not quite. There is no matching subject in this sentence performing the action on itself.
The cat cleaned __________ after breakfast. (it / itself)
✅ Exactly! The cat is cleaning itself, so the subject and object are the same.
❎ Not quite. Ask whether the cat is cleaning itself or something else.
The teacher gave __________ some extra homework. (them / themselves)
✅ Exactly! The teacher and the students are different people, so the plain object pronoun is correct.
❎ Not quite. Check whether the person giving the homework is the same as the person receiving it.
Choose the best explanation
Select the sentence that explains the reflexive pronoun correctly.
Why is “Please contact me” correct rather than “Please contact myself”?
✅ Exactly! A reflexive pronoun is only used when the subject and object are the same.
❎ Not quite. Think about who is asking to be contacted, and by whom.
Why does they take the reflexive form themselves rather than theirself?
✅ Exactly! Plural personal pronouns take the -selves ending.
❎ Not quite. Think about whether they refers to one person or more than one.
Which sentence correctly uses a reflexive pronoun?
✅ Exactly! Himself is the correct reflexive form of he.
❎ Not quite. Check both the pronoun form and whether a reflexive pronoun is actually needed.
Try it another way
Complete the sentence with the correct reflexive pronoun.
Type the reflexive pronoun that fits each sentence.
✅ Exactly! Myself matches the subject I.
❎ Not quite. Use the reflexive form that matches I.
✅ Exactly! Ourselves matches the plural subject we.
❎ Not quite. Use the plural reflexive form that matches we.
✅ Exactly! Himself matches the subject he in the phrase by himself.
❎ Not quite. Use the reflexive form that matches he.
Edit the sentence
Rewrite each sentence with the correct pronoun.
Decide whether a reflexive pronoun or an ordinary pronoun is needed.
Please send the file to myself. (correct the pronoun)
✅ Exactly! The speaker is asking someone else to send the file, so an ordinary object pronoun is correct.
❎ Not quite. Replace myself with the ordinary object pronoun for I.
They hurt theirself during the game. (correct the pronoun)
✅ Exactly! They is plural, so it needs the plural reflexive form themselves.
❎ Not quite. Use the plural reflexive form that matches they.
I concentrate myself on my work. (correct the sentence)
✅ Exactly! Concentrate is not usually used with a reflexive pronoun in English.
❎ Not quite. Remove the reflexive pronoun, since this verb does not need one.
Quick review
The same person performs and receives the action.
Reflexive pronouns — myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves — are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same.
Singular reflexive pronouns end in -self; plural reflexive pronouns end in -selves.
Reflexive pronouns often follow a verb directly, or follow the word by to mean “alone.”
Not every English verb that could logically be reflexive needs a reflexive pronoun.
The same words can also work as intensive pronouns, adding emphasis rather than acting as the object.
Remember
Ask whether the subject is acting on itself.
A reflexive pronoun belongs only when the doer and the receiver of the action are the same person or thing. If someone or something else is involved, an ordinary pronoun is the correct choice instead.