Reflexive Pronouns in English: myself, yourself, himself — Complete Guide

Q: What are the eight reflexive pronouns in English?

The eight reflexive pronouns are: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. They all end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural). Theirselves and hisself are not standard English and should be avoided.

Q: Is it correct to say 'please contact myself'?

No. 'Please contact myself' is a very common error in business English. The correct form is 'Please contact me.' Myself should only be used as a reflexive object when the subject of the sentence is I.

Q: What is the difference between reflexive and emphatic use?

In the reflexive use, the reflexive pronoun is the grammatical object and cannot be removed without changing the meaning: 'She introduced herself.' In the emphatic use, it adds stress but is not essential: 'I made this cake myself' — removing 'myself' still leaves a complete sentence.

Q: Can I use 'yourself' when talking to a group of people?

No. When addressing more than one person, use yourselves (plural). Yourself is singular. So: 'Help yourself' (to one person) vs. 'Help yourselves' (to a group).

Q: What is the difference between 'themselves' and 'each other'?

Themselves is a reflexive pronoun — each person does the action to themselves. Each other is a reciprocal pronoun — two or more people do the action to one another. 'They introduced themselves' (each said who they were) vs. 'They introduced each other' (A introduced B, and B introduced A).

Q: Is 'by myself' the same as 'alone'?

Yes, 'by myself / yourself / himself / herself / ourselves / themselves' means 'alone' or 'without help.' 'I live by myself' = I live alone. 'She completed the project by herself' = she did it without assistance.

Q: Can 'itself' refer to a company or organisation?

Yes. In English, organisations and inanimate objects are treated as 'it,' so the reflexive pronoun is itself: 'The company distinguished itself from its rivals.' In formal writing, itself is safer for organisations, though themselves is sometimes used informally.

Grammar Pronouns LexFizz Team 10 min read 13 June 2026

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Key Takeaways

Reflexive pronouns end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural): myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object of a verb are the same person or thing: She hurt herself.
Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis, meaning “without help from anyone else”: I fixed it myself.
Never use a reflexive pronoun instead of a regular object pronoun after a preposition of place: say with me, not with myself.
The form depends on the subject of the sentence, not the gender of the noun.

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If you have ever said “I cut me while cooking” and wondered why it sounds wrong, this guide is for you. Reflexive pronouns are one of those small grammar points that native speakers use automatically — but which can trip up learners at every level. The good news: once you understand the two main uses, the rules become very straightforward.

What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that refers back to the subject of the sentence or clause. The key signal is the ending: all reflexive pronouns end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural). They are used when the action of the verb “reflects back” onto the person who performs it, or when you want to emphasise that someone did something independently.

John burned himself on the oven. (John burned John — same person)

We organised the event ourselves. (emphasis: without outside help)

The machine turns itself off automatically. (subject and object are the same thing)

Reflexive pronouns are distinct from personal pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) and reciprocal pronouns (each other, one another), which express a mutual action between two or more parties.

The Complete List of English Reflexive Pronouns

There are eight reflexive pronouns in English. Each corresponds to a specific subject pronoun:

Subject pronoun	Reflexive pronoun	Example
`I`	myself	I taught myself to cook.
`you` (singular)	yourself	Did you hurt yourself?
`he`	himself	He introduced himself.
`she`	herself	She poured herself a coffee.
`it`	itself	The door closed itself.
`we`	ourselves	We enjoyed ourselves.
`you` (plural)	yourselves	Help yourselves to coffee.
`they`	themselves	They blamed themselves.

Pro tip: A common learner error is “theirselves” or “hisself.” These forms do not exist in standard English. The only correct forms are themselves and himself.

Use 1: Reflexive — When the Subject and Object Are the Same

The primary use of a reflexive pronoun is when the subject of the verb is also the object — that is, when someone does something to themselves. Without the reflexive pronoun, the sentence would mean something completely different.

Compare: Personal vs. Reflexive Pronoun

She washed her. (She washed someone else — a child, perhaps)

She washed herself. (She washed her own body)

He blamed him. (He blamed another man)

He blamed himself. (He blamed himself for the problem)

Common verbs that often take a reflexive pronoun include: hurt, cut, introduce, blame, enjoy, help, prepare, teach, push, kill, express.

More Examples

The children behaved themselves at the ceremony.

I need a moment to collect myself before the interview.

Please make yourself comfortable.

The company distinguished itself from its competitors.

Use 2: Emphatic — Stressing That Someone Did It Alone

Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis. In this use, the reflexive pronoun is not the object of the verb; instead, it stresses that the subject did something personally or without help. The emphatic pronoun can be removed and the sentence still makes grammatical sense, though it loses the emphasis.

Emphatic Reflexive Examples

I made this cake myself. (I did it, not a bakery)

The manager himself apologised to the customer. (not an assistant — the manager in person)

Did you write the code yourself? (without help from anyone)

The students marked their own essays themselves.

In spoken English, the emphatic reflexive often appears at the end of the sentence. In written English, it frequently comes directly after the noun or pronoun it emphasises: “The president himself attended the ceremony.”

Reflexive Pronouns After Prepositions

English learners often struggle with which pronoun to use after a preposition. The rule is:

Use a reflexive pronoun after a preposition when the preposition relates to the same person as the subject and describes an action done to oneself.
Use a personal pronoun (me, him, her, us, them) after prepositions of position or company (next to, beside, with, near, behind).

Reflexive After Preposition (Action Directed at Oneself)

She was proud of herself. (pride directed at her own achievement)

He kept the news to himself. (he didn’t share it)

They did it all by themselves. (alone, without help)

Take care of yourself!

Personal Pronoun After Preposition (Position / Company)

She had her dog next to her. (not herself)

He brought his bag with him. (not himself)

Can you come with me? (not myself)

Pro tip: A very common error in formal business writing is “Please contact myself if you have questions.” This is incorrect. The correct form is “Please contact me.” Use myself only when I is already the subject in the same sentence.

Common Verbs Used Reflexively

Some verbs are very frequently used with a reflexive pronoun in English. Learning these as set phrases will help you use them naturally:

Verb phrase	Meaning	Example
enjoy oneself	have a good time	Did you enjoy yourself at the party?
help oneself	take food/drink freely	Help yourself to the buffet.
introduce oneself	say who you are	Allow me to introduce myself.
hurt oneself	injure oneself	Be careful not to hurt yourself.
behave oneself	act properly	The children behaved themselves.
blame oneself	feel responsible	Don’t blame yourself for this.
pride oneself on	be proud of	She prides herself on her accuracy.
teach oneself	learn without a teacher	He taught himself guitar.
express oneself	communicate feelings/ideas	It’s important to express yourself clearly.
find oneself	end up in a situation	I found myself agreeing with him.

Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns

Mistake 1: Using “myself” as a polite substitute for “me”

Please send the report to John or myself.

Please send the report to John or me.

The subject of the sentence is “you” (the reader), not “I”, so myself is grammatically incorrect here. Many people mistakenly believe myself sounds more formal or polite. It does not — it is simply wrong in this context.

Mistake 2: Using a non-existent form

They did it theirselves.

They did it themselves.

He hurt hisself.

He hurt himself.

Mistake 3: Using a reflexive pronoun when a personal pronoun is needed

My boss sat next to myself at the meeting.

My boss sat next to me at the meeting.

Mistake 4: Omitting the reflexive pronoun when the meaning changes

The children enjoyed at the fair. (incomplete — enjoyed needs an object)

The children enjoyed themselves at the fair.

Quick Reference Table

Use	When?	Example	Can be removed?
Reflexive	Subject = object of the verb	She cut herself.	No (changes meaning)
Emphatic	To stress the subject acted alone	I baked it myself.	Yes (but loses emphasis)
After preposition (action on self)	Prep. describes self-directed action	He kept it to himself.	No
After preposition (position/company)	NOT used — use personal pronoun	Come with me.	—

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the eight reflexive pronouns in English?

The eight reflexive pronouns are: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. They all end in -self (singular) or -selves (plural). Note that theirselves and hisself are not standard English forms and should be avoided in writing and formal speech.

When do I use a reflexive pronoun?

Use a reflexive pronoun in two main situations: (1) when the subject and object of the verb refer to the same person or thing — “He hurt himself” — and (2) for emphasis, to stress that someone did something without help or in person — “I fixed it myself.” If you are not sure which applies, ask: is the doer also the receiver of the action? If yes, use the reflexive pronoun.

Is it correct to say “please contact myself”?

No. “Please contact myself” is a very common error in business English. The correct form is “Please contact me.” Myself should only be used as a reflexive object when the subject of the sentence is I: “I introduced myself.” When the implied subject is “you” (as in an instruction), the object should be the personal pronoun me.

What is the difference between reflexive and emphatic use?

In the reflexive use, the reflexive pronoun is the grammatical object of the verb and cannot be removed without changing the meaning: “She introduced herself” (cannot say “she introduced” alone). In the emphatic use, the reflexive pronoun adds stress but is not grammatically essential: “I made this cake myself” — removing myself still leaves a complete sentence, just without the emphasis.

Can I use “yourself” when talking to a group of people?

No. When addressing more than one person, use yourselves (plural). Yourself is singular — it refers to one person. So: “Help yourself” (to one person) vs. “Help yourselves” (to a group). In everyday speech, the distinction is sometimes blurred, but in writing you should use the correct form for the number of people addressed.

What is the difference between “themselves” and “each other”?

Themselves is a reflexive pronoun — each person does the action to or for themselves. Each other is a reciprocal pronoun — two or more people do the action to one another. Compare: “They introduced themselves” (each person said who they were) vs. “They introduced each other” (A introduced B, and B introduced A to their respective contacts).

Do reflexive pronouns work with all verbs in English?

Not all verbs naturally take a reflexive pronoun. Many verbs that are reflexive in other languages (like French or Spanish) are used without a reflexive pronoun in English: you simply say “I got up,” not “I got myself up.” Common exceptions include wash, shave, dress — in everyday English, these are used without a reflexive pronoun unless you want to be emphatic: “Can he dress himself yet?” (asking about a child’s independence).

Is “by myself” the same as “alone”?

Yes, “by myself / yourself / himself / herself / ourselves / themselves” means “alone” or “without help.” “I live by myself” = I live alone. “She completed the project by herself” = she did it without assistance. The phrase “all by myself” adds extra emphasis and is common in both spoken and written English.

Can “itself” refer to a company or organisation?

Yes. In English, organisations, countries, and inanimate objects are treated as “it,” so the reflexive pronoun is itself: “The company distinguished itself from its rivals.” However, you will sometimes see themselves used informally when a company is thought of as a group of people: “The team prided themselves on their work.” In formal writing, itself is safer for organisations.

Why do some languages not have reflexive pronouns but English does?

English reflexive pronouns evolved from Old English and Germanic roots to make a grammatical distinction that many languages handle differently — either with a general reflexive particle (like se in Romance languages or sich in German) or with simple context. In English, the distinction matters because personal pronouns (me, him, her) always refer to a different person from the subject, whereas reflexive pronouns signal the action returns to the subject. This avoids ambiguity: “She photographed her” (someone else) vs. “She photographed herself.”

Reflexive Pronouns in English: myself, yourself, himself… — Complete Guide