Reflexive pronouns are the -self / -selves forms of personal pronouns, as defined by the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. They are used when the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or thing. English has eight reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. They have two main uses: reflexive (the action bounces back to the subject) and emphatic (adding stress for contrast or emphasis).
Forms of Reflexive Pronouns
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | myself | ourselves |
| 2nd | yourself | yourselves |
| 3rd (masc.) | himself | themselves |
| 3rd (fem.) | herself | |
| 3rd (neut./formal) | itself |
Reflexive Use: Action Bounces Back
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object of the verb are the same person or entity — the action is performed on the subject itself.
- She cut herself while cooking. (she = the cutter and the cut person)
- He taught himself to code.
- The company has reinvented itself.
- Please make yourselves comfortable.
Emphatic Use: Stress or Contrast
Emphatic pronouns use the same forms but add emphasis — they can be removed without changing the basic meaning. They often mean personally, without help.
- I myself was surprised. (I personally)
- She baked the cake herself. (without help)
- The president himself signed the letter.
Fixed Phrases with Reflexive Pronouns
- by myself / by yourself — alone: She lives by herself.
- enjoy yourself / yourselves — have fun
- behave yourself — act well
- help yourself — take what you want
- make yourself at home
Common Mistakes
- Wrong: Me and myself are going. Correct: I am going. (reflexive cannot be a sentence subject on its own)
- Wrong: Please contact myself if you have questions. Correct: Please contact me. (use personal pronoun as object when subject and object differ)
- Wrong: He hurt hisself. Correct: He hurt himself. (hisself is non-standard)
- Wrong: They enjoyed theirselves. Correct: They enjoyed themselves. (theirselves does not exist)
Practice Exercises
Grammar Quiz
Choose the correct reflexive or personal pronoun in each sentence.
Cloze Dropdown
Fill in reflexive pronouns in dialogue and text contexts.
Complete the Sentence
Add the correct reflexive pronoun to complete each sentence.
Match-Up
Match each subject pronoun to its reflexive form.
Flash Cards
Drill all eight reflexive pronouns and their uses.
Practice What You’ve Learned
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are reflexive pronouns?
Reflexive pronouns are the -self/-selves forms: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. They are used when the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or thing (reflexive use) or to add emphasis (emphatic use).
What is the difference between reflexive and emphatic use?
In reflexive use, the pronoun is necessary for meaning: She hurt herself (the object = the subject). In emphatic use, the pronoun adds stress but can be omitted without changing the basic meaning: She baked the cake herself = She baked the cake (but with emphasis that she did it personally/without help). Emphatic pronouns often follow the noun or appear at the end of the clause.
When should I NOT use a reflexive pronoun?
Do not use a reflexive pronoun as the subject of a sentence (myself am going is wrong). Do not use it as an object when the subject and object are different people (Please call me, not Please call myself). Reflexive pronouns are only correct when the action loops back to the subject, or for emphasis. A very common mistake is using 'myself' as a polite object pronoun — this is incorrect.
What is 'by + reflexive pronoun'?
'By + reflexive' means alone or without help: She lives by herself. I did it by myself. They completed the project by themselves. It can also mean 'on its own/automatically': The door closed by itself. This is a very common and useful fixed phrase at all levels.
Is 'theirselves' a correct word?
No. 'Theirselves' does not exist in standard English. The correct plural reflexive for 'they' is 'themselves'. Similarly, 'hisself' (instead of 'himself') is non-standard. These are common errors in informal speech in some regional dialects, but they are incorrect in standard British and American English and should be avoided in writing and formal speech.
Can reflexive pronouns be used with prepositions?
Yes. Common prepositional phrases with reflexives: by myself (alone), to myself (privately or alone: I said it to myself), for myself (for my own benefit), among ourselves (privately within a group), in itself (intrinsically: The job is not hard in itself). These are fixed expressions worth learning as lexical chunks.
What is the reflexive pronoun for 'they' (singular they)?
When 'they' is used as a singular gender-neutral pronoun, the reflexive form is 'themselves': The student hurt themselves in class. 'Themself' is also used by some writers for singular they (Alex hurt themself), but 'themselves' is currently more widely accepted in formal writing. Both are encountered in modern English.
Are there verbs that always take a reflexive pronoun?
Some verbs are typically reflexive in other languages but not in English. 'Get dressed', 'get up', 'wash', 'shave', and 'feel' do not usually require a reflexive in English: I washed (not I washed myself, unless emphasising). However, 'enjoy' requires a reflexive or an object: Enjoy yourself! (not just Enjoy!). 'Help yourself' and 'behave yourself' are also fixed with reflexives.
Is 'myself' ever correct as an indirect object?
Yes, when the subject and indirect object refer to the same person: I bought myself a coffee. She made herself a sandwich. Here, the action is for the benefit of the subject themselves. This is reflexive in the standard sense — the action returns to the subject. It is different from using 'myself' as a direct object substitute for 'me' when talking about yourself in a list: my colleague and I went (not my colleague and myself went).
Are reflexive pronouns tested in English exams?
Yes. Correct use of reflexive vs personal pronouns is tested at B1 (Cambridge Preliminary) and B2 (First Certificate) level. The most common exam errors are using 'myself' instead of 'me' as a regular object, and using non-standard forms like 'theirselves'. Multiple-choice grammar items and error-correction tasks both test these distinctions.