Practice
Reflexive verbs: meaning and examples
I cut myself while cooking. The word myself tells us that I was both the person who did the action and the person affected by it. That is the main idea behind a reflexive verb in English.
Choose a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object are the same person or thing, and avoid it when ordinary English does not need one.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
reflexive pronoun /rɪˈflɛksɪv ˈproʊnaʊn/
The short answer
Use a reflexive pronoun when the verb needs an object and that object is the same person or thing as the subject. Use I taught myself Spanish, but say I washed before dinner when the object is already understood.
Ravi blamed himself for the mistake.
Why it works: Ravi is both the person who blames and the person receiving the blame. Himself is needed to show that connection.
6 more examples
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I taught myself to use the new software.
The speaker is the learner and the person doing the teaching, so the reflexive pronoun is needed.
Not this:I taught
my cousinto use the new software. What changes: The action goes to another person, so use an ordinary object instead of myself. -
The child hurt herself on the sharp edge.
The child caused the injury and received it. Herself refers back to the child.
Not this:The child hurt
her brotheron the sharp edge. What changes: The brother is a different person, so a regular object is needed. -
We introduced ourselves to the new neighbors.
The speakers introduce the same group that performs the action.
Not this:We introduced
the new neighborsto our friends. What changes: The neighbors receive the action, so the sentence does not use ourselves. -
The doors closed by themselves after the meeting.
By themselves means without help from people. It emphasizes that the doors closed automatically.
Not this:
The staffclosed the doors after the meeting. What changes: This sentence names people who did the action, so no reflexive phrase is needed. -
After the run, Elena washed before lunch.
For a routine action, English can leave the object understood. The sentence normally means that Elena washed herself.
Not this:After the run, Elena
washed herselfbecause no shower was available. What changes: The pronoun is possible when the writer needs to make the person receiving the action explicit. -
Please send the receipt to Jordan and me.
The phrase is the object of send. Use me, not myself, because the sentence does not need a reflexive meaning.
Not this:I sent the receipt to
myselfbefore filing it. What changes: Here I and myself refer to the same person, so the reflexive pronoun is appropriate.
Read the full guide
First, find the subject and ask who receives the action. If the answer is the same person or thing, a reflexive pronoun may be needed. Then check whether the verb normally has an object in this meaning. Some everyday actions, such as wash, dress, and shave, can appear without one when the object is obvious.
Find the person who receives the action
A reflexive pronoun is useful when the subject does something to the same person or thing. Look for the person doing the action, then ask who receives it.
Nora reminded herself about the appointment.
Nora does the reminding, and Nora receives the reminder. Herself points back to Nora.
Who receives the reminder in the sentence: Nora or another person?
Nora receives it, so herself is the right pronoun.
Match the pronoun to the subject
The reflexive pronoun must match the subject. Use himself for one male person, herself for one female person, itself for a thing or animal when that form is appropriate, and themselves for a plural subject.
The players congratulated themselves after the game.
The subject players is plural, so the pronoun is themselves.
Choose the matching pronoun: The laptop restarted by itself or by themselves?
Use itself because laptop is singular.
Use reflexive pronouns after verbs that need an object
Many verbs need an object to show who receives the action. If that object is the subject, use a reflexive pronoun. Common examples include blame, hurt, introduce, prepare, teach, and enjoy.
The manager introduced herself at the start of the call.
The manager is the person who introduces and the person introduced.
Complete the idea: I blamed ___ for the missing key.
Use myself when the speaker is the person receiving the blame.
Know when English leaves the pronoun out
English often leaves out the object for everyday personal actions when the meaning is obvious. I washed, got dressed, and shaved usually describe actions done to the speaker. A pronoun can add emphasis, but it is not always necessary.
Before work, I got dressed quickly.
The sentence normally means that the speaker dressed the speaker. The object is understood.
Does I got dressed quickly need myself to make basic sense?
No. The routine action already makes the meaning clear.
Do not use myself as a formal object
Myself must refer back to I in the same sentence. It cannot replace me just because the sentence has another name. Remove the other person to check the grammar: Please send the file to me.
The coordinator emailed Sam and me.
Me is an ordinary object after emailed. Sam and I do not refer to the same person.
Which form fits: The coordinator emailed Sam and me or Sam and myself?
Use Sam and me. Use myself only when it points back to I.
Before you go
Remember this
Use a reflexive pronoun when the action returns to the subject: She blamed herself. Match the pronoun to the subject. Leave it out when a verb does not need an object or when a routine personal action already makes the object clear. Do not use myself as a formal replacement for I or me.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Reflexive verbs: meaning and examples"
What is a reflexive verb in English?
A reflexive construction shows that the subject does an action to the same person or thing. English usually shows this with a reflexive pronoun such as myself, herself, or themselves. In She blamed herself, she is the person who blames and the person who receives the blame. The pronoun makes that relationship clear.
I taught myself to use the new software.
What are the English reflexive pronouns?
English reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. Choose the one that matches the subject. Use ourselves with we and themselves with a plural subject such as the students. The pronoun must point back to the subject in the same sentence or clause.
I taught my cousin to use the new software.
When do I need a reflexive pronoun?
Use a reflexive pronoun when a verb needs an object and the object is the same person or thing as the subject. For example, I taught myself French needs myself because the speaker is also the learner. If the action goes to another person, use a regular object instead, as in I taught my brother French.
The child hurt herself on the sharp edge.
Why can I say I washed without myself?
With routine personal actions such as wash, dress, and shave, English often leaves the object understood. I washed usually means I washed myself. Add the reflexive pronoun when you need emphasis, want to contrast the action with help from another person, or need to make the person receiving the action explicit.
The child hurt her brother on the sharp edge.
Can I use myself instead of me?
No. Myself is not a more formal version of me. It must refer back to I in the same sentence. Say Please email the form to Noor and me because me is the ordinary object. Use myself when the subject and object are the same, as in I emailed the form to myself for my records.
We introduced ourselves to the new neighbors.