Reflexive pronouns in English differ in person, gender and number, unlike the pronoun “yourself” in Russian
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I asked myself. |
I asked myself. |
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He asked himself. |
He asked himself. |
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She asked herself. |
She asked herself. |
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We asked ourselves. |
We asked ourselves. |
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You asked yourselves. |
You asked yourself. |
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You asked yourself. |
You asked yourself. |
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They asked themselves. |
They asked themselves. |
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It controls itself. |
It (the device) controls itself. |
Reflexive pronoun myself after some Russian verbs it is not translated into English:
Hefeelswell. -
He feels good.
He behaved like a child.-
He acted like a child.
But: Behaveyourself! - Behave yourself!
Notis not feeling himself. - He's out of his element.
English reflexive pronouns often correspond to the ending - xia/s
Russian reflexive verbs (abbreviated " myself"): to defend, to appear, to have fun, to have fun. For example:
The soldiers tried to defend themselves. - The soldiers tried to defend themselves.
She found herself in hospital.-
She ended up in the hospital.
Weenjoyedourselvesgreatly. - We had a lot of fun.
If the action expressed by a reflexive verb refers to those actions that a person usually performs himself, the reflexive pronoun is often omitted. These verbs include: towash - wash; toshave- to shave; todress - get dressed, etc. There are three possible uses of these verbs: Iwash –I get washed –Iwashmyself(arranged in descending order of frequency of use). But we will say that Thechildislearningtodresshimself, because small children are often dressed by their parents.
Indefinite pronoun one has its own reflexive pronoun oneself:
Onemustn'tfooloneself.- There is no need to deceive yourself.
Reflexive pronouns are used with other indefinite pronouns himself or themselves:
No one must fool himself. - No one should deceive themselves.
Everyoneshoulddecideit themselves. - Everyone must decide this for themselves.
After prepositions, instead of reflexive pronouns, personal pronouns can be used when it is absolutely obvious who we are talking about. Compare:
Shetookherdogwithher. - She took the dog with her.
(She couldn't take the dog with anyone else).
She wastalkingwithherself. - She was talking to herself.
(She could very well be talking to someone else, designated by the pronoun her).
Reflexive pronouns do not have a possessive form and are not used after possessive pronouns. After a possessive pronoun, the word is used to convey a reflexive or intensifying meaning own - own:
He cooks his own dinner. =
He cooks dinner for himself.
- He cooks his own lunch.
At the same time, before own there can be an intensifying adverb very:
Do you like the cake? Therecipe is my very own.
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Do you like cake? This is my own recipe.
Combination of a possessive pronoun with own can also take place after a preposition of
:
I'd love to have a houseof my own.- I would really like to have my own house.
Reflexive pronouns can take on an intensifying meaning and are used as an attachment to nouns and personal pronouns. In such cases they correspond to Russian pronouns yourself, yourself, yourself etc. and can stand either at the end of a sentence or after a word whose meaning they reinforce. For example:
I saw it myself. = I myself saw it.
-
I saw it myself.
Intensifying pronouns can be used instead of personal pronouns in introductory phrases like: asfor - concerning; (un)like - unlike/similar; exceptfor - except; butfor - if not. For example:
Asformyself,Idon'carewhatyoudecidetodo.
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As for me, I don't care what you decide to do.
Indefinite pronouns ( IndefinitePronouns)
Indefinite pronouns indicate unknown, uncertain objects, signs, quantities. These are pronouns some,any and their derivatives, as well as pronouns one,many,much,few,little.
No matter how much teachers correct us, we still continue to speak English by analogy with Russian. One of the typical mistakes: incorrect use of reflexive pronouns. We try to insert the word myself wherever possible, forgetting that English is different from Russian. And on the other hand, we are perplexed why the reflexive pronoun is used in certain sentences. Today we will put an end to this misunderstanding, because I am going to tell you, dear readers, about all the nuances of using reflexive pronouns in English.
First of all, let's define the term. In English, reflexive pronouns are called Reflexive Pronouns. The name comes from the verb to reflect - to reflect. Reflexive pronouns show that the performer of the action and the object to which the action is directed are one and the same. These pronouns figuratively “reflect” the action and “return” it back to the performer.
Each personal pronoun has a reflexive that refers to it. All reflexive pronouns have the word self, but in the plural (we, you, they) in the word self the F changes to V and the ending ES is added:
| Personal Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun |
| I | myself |
| You | yourself |
| He | himself |
| She | herself |
| It | itself |
| We | ourselves |
| You | yourselves |
| They | themselves |
Despite the fact that reflexive pronouns refer to different persons, they all have a translation that does not depend on the person: yourself, yourself, yourself. In Russian, we use these words, but more often we use verbs ending in -СЯ and -Сь. In Russian, these endings have the function of reflexive action. However, you should not rush and use the reflexive pronoun with words that have this ending in Russian.
Reflexive pronouns are used:
1. After transitive verbs that imply a reflexive action:
I bought myself a new dress. - I bought myself a new dress. (Who? -I. To whom? - to myself. Subject and object - the same person)
He taught himself to play the guitar. - He taught himself to play the guitar. (He taught himself)
We wrote ourselves positive references. - We wrote positive characteristics for ourselves. (We wrote about ourselves.)
Most often, reflexive pronouns can be found with verbs:
Amuse- have fun.
The party was so boring but he tried to amuse himself. - The party was boring, but he tried to entertain himself.
Blame- blame.
She blamed herself for what happened. - She blamed herself for what happened.
Burn- get burned.
Did you burn yourself when you were frying meat? - Did you get burned when you fried meat?
WITHcontent- content.
As we don’t have much money we have to content ourselves with some cheap food. - Since we don’t have much money, we will have to be content with cheap food.
Convince- convince.
They were convincing themselves that everything would turn out well. “They convinced themselves that everything would end well.
WITHut- cut.
I cut myself when I was peeling the potatoes. - I cut myself while peeling potatoes.
Encourage- encourage.
He should encourage himself to compete. - He must be encouraged to compete.
Enjoy- have a good time.
We enjoyed ourselves at the party. - We had a good time at the party.
Hurt- get hurt.
He hurt himself while mending a car. - He hurt himself while repairing the car.
Introduce- introduce.
At first you should introduce yourself to the audience. - First, you should introduce yourself to the audience.
Kill- kill.
He is not crazy, he won’t kill himself. - He's not crazy, but he won't kill himself.
Look at- look at.
She was looking at herself in the mirror. - She looked at herself in the mirror.
2. There are also verbs that can be used with a reflexive pronoun, but in this case they change their meaning.
Here are some examples:
Apply oneself to something- devote yourself to your occupation, work hard.
He applied himself to this project. - He is working hard on this project.
Behave yourself- to behave.
The children behaved themselves which was surprising. - The children behaved well, which was unexpected.
Busy oneself with something- keep yourself busy.
I will be busy myself with cleaning at the weekend. - I'll keep myself busy cleaning this weekend.
Find oneself- turn out to be.
I found myself in a forest. - I found myself in the forest.
See oneself as- introduce yourself.
She sees herself as a singer. - She imagines that she is an actress.
After these verbs, object pronouns are never used (me, you, him, her, it, us, them).
3. After prepositions that are part of phrasal verbs and fixed expressions.
For example:
Take care of- take care.
H e is old enough to take care of himself. - He's old enough to take care of himself.
Look after- care.
We help people who can't look after themselves. - We help people who cannot look after themselves.
Be proud of- be proud.
I passed the test with highest grade, I’m really proud of myself. - I passed the test with the highest score. I'm very proud of myself.
Believe in- believe.
You should believe in yourself and not to give up. - You must believe in yourself and not give up.
Be pleased with- to be content.
He was pleased with himself after his speech. - He was pleased with himself after the performance.
4. With the preposition by: by myself, by himself, by yourselves etc.
Reflexive pronoun combined with a preposition by means: independently, alone, without anyone, without outside help and indicates the fact that the action is being performed alone, without help. With the same value you can use the expression on one's own: on my own, on his own, on your own.
I wrote this poem by myself /on my own. - I wrote this verse myself.
It can be dangerous if you go to the forest by yourself / on your own. - It could be dangerous if you go into the forest without anyone.
She cleaned everything by herself / on her own. - She washed everything without outside help.
They climbed the mountain by themselves / on their own. - They climbed the mountain on their own.
5. In certain stable combinations that are used in colloquial speech:
Help yourself!- Do not be shy! Help yourself!
Enjoy yourself!- Good fun!
Don't upset yourself!- Don't be upset!
I can’t hear myself speak!- It's so noisy here! You can go deaf!
Make yourself at home!- Make yourself at home!
Make oneself heard- shout to someone.
It was so noisy in the class that the teacher couldn't make herself heard. - It was so noisy in the class that the teacher could not shout to the students.
Make oneself understood- convey an idea, convey a thought to someone.
It was not easy to make myself understood as he didn’t know English. - It was difficult to convey my idea because he didn’t know English.
Make oneself cheap- behave unworthily.
She really made herself cheap when she offended the child. - She behaved unworthily when she offended the child.
Make yourself responsible- to take the responsibility.
John made himself responsible for the accident. - John took responsibility for the incident.
6. Reflexive pronouns are always used after the following verbs:
Avail (oneself of)- take advantage of an opportunity.
We availed ourselves of the chance to go abroad for free. - We took advantage of the opportunity to travel abroad for free.
Absent (oneself from)- to be absent, to be absent (the verb is pronounced [?b"sent]).
The students were allowed to absent themselves from the lecture. - Students were allowed to be absent from class.
Pride (oneself on)- be proud.
She prides herself on winning the first prize. - She is proud of herself after winning the first prize.
Reflexive pronouns are not used:
1. Never used after the following verbs:
Concentrate- concentrate.
I need to concentrate on the problem. - I need to focus on the problem.
Feel- feel.
I feel very tired today. - I feel tired today.
Meet- meet.
I meet my friends at the weekend. - I meet with friends on the weekend.
Hurry- hurry.
I hurried because I didn't want to miss the last bus. - I was in a hurry because I didn't want to miss the last bus.
Relax- relax.
I want to relax at the beach. - I want to relax on the beach.
2. Usually reflexive pronouns are not used after verbs:
Wash- wash, wash
Dress- dress
Hide- hide
Shave- to shave
He washed, shaved, dressed and was ready for work. - He washed, shaved, got dressed and was ready to work.
The children tried to hide. - The children tried to hide.
* Reflexive pronoun can be used with verbs dress, shave, wash to show that the action was performed with some effort, that it was not easy for a person to perform this action. You can often find it in relation to small children or sick, old people who do everything with difficulty.
Although she is very young she dresses herself. - Despite the fact that she is very small, she dresses herself.
His right arm was broken but he shaved himself. - His right arm was broken, but he shaved himself.
An old man is weak but can wash himself. - Grandfather is weak, but he can wash himself.
* With verb dry The reflexive pronoun is usually used:
She took a shower and dried herself with a towel. - She took a shower and dried herself with a towel.
3. Reflexive pronouns are not always used in relation to inanimate objects, despite the fact that the subject and object are the same object:
The door opened. - Door opened. (The door opened itself.)
The products sold really well. - The products sold well. (The products sold themselves really well.)
But we can use itself when talking about animals or living organisms:
The dog saw itself in the mirror and barked. - The dog saw itself in the mirror and barked.
The wound healed itself. - The wound has healed.
The virus copies itself within a body. - Viruses multiply in the body.
4. Not used with prepositions places, and pretext with(denoted by C). Instead of reflexive pronouns, object pronouns are used:
I can see a wall in front of me. - I see a wall in front of me.
She didn't have any money with her. - She has no money with her.
They left the park behind them. - They left the park behind them.
Why don’t you ask a person next to you? - Why don't you ask the person sitting next to you?
Reflexive pronouns for emphasis and emphasis.
Reflexive pronouns are used to create a certain effect, emphasizing or highlighting something. In some manuals, reflexive pronouns, which are used for emphasis and reinforcement, are called emphatic pronouns (from the word emphasise - to give special meaning; to emphasize, to emphasize). Reflexive pronouns are used in this function:
1. With nouns to create a contrast effect.
In this case they translate "by itself":
The movie itself was quite interesting but the some actors were a bit unnatural. - The film itself is quite interesting, but some of the actors acted unnaturally.
The girl herself was pleasant but her boyfriend was rude. - The girl herself was nice, but her boyfriend was rude.
2. With pronouns, animate nouns and verbs. Used to create an effect and confirm the veracity of what is being said:
I heard it myself! - I heard it with my own ears!
She saw an UFO herself! - She saw a UFO with her own eyes!
3. With pronouns and nouns, when there is uncertainty and without a reflexive pronoun, we cannot determine who exactly performed the action. Translated as: in person, in person:
The President congratulated the veterans himself. - The President congratulated the veterans personally.
The managers introduced a new business strategy themselves. - Managers presented the new business strategy in person.
4. Itself is used in sentences like:
She was generosity herself! - She was generosity itself!
The children were angels themselves. - The children behaved angelically.
Itself emphasizes unnaturalness and pretense.
Themselves and each other/one another.
A lot of mistakes are made when the use of these two words is confused. Themselves - themselves, each other/one another - each other. Let's look at some illustrative examples:
They are blaming each other/one another. - They blame each other.
They are blaming themselves. - They blame (each) themselves.
They take care of each other. - They take care of each other.
They take care of themselves. - They each take care of themselves.
If you have any questions, ask, we will be happy to answer them!
Good luck in learning English!
Reflexive and emphatic pronouns - Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns in English are formed according to the formulas:
1. Reflexive pronoun in singular. h = personal pronoun + self
2. Reflexive pronoun in plural. h = personal pronoun + selves
| Number | Face | Reflexive pronoun | Translation |
| Unit | 1 | myself | yourself, yourself, yourself |
| 2 | yourself | yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself | |
| 3 | himself | yourself, yourself | |
| herself | myself, myself | ||
| itself[?t?self] | yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself | ||
| Mn. | 1 | ourselves | yourself, yourself |
| 2 | yourselves | yourself, yourself | |
| 3 | themselves[ð?m?selvz] | yourself, yourself |
Use of reflexive pronouns
1. Reflexive pronouns express the direction of action on the one who performs it.I sluiced myself. I wet myself.
He made himself a snapshot./He made a snapshot for himself. He took a photograph for himself./He took a photograph for himself.
A. There are a number of verbs after which reflexive pronouns are not used (unless it is necessary to emphasize that the person performed a certain action himself):
to shave
to relax
to dress
to bathe
to hide
He shaved, bathed and dressed. He shaved, washed and dressed.
b. Reflexive pronouns are used in expressions:
Help yourself! (Help yourselves!) Help yourself! (Help yourself!)
Do it yourself! Do it yourself!
Behave yourself! Behave yourself!
Enjoy yourself! Enjoy life!
Hi yourself! Hello to you too! (A way of greeting someone back; a colloquial expression.)
and etc.
2. Intensifying pronouns enhance the meaning of the statement.
I wrote it myself. I myself wrote this.
She had a chance to do it herself. She had the opportunity/had the chance to do it herself.
Conclusion: Reflexive pronouns in English are used to show that:
1. The object performs the action itself.
2. The object performs an action on itself.
Reflexive pronouns in English(English: Reflexive pronouns) is quite common. Of course, they may not be found so often in sentences like , but words like myself, myself, myself etc. sometimes they are simply necessary to correctly express your thoughts.
Nothing can be by itself alone, no one can be by itself or itself alone, everyone has to inter-be with every one else. That is why, when you look outside, around you, you can see yourself.
Nothing can be on its own, no one can be alone, everyone must communicate with each other. So when you look around you, you can see yourself.
Why English reflexive pronouns deserve so much attention? How are they formed reflexive pronouns in English? What rules for using reflexive pronouns do you need to know? And how do reflexive pronouns differ from personal and possessive pronouns? Today we will talk about this.
Reflexive pronouns in English
In sentences, reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of the action are the same person.
Many languages have reflexive verbs. They end in postfix -sya (sya), and are needed to express action directed at oneself.
Remember how K. Chukovsky in the tale of Moidodyr (English: Washee-Washee)
In addition to reflexive verbs in the Russian language there are also reflexive pronoun "oneself", which can vary by case. Like reflexive verbs, the pronoun “oneself” indicates that the action being performed is directed at the doer himself.
Unlike the Russian language, English grammar does not have reflexive verbs, but there are reflexive pronouns that can serve as endings -sya or the words "yourself".
What are English reflexive pronouns
English reflexive pronouns- this is a group of pronouns that indicate that the performer of the action of the verb is also its recipient, that is, the action is directed towards himself.
Examples of sentences with reflexive pronouns:
She cut herself cooking dinner this afternoon(Russian: She cut herself while preparing lunch today)
You should take care of yourself(Russian: You must take care of yourself)
Remember!
Reflexive pronouns in English vary according to person, gender and number. To form them, the suffix -self (singular) or -selves (plural) is used.
You can see more detailed information from the table:
Reflexive pronouns in English table
So, there are nine reflexive pronouns. And if not for the suffix -self(-selves) they would resemble possessives ( my, your, our) or object pronouns ( him, them). What's the difference?
Pronouns in English table and comparison
Comparison table of English pronouns
In addition to reflexive pronouns, the table presents personal and possessive pronouns. They are more common in English.
3. Reflexive pronouns in English- these are words like myself, myself, myself, myself, myself, oneself, myself And themselves.
As stated earlier, reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of the action are the same person. For example:
Peter saw himself in the mirror(Russian: Peter saw himself in the mirror). Subject and object are one and the same person.
They are going to the shop to buy some clothes for themselves(Russian: They go to the store to buy clothes for themselves).
If we used object pronouns in these sentences him And them, the sentences would take on a completely different meaning:
Peter saw him in the mirror(Russian Peter saw him in the mirror). Him - another person, not himself.
They are going to the shop to buy some clothes for them(Russian: They go to the store to buy them clothes). For them - for someone else, not for themselves.
4. Be careful with intensifying pronouns: They look the same as reflexives, but are used to give special meaning to a single word or an entire sentence.
Intensifying pronouns are translated into Russian yourself (yourself, yourself, yourself), and returnable ones - yourself or a verb ending -sya (sya). Compare:
When used for emphasis, the reflexive pronoun means "this person/thing and no one/nothing else", for example:
Director himself said about this(Russian Director and no one else said this)
We ourselves communicated with him(Russian. We talked to him ourselves)
Reflexive pronouns in English examples with translation
To better understand reflexive pronouns in English, let's look at some examples:
As you can see translation of reflexive pronouns from English to Russian may vary depending on the situation.
When to use reflexive pronouns
An example of using the reflexive pronoun yourself: What matters most is how you see yourself (Russian. What matters most is how you see yourself)
Reflexive pronoun in English in a sentence can serve as a direct, indirect or prepositional object.
Examples of using reflexive pronouns
English reflexive pronouns are usually used in the following cases:
- With preposition by when we want to show that someone did something alone and without outside help
the subject and object of the verb refer to the same person
to strengthen some words in a sentence
Me, Myself, I - difference in use.
Although the meaning of these pronouns seems to be clear and their translation is familiar even to an infant, in practice problems often arise when using them.
And if with personal pronoun I If things are going more or less well, then the objective pronoun me and the reflexive pronoun myself can cause difficulties.
Comparison table of I, me and myself
All three pronouns me, myself, I can simultaneously be used to mean “by itself, alone.” Beyoncé's song of the same name, “Me, Myself, I,” perfectly captures loneliness with these three pronouns:
We use correctly itself itself itself
When using pronouns, we can easily correlate personal and reflexive, for example: it - itself, he - himself, she - herself.
- If the gender of the author is unknown, it is customary to classify him as masculine and use the pronoun accordingly himself, or use himself/herself via slash.
Itself never used in relation to living people, only animals or objects.
Examples of using itself itself
Reflexive pronouns for plurals
The plural of reflexive pronouns is formed using the ending -selves. Some argue that this ending comes from -self, to which the plural ending -(e)s was added.
Examples of using ourselves yourselves themselves
Sometimes it can be difficult to know when to use pronouns yourself And yourselves. The form of the personal pronoun you is the same for both singular and plural.
Therefore, be careful in sentences with you: when you address one person, use a reflexive pronoun yourself, and when addressing multiple recipients, use yourselves:
Help yourself(Russian: Help yourself)
Help yourselves(Russian: help yourself)
Sentences with reflexive pronouns in English with translation
The translation of the reflexive pronoun myself into Russian can vary significantly: I’m working on myself, for myself, by myself (Russian: I’m working on myself, for myself, independently).
The main function of reflexive pronouns - to direct the action to its author - served as the basis for their name. But this is where their similarities in different languages end.
Below are several examples of the use of reflexive pronouns in English sentences with translation into Russian.
Differences between English reflexive pronouns and Russian ones
- When translating English reflexive pronouns into Russian, you should add suffix -sya(sya), For example:
hurt oneself(Russian: get hurt)
enjoy yourself(Russian: relax)
- Reflexive pronouns are not used after verbs that describe ordinary actions that people do every day, such as dress(Russian: dress), wash(Russian: wash), shave(Russian: shave):
He washes before breakfast(Russian: He washes himself before breakfast)
Ann dressed and went out(Russian Anna got dressed and went out)
- You cannot use reflexive pronouns after English verbs feel(Russian: feel), afford(Russian: allow), concentrate(Russian: concentrate), focus(Russian: concentrate), relax(Russian: relax), meet(to meet), which in Russian are reflexive:
They feel wonderful(Russian: They felt great) He’d like to have a huge house but he cannot afford it.(Russian. He would like to have a huge house, but cannot afford it)
How to correctly translate reflexive pronouns into Russian
English reflexive pronouns are often translated into Russian using reflexive pronoun self, if the meaning of the sentence allows you to put a pronoun in front of it "myself".
Examples of translating sentences with reflexive pronouns into Russian
Some English verbs with reflexive pronouns can be translated into Russian using Russian reflexive verbs ending in -sya(s)
As you noticed, when translating English reflexive pronouns, it is necessary to take into account how the sentence will sound in Russian.
Video of reflexive pronouns in English
A video about reflexive pronouns in English will help you answer the question whether I enjoyed... or I enjoyed myself... will be correct.
Introduction to Reflexive Pronouns in English
Instead of a conclusion
The group of reflexive pronouns in the English language is small, but knowing and using them correctly, you can always be understood by your English-speaking interlocutors. And the interactive one will help make learning English reflexive pronouns a quick and fun process.
Reflexive pronouns in English test
Complete the sentences. Use:
each other or ourselves/yourselves/themselves or us/you/them
- Many people talk to…. when they're alone.
Paul and I live near…. .
Who are those people? Do you know...?
You can help Tom, and Tom can help you. So you and Tom can help…. .
There's food in die kitchen. If you and Chris are hungry, you can help…. .
We didn't go to Emily's party. She didn’t invite…. .
When we go on holiday, we always enjoy…. .
Mary and Jane were at school together, but they never see…. now.
Diane and I are very good friends. We've known... for a long time.
‘Did you see Sam and Laura at the party?’ ‘Yes, but I didn’t speak to …. .
In contact with
Reflexive pronouns in English are denoted by the words => themselves, yourselves, yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself, etc. These pronouns are also known as reflexive pronouns or self-pronouns. Let's look at the features and rules for using reflexive pronouns, give vivid examples, and also study the table where all reflexive pronouns with translation are indicated.
Examples
Everything she wanted – to make better for herself => Everything she wanted to do better for her.
One has to count on oneself => A person must count on himself.
We had to cope with it ourselves => We must cope with it ourselves.
This is interesting! The name of reflexive pronouns is associated with their main function - to express the category of reflexivity, the belonging of an action to the one who performs this action. If you explain using examples of the Russian language, you need to use the suffix -xia=> put on makeup, put on clothes, put on shoes, cut yourself, etc.
Examples
Now I need to dress oneself => Now I need to get dressed.
I told her to make herself ready for this meeting => I told her to make herself ready for this meeting.
Don't give up yourself! => Don't give up! (Don't give up!)
Examples clearly show the main situational decisions. It is recommended to remember these phrases, since they are used quite often in different areas of a person’s life, both in a conversational environment and in official business. Knowing small constructions, you can correctly construct an entire sentence.
Using reflexive pronouns correctly
Let's look at when to use reflexive pronouns using examples. And remember that there are many exceptions to any rules, so be sure to study everything with examples. So, reflexive pronouns have their place in the sentence. Let's look at when to use reflexive pronouns using examples.
- Next to verbs, when both objects and subjects refer to the verb representing the same person.
Examples
Will you please be so kind to introduce yourself? => Could you please introduce yourself?
Don't touch it! You can burn yourself! => Don't touch it! You might get burned!
My brother is trying to teach himself Spanish => My brother is trying to learn Spanish.
- With the preposition by, which expresses the meaning ‘’one, myself’’. But... there are two points here:
- If the situation implies that someone performs some actions on his own, alone, then you can use a synonym (in English -> on one’s own = on your own, by yourself).
- In the combination ‘’reflexive pronoun + preposition by’’ the meaning can be such that a person performs the action independently, without any help.
Examples
I will try to do it by myself => I will try to do it myself (without outside help)
Are you going to spend a week on this island by yourself (on your own)? Take me with you! => Are you going to spend a week on this island alone? Take me with you!
- When there are expressions => behave yourself, amuse oneself, help yourself, find oneself, enjoy yourself, do it yourself, take care of oneself, pinch oneself
Suddenly I find myself looking straight at his eyes => Suddenly I realized (I found myself) that I was looking straight into his eyes,
But =>
I found myself alone in the broken car => I felt alone in the broken car.
Be so kind to make yourself comfortable and help yourself to the cookies => Be so kind to make yourself comfortable and help yourself to homemade cookies.
After the death of my relatives, I have to take care of myself => After the death of my relatives, I have to take care of myself.
Pay attention to how reflexive pronouns are used in English =>
We ourselves prepared the homework => We prepared the lessons ourselves.
I have coped with it myself => I coped with it myself.
The articles themselves weren’t capturing at all => The articles themselves weren’t exciting at all.
The meeting itself was really amazing! => The meeting itself was really very exciting.
By doing exercises regularly, you will quickly understand the difference.
Reflexive pronouns in English
Reflexive pronouns cope with the role of not one member of a sentence, but several.
Interesting offers with translation =>
He is being amusing himself => He is amusing himself => (direct object function)
Her brothers are not quite themselves today => Her brothers are not quite themselves today (as a predicative)
I will try to cope with my problems myself => I will try to cope with the problems myself (as a function of circumstances)
Her grandma works for herself => Her grandma works for herself (in the function of indirect object)
How could they show the dark part of themselves in front of her? => How could they show their dark sides to her? (in the definition function).
On a note! Never neglect translation! It will help you better understand the rule and study it in detail! Translation is especially important for beginning students.
Let's sum it up
When learning English, reflexive pronouns should be high on your list of lessons. You will gain the image of a well-read and intelligent person in the eyes of your interlocutor if you express your thoughts correctly. Such pronouns are represented by a small group of words, so learning them will not be difficult. Do exercises and enrich your knowledge.
Remember: a high mountain is conquered by those who confidently move forward step by step. Don't miss a single step or a single lesson. As they say, drop by drop. And one more thing - try to combine tasks: use reflexive and other pronouns in sentences. This way you can learn new things and repeat what you have already learned.
Reflexive pronouns in English - easy and simple!
We wish you pleasant communication and enjoyment of your knowledge! And we are always happy to help with this!
Good luck and see you again!
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