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Using myself, yourself, himself and other reflexive pronouns.
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the clause.
The English reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves.
I hurt myself while moving the furniture.
Я повредил себя, когда двигал мебель.
"Myself" refers back to the subject "I".
You should be careful not to hurt yourself.
Тебе следует быть осторожным, чтобы не пораниться.
"Yourself" refers back to the subject "you".
He cut himself while cooking.
Он порезался во время готовки.
"Himself" refers back to the subject "he".
She taught herself to play the guitar.
Она сама научилась играть на гитаре.
"Herself" refers back to the subject "she".
The dog scratched itself.
Собака почесалась.
"Itself" refers back to the animal subject "the dog".
We prepared ourselves for the meeting.
Мы подготовились к собранию.
"Ourselves" refers back to the subject "we".
You should all introduce yourselves.
Вы все должны представиться.
"Yourselves" refers back to the plural subject "you".
They blamed themselves for the mistake.
Они винили себя за ошибку.
"Themselves" refers back to the subject "they".
Reflexive pronouns are formed by adding -self or -selves to possessive determiners or object pronouns.
Myself, yourself and ourselves are formed differently from himself, herself and themselves.
I made the sandwich myself.
Я сам сделал бутерброд.
"Myself" is formed with "my" + "-self".
You can do it yourself.
Ты можешь сделать это сам.
"Yourself" combines "your" with "-self".
He introduced himself to the new neighbors.
Он представился новым соседям.
"Himself" is formed from "him" + "-self".
She taught herself Spanish.
Она сама выучила испанский.
"Herself" is formed from "her" + "-self".
The machine switches itself off.
Машина сама выключается.
"Itself" is the reflexive form used for "it".
We organized the event ourselves.
Мы сами организовали мероприятие.
"Ourselves" is formed from "our" + "-selves".
You should all take care of yourselves.
Вы все должны заботиться о себе.
"Yourselves" is the plural reflexive form of "you".
They built the website themselves.
Они сами создали сайт.
"Themselves" is the plural reflexive form of "they".
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject and object refer to the same person or thing.
Example: She hurt herself while cooking.
She hurt herself while cooking.
Она поранилась во время готовки.
The subject "she" and the object refer to the same person.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
Он посмотрел на себя в зеркало.
"Himself" refers back to "he".
I taught myself how to cook.
Я сам научился готовить.
"Myself" refers back to "I".
The cat cleaned itself.
Кошка почистилась.
"Itself" refers back to "the cat".
We found ourselves in a difficult situation.
Мы оказались в трудной ситуации.
"Ourselves" refers back to "we".
They introduced themselves before the meeting.
Они представились перед собранием.
"Themselves" refers back to "they".
You can blame yourself for the mistake.
Ты можешь винить себя за ошибку.
"Yourself" refers back to "you".
The children dressed themselves.
Дети сами оделись.
"Themselves" refers back to the children.
Some actions naturally require a reflexive pronoun when performed on oneself.
Examples include cut yourself, introduce yourself and blame yourself.
Please introduce yourself to the class.
Пожалуйста, представься классу.
"Introduce yourself" is a common reflexive construction when someone presents their own identity.
Be careful not to cut yourself.
Будь осторожен, чтобы не порезаться.
"Cut yourself" refers to causing an injury to yourself.
Don't blame yourself for the mistake.
Не вини себя за ошибку.
"Blame yourself" means consider yourself responsible.
She prides herself on her work.
Она гордится своей работой.
"Pride yourself on" is normally used with a reflexive pronoun.
He found himself in a difficult situation.
Он оказался в трудной ситуации.
"Find yourself" can describe unexpectedly being in a particular situation.
You should remind yourself to check the door.
Тебе следует напомнить себе проверить дверь.
"Remind yourself" means make yourself remember something.
She accidentally locked herself out of the house.
Она случайно заперла себя за пределами дома.
"Lock yourself out" means make yourself unable to enter a place because you left the keys inside.
He asked himself why he had agreed.
Он спросил себя, зачем согласился.
"Ask yourself" refers to mentally asking yourself a question.
Many English verbs do not use reflexive pronouns where other languages do.
Examples include wash, shave, dress, relax and feel in their ordinary meanings.
I washed before dinner.
Я помылся перед ужином.
English normally omits the reflexive pronoun after "wash" when the meaning is obvious.
She shaved before work.
Она побрилась перед работой.
English normally says "shaved", not "shaved herself", in the ordinary sense.
He dressed quickly.
Он быстро оделся.
"Dressed" normally does not need a reflexive pronoun when the subject dresses themself.
We relaxed after work.
Мы расслабились после работы.
"Relax" normally does not take a reflexive pronoun.
I feel better now.
Теперь я чувствую себя лучше.
"Feel" does not normally require "myself" in this meaning.
She washed her hands before dinner.
Она помыла руки перед ужином.
The object "her hands" makes a reflexive pronoun unnecessary.
The children got dressed for school.
Дети оделись в школу.
"Get dressed" is the normal construction; "get themselves dressed" would add emphasis.
He shaved before the interview.
Он побрился перед собеседованием.
"Shave" normally omits the reflexive pronoun when the person shaves themself.
Reflexive pronouns may emphasize the subject rather than act as objects.
Examples include I wrote it myself and The manager herself approved the proposal.
I wrote the entire report myself.
Я сам написал весь отчет.
"Myself" emphasizes that the speaker personally did the work.
The manager herself approved the proposal.
Сама менеджер утвердила предложение.
"Herself" emphasizes the manager personally.
The president himself answered the question.
Сам президент ответил на вопрос.
"Himself" emphasizes that the president personally answered.
We built the website ourselves.
Мы сами создали сайт.
"Ourselves" emphasizes that no outside team built it.
You can ask the doctor yourself.
Ты сам можешь спросить врача.
"Yourself" emphasizes that the listener should personally do the action.
The students themselves organized the event.
Сами студенты организовали мероприятие.
"Themselves" emphasizes the students rather than someone else.
The company itself paid for the repairs.
Сама компания оплатила ремонт.
"Itself" emphasizes the company as the responsible entity.
She said it herself.
Она сама это сказала.
"Herself" emphasizes that she personally made the statement.
By followed by a reflexive pronoun means alone, without help or independently.
Examples include She lives by herself and He solved the problem by himself.
She lives by herself.
Она живет одна.
"By herself" means alone or without other people.
He fixed the computer by himself.
Он сам починил компьютер.
"By himself" means without help.
I went to the movie by myself.
Я сам пошел в кино.
"By myself" means alone.
We built the table by ourselves.
Мы сами собрали стол.
"By ourselves" means without outside help.
You can do this by yourself.
Ты можешь сделать это сам.
"By yourself" means independently or without help.
The children stayed at home by themselves.
Дети остались дома одни.
"By themselves" means without another person supervising or accompanying them.
The machine cannot operate by itself.
Машина не может работать сама по себе.
"By itself" can mean independently or without external help.
She completed the project by herself.
Она сама завершила проект.
"By herself" emphasizes that she completed the work without assistance.
Reflexive pronouns are used after prepositions when they refer back to the subject.
Compare She was talking to herself with She was talking to her sister.
She was talking to herself.
Она разговаривала сама с собой.
"Herself" refers back to the subject "she" after the preposition "to".
He looked at himself in the mirror.
Он посмотрел на себя в зеркало.
"Himself" refers back to "he" after "at".
I was angry with myself.
Я злился на себя.
"Myself" refers back to "I" after the preposition "with".
They were talking among themselves.
Они разговаривали между собой.
"Themselves" refers back to the plural subject "they".
She bought a coffee for herself.
Она купила себе кофе.
"Herself" refers to the subject "she" after "for".
We kept the secret to ourselves.
Мы сохранили секрет при себе.
"Ourselves" refers back to "we".
He was proud of himself.
Он гордился собой.
"Himself" follows the preposition "of" and refers back to "he".
The children were laughing among themselves.
Дети смеялись между собой.
"Themselves" refers back to the children.
Some common expressions regularly contain reflexive pronouns.
Examples include enjoy yourself, help yourself, make yourself at home and find yourself doing something.
Enjoy yourself at the party.
Хорошо проведи время на вечеринке.
"Enjoy yourself" is a fixed expression used when wishing someone a good time.
Please help yourself to some coffee.
Пожалуйста, угощайтесь кофе.
"Help yourself to" is a fixed expression meaning take something freely.
Make yourself at home.
Чувствуй себя как дома.
"Make yourself at home" is a fixed expression used to make a guest feel comfortable.
I found myself thinking about the problem again.
Я обнаружил, что снова думаю об этой проблеме.
"Find yourself doing something" describes unexpectedly becoming involved in an action or situation.
Please make yourself comfortable.
Пожалуйста, устраивайся поудобнее.
"Make yourself comfortable" is a common polite expression.
He kept himself busy while he waited.
Он занимал себя чем-то, пока ждал.
"Keep yourself busy" is a common expression meaning stay occupied.
She told herself to stay calm.
Она сказала себе сохранять спокойствие.
"Tell yourself" is commonly used for an internal instruction.
He found himself in a difficult situation.
Он оказался в трудной ситуации.
"Find yourself" is often used when someone unexpectedly ends up in a situation.
Formal English generally avoids unnecessary reflexive pronouns.
Object pronouns are preferred unless a true reflexive or emphatic meaning is intended.
The manager spoke to me after the meeting.
Менеджер поговорил со мной после собрания.
"Me" is correct; a reflexive pronoun is unnecessary.
The manager spoke to herself after the meeting.
Менеджер разговаривала сама с собой после собрания.
"Herself" is used only when the manager is the person being addressed or spoken to.
Please send the form to me.
Пожалуйста, отправьте форму мне.
"Me" is the normal object pronoun after "to".
Please send the form to myself.
Пожалуйста, отправьте форму мне.
"Myself" is unnecessarily formal or nonstandard here unless emphasis or contrast is intended.
The report was prepared by me.
Отчет был подготовлен мной.
"Me" is correct after "by" when the pronoun simply identifies the agent.
The report was prepared by myself.
Отчет был подготовлен мной.
"By myself" normally adds the meaning of doing the work alone, so it is different from simple agent identification.
She spoke with the client and me.
Она поговорила с клиентом и со мной.
"Me" is the normal object form after "with".
The director and I approved the document.
Мы с директором утвердили документ.
"I" is used because the coordinated phrase is the subject.
Oneself is used as the reflexive form of the indefinite pronoun one.
It appears mainly in formal English and general statements.
One should take care of oneself.
Следует заботиться о себе.
"Oneself" is the reflexive form used with the formal generic pronoun "one".
One can easily find oneself in a difficult situation.
Человек легко может оказаться в трудной ситуации.
"Oneself" refers back to the generic subject "one".
One should ask oneself whether the decision is fair.
Следует спросить себя, справедливо ли это решение.
"Oneself" is the reflexive form corresponding to "one".
It is important to be honest with oneself.
Важно быть честным с собой.
"Oneself" is common in formal general statements.
One should not blame oneself for every mistake.
Не следует винить себя за каждую ошибку.
"Oneself" refers back to the generic subject "one".
Learning to understand oneself takes time.
Чтобы научиться понимать себя, требуется время.
"Oneself" is used in a general statement about people.
One must ask oneself what really matters.
Нужно спросить себя, что действительно важно.
"One" and "oneself" form a consistent formal pair.
A person should be able to defend oneself in an emergency.
Человек должен уметь защитить себя в чрезвычайной ситуации.
This use of "oneself" follows the generic, formal style associated with "one".
Use reflexive pronouns only when required by grammar or meaning.
Common mistakes include adding unnecessary reflexive pronouns, omitting required ones and confusing reflexive and object pronouns.
She hurt herself while cooking.
Она поранилась во время готовки.
Use "herself" because the subject and object refer to the same person.
She called me yesterday.
Она позвонила мне вчера.
Use "me", not "myself", when the object does not refer back to the subject.
John and I went home.
Мы с Джоном пошли домой.
Use "I", not "myself", as part of a normal subject phrase.
The manager spoke to Sarah and me.
Менеджер поговорил с Сарой и со мной.
Use "me" after the preposition "to".
I washed before dinner.
Я помылся перед ужином.
Do not add "myself" unnecessarily after "wash" in ordinary English.
He shaved before work.
Он побрился перед работой.
English normally omits the reflexive pronoun after "shave" when the meaning is obvious.
You can do it yourself.
Ты можешь сделать это сам.
"Yourself" adds emphasis or means without help; it is not simply a replacement for "you".
I did the work myself.
Я сам сделал работу.
Use "myself" when it emphasizes that the speaker personally performed the action.