herself
- 01 A2 Elementary
you use this when the woman or girl doing the action is also the one receiving the action.
the reflexive form of the third-person feminine pronoun, used as the object of a verb or preposition when it refers to the same person as the subject.
Simple“She looked at herself in the mirror before leaving the house.”
In context“The scientist found herself questioning the initial results after the second round of testing failed to produce the expected outcome.”
UsageUsed as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
PitfallShe bought a gift for she. She bought a gift for herself.Use 'herself' when the person receiving the action is the same person who performed it.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
you use this to emphasize that a specific woman did something alone or personally.
an intensive pronoun used to emphasize the female subject or object, often to highlight that the action was performed without help.
Simple“The queen herself signed the document to show its importance.”
In context“Although she had a large staff, the director herself conducted the final interviews to ensure the candidates fit the company culture.”
UsageOften placed immediately after the noun it emphasizes or at the end of the clause.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a way to refer to the woman of the house or a female boss, sometimes showing respect or being a bit funny.
used as a subject or object to refer to a woman of high status or the female head of a household.
Simple“Is herself at home today, or has she gone to the market?”
In context“The staff whispered that herself was in a foul mood, so everyone made sure to stay out of the main office.”
Teacher's tipThis usage is most common in Irish and some British dialects; it can sound sarcastic if used to describe someone acting too important.
Synonyms
From Middle English. Equivalent to her + -self.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.