yourself
- 01 A1 Beginner
you use this when the person doing the action and the person receiving the action are the same.
the reflexive form of 'you', used as an object when the subject of the clause is also 'you'.
Simple“You should be proud of yourself for passing that difficult exam.”
In context“If you find yourself struggling with the workload, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor for additional support.”
UsageAlways used in the singular; the plural form is 'yourselves'.
PitfallYou can do it by your own. You can do it by yourself.Use 'by yourself' or 'on your own' to mean alone, but do not mix the two phrases.
- 02 A2 Elementary
you use this to emphasize that 'you' are the one doing something, and not someone else.
used as an intensive pronoun to emphasize the identity of the subject or to indicate that the subject acted alone.
Simple“Did you bake this delicious cake yourself?”
In context“The CEO suggested that you yourself should lead the presentation, given your intimate knowledge of the project's history.”
UsageCan be placed immediately after 'you' or at the end of the clause for emphasis.
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
your usual or healthy way of acting and feeling.
referring to one's normal, healthy, or characteristic state of mind or body.
Simple“You haven't been yourself lately; is everything okay at home?”
In context“It may take several weeks of rest before you truly feel like yourself again after such a major operation.”
UsageOften used after the verb 'to be' or 'to feel'.
Synonyms
From Middle English yourself, equivalent to your + -self.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.