# yourselves

/ˈjɔɹsɛɫvz/ (US) · /jɔːsˈɛlvz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yourselves
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. reflexive use

pronoun · CEFR A2

you use this when the people you are talking to do an action to themselves.

For teachers: the reflexive object of a verb or preposition where the subject is the same group of people being addressed.

- Please help yourselves to some snacks while you wait for the meeting.
- If you do not prepare yourselves for the upcoming inspection, the entire department will likely face significant penalties.

### 2. for emphasis

pronoun · CEFR B1

you use this to emphasize that the people you are talking to are the ones doing the action.

For teachers: used as an intensive pronoun to emphasize the second-person plural subject of the clause.

- You yourselves told me that the project was finished yesterday.
- Since you yourselves witnessed the incident, your testimony will be crucial for the internal investigation.

## Examples

- You should all be very proud of yourselves.
- Please help yourselves to the snacks on the table while you wait for the meeting to start.
- If you do not organize yourselves into efficient working groups by the end of the hour, the project will likely fail to meet its deadline.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.