Reflexive and Reciprocal Pronouns: Myself, Yourself, Each Other, and One Another

Reflexive pronouns show that the subject and object refer to the same person or thing, while reciprocal expressions show a mutual relationship between two or more participants. The difference is small in form but important in meaning.

Reflexive object

Use myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves when the subject performs an action on the same person or thing.

• She taught herself Spanish.
• I cut myself while cooking.
• The children introduced themselves.

For emphasis

A reflexive pronoun can emphasise that the named person did something personally rather than delegating it.

• The director herself answered the email.
• I built the website myself.

By + reflexive

By myself can mean alone or without help. Context decides which meaning is intended.

• I travelled by myself.
• He repaired the chair by himself.

Each other / one another

Use reciprocal pronouns when participants perform the same action toward one another.

• They looked at each other.
• The teams respect one another.
• We help each other with pronunciation.

When English does not use a reflexive

Some languages use reflexive forms where English normally does not. Common English verbs such as relax, concentrate, feel, meet often need no reflexive object.

• I need to relax.
• We met at university.
• She feels tired.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Myself will contact you → I will contact you. Reflexives do not normally replace ordinary subject pronouns.
• We saw ourselves at the café means we saw our own reflections; for mutual seeing, use each other.

Quick practice

1. Choose: “They blamed themselves/each other for their own individual mistakes.”
2. Rewrite naturally: “I myself did it without help.”
3. Correct: “Please contact myself tomorrow.”

Suggested answers: 1. themselves; 2. I did it myself/by myself; 3. Please contact me tomorrow.

Key takeaway

Ask whether the action returns to the same participant, emphasises a participant, happens independently, or moves mutually between participants. The meaning tells you which form to use.