Reflexive and Reciprocal Pronouns and Verbs

Wederkerende en Wederkerige voornaamwoorden en werkwoorden

Reciprocal Pronouns (Wederkerig) Reflexive Pronouns (Wederkerend)

myselfyourselfhimself / herselfitselfourselvesyourselvesthemselves

each other (2 people)

one another (3 or more people)

Underline the reciprocal or reflexive pronouns. Then draw an arrow to the subject the pronouns refers to.

Reflexive Pronouns 1

• Use when the subject and object are the same person.– Hanna looked at herself in the mirror.– I can’t help myself! I love chocolate!

• If you give orders, use yourself or yourselves– Be careful. Don’t hurt yourself, Timmy.– Push yourselves, guys! Play hard!– Help yourself to some food.

Reflexive Pronouns 2

• You can use reflexive pronouns to emphasize the noun.– I myself love chocolate.– English itself is very difficult. There are so many

rules!• Be + (-self) = act in the normal way.– She shouldn’t be nervous! She should be herself.

• By + (-self) = alone– That’s sad! Jima always eats by himself.

Practice Examples

1. When we do “self-talk,” we talk to _________. Sara and Tom talk to __________ in different ways.

2. Sara works out and keeps ________ fit. She tells _______ that her problems will get better.

3. Tom spends all his time at home by _______. He doesn’t allow ____________ to have a good time. He doesn’t blame the problem __________. Tom’s doctor said, “Treat __________ better, Tom!”

Complete the sentences with the correct reflexive pronouns:

myselfyourself

yourselvesourselves

themselvesitself

herselfhimself

Practice Examples

1. When we do “self-talk,” we talk to _________. Sara and Tom talk to __________ in different ways.

2. Sara works out and keeps ________ fit. She tells _______ that her problems will get better.

3. Tom spends all his time at home by _______. He doesn’t allow ____________ to have a good time. He doesn’t blame the problem __________. Tom’s doctor said, “Treat __________ better, Tom!”

ourselves themselves

herselfherself

himselfhimself

itselfyourself

Complete the sentences with the correct reflexive pronouns:

myselfyourself

yourselvesourselves

themselvesitself

herselfhimself

Reciprocal Pronouns

• Use reciprocal pronouns when the subject and object are the same people, but you’re referring to the two-way relationship.– 2 people: • Tom and Sara work with each other.

– 3 or more people: • Work in a group. Help one another.• When my family had dinner, we told one another about

our jobs.

Practice Examples

• Sara is calm, but Tom is stressed out. Tom and Sara have very different reactions from _________. When they talk to _________, they are very different.

• At work, Sara is comfortable with her co-workers. They help ___________. Tom is very stressed at work. He and his co-workers do not work well with _____________.

Complete the sentences with the correct reciprocal pronouns:

each other one another

Practice Examples

• Sara is calm, but Tom is stressed out. Tom and Sara have very different reactions from _________. When they talk to _________, they are very different.

• At work, Sara is comfortable with her co-workers. They help ___________. Tom is very stressed at work. He and his co-workers do not work well with _____________.

Complete the sentences with the correct reciprocal pronouns:

each other one another

each othereach other

one another

one another

NOTICE!

• Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns have opposite meanings. – Tom and Sara helped themselves.

– Tom and Sara helped each other.

What’s the difference?

I did it by myself: I did it on my own, without any help

I did it myself: I did it; the myself is strictly superfluous (overbodig), but is used to emphasise that it was me and not anyone else

ourselves

myselfyourself

be + - self = be normal

each other

myself

ourselves

herself

themselves

ourselvesby + - self = alone

repeats to emphasize the subject

wederkerend in het Nederlands, niet in het EngelsBijvoorbeeld: zich concentreren - to concentrateen dus niet: *to

concentrate oneself

Zo ook: • zich aankleden – to dress• zich aanpassen – to adapt• zich afvragen – to wonder• zich ergeren – to be annoyed• zich gedragen – to behave• zich haasten – to hurry• zich herinneren – to remember• zich inschrijven – to register• zich melden – to report• zich veroorloven – to afford• zich voelen – to feel

Het Engels heeft niet veel zuiver wederkerende werkwoorden: werkwoorden die alleen wederkerend gebruikt worden. Hieronder vindt u er een paar.

• to absent oneself from = wegblijven van (bijzonder formeel)

• to busy oneself with = ergens mee in de weer zijn

• to content oneself with = genoegen nemen met• to pride oneself on = zich beroepen op, zich

bogen op

Veel werkwoorden kunnen wel of niet wederkerend gebruikt worden. Hieronder vindt u er een paar:

• to deny oneself (jezelf onthouden van)• to distance oneself from (afstand doen van)• to enjoy oneself (zich vermaken)• to express oneself (zich uitdrukken)• to kid oneself (idiomatic) (jezelf voor de gek houden)• to repeat oneself (jezelf herhalen)