Korean Reflexive Pronouns: Expressing 'I hurt myself' with 자신 and 스스로
Learn to use Korean reflexive pronouns 자신 and 스스로 when the subject and object are the same, and see how they differ from object pronouns like 나를 and 너를.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Korean, when the subject and object of a sentence refer to the same person, you often use the reflexive pronoun 자신 (jasin) or the adverb 스스로 (seuseuro). This lesson teaches you how to say things like 'I hurt myself' or 'She introduced herself' using these forms. You will also learn why Korean does not simply use object pronouns like 나를 (nareul) in these cases. By the end, you will be able to form simple reflexive sentences correctly and avoid a common mistake that English speakers make.
By the end, you can…
- use 자신 and 스스로 to show that the subject and object are the same.
- tell the difference between reflexive pronouns and object pronouns like 나를 and 너를.
- make simple Korean sentences about hurting, introducing, or taking care of oneself.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
나는 나를 다쳤어요.
I hurt myself.
na-neun na-reul da-chyeo-sseo-yo
This uses the object pronoun 나를, not a reflexive pronoun. It is understandable but sounds like you hurt 'me' as a separate object. More natural reflexive: 나는 스스로를 다쳤어요.
나는 스스로를 다쳤어요.
I hurt myself.
na-neun seu-seu-ro-reul da-chyeo-sseo-yo
Here 스스로를 acts as the reflexive object, meaning 'myself'. This clearly shows the subject and object are the same. Note that 스스로를 is a somewhat emphatic, written-style form; in casual speech people often just say 다쳤어요.
그는 자신을 소개했어요.
He introduced himself.
geu-neun ja-sin-eul so-gae-hae-sseo-yo
자신을 means 'himself' here. This is a common way to say someone introduced themselves, though 그가 자기소개를 했어요 is also very natural.
우리는 우리 자신을 돌봐야 해요.
We must take care of ourselves.
u-ri-neun u-ri ja-sin-eul dol-bwa-ya hae-yo
우리 자신을 means 'ourselves'. The plural 우리 (uri) before 자신 makes the reflexive plural.
그녀는 스스로 결정했어요.
She decided by herself.
geu-nyeo-neun seu-seu-ro gyeol-jeong-hae-sseo-yo
Here 스스로 means 'by herself' or 'on her own'. It emphasizes that she did it without help, not that she decided herself as an object.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The most common reflexive pattern is [subject] + [자신을 / 스스로를] + [verb]. 자신을 (jasin-eul) means 'oneself' as an object. 스스로를 (seuseuro-reul) also means 'oneself' but often emphasizes doing something without help. For example: 저는 자신을 믿어요 (jeo-neun jasin-eul mid-eo-yo) 'I believe in myself.' Or 그는 스스로를 용서했어요 (geu-neun seuseuro-reul yongseo-haesseo-yo) 'He forgave himself.' When the subject is plural, you can add 우리 (uri) before 자신: 우리 자신을 (uri jasin-eul) 'ourselves'. Note that Korean does not have separate reflexive pronouns like 'myself', 'yourself' for every person. Instead, 자신 stays the same, and the subject tells you who is meant. In many everyday sentences, Korean simply drops the object when it is clear from context, so reflexive forms like 자신을 and 스스로를 appear less often than English 'myself', 'yourself', etc.
When to use it
Use 자신 or 스스로 when the object of the verb is the same as the subject. This happens with verbs like 다치다 (dachida) 'to hurt', 소개하다 (sogaehada) 'to introduce', 돌보다 (dolboda) 'to take care of', and 믿다 (midda) 'to believe'. For example, if you say 나를 다쳤어요 (nareul dachyeosseoyo), it sounds like you hurt 'me' as a separate person. To make it clearly reflexive, say 스스로를 다쳤어요 (seuseuro-reul dachyeosseoyo) or 자신을 다쳤어요 (jasin-eul dachyeosseoyo). However, in everyday Korean, people often simply drop the object and say 다쳤어요, letting context make it clear. Still, using 자신 or 스스로 is more precise and avoids confusion. Also, 스스로 can be used as an adverb meaning 'by oneself': 저는 스스로 했어요 (jeo-neun seuseuro haesseoyo) 'I did it by myself.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
왜 팔에 붕대를 감았어요?
Why is your arm bandaged?wae pal-e bung-dae-reul gam-a-sseo-yo?운동하다가 스스로를 다쳤어요.
I hurt myself while exercising.un-dong-ha-da-ga seu-seu-ro-reul da-chyeo-sseo-yo.많이 아파요? 병원에 가야 해요.
Does it hurt a lot? You should go to the hospital.man-i a-pa-yo? byeong-won-e ga-ya hae-yo.네, 하지만 저는 스스로 갈 수 있어요.
Yes, but I can go by myself.ne, ha-ji-man jeo-neun seu-seu-ro gal su i-sseo-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, using 자신 or 스스로 can sound a bit formal or emphatic in casual conversation. Among close friends, people often omit the reflexive and rely on context, saying simply 다쳤어요. However, in writing or when you want to be very clear, 자신 and 스스로 are preferred. Also, 스스로 as an adverb is common in everyday speech to mean 'on one's own' or 'without help', as in 스스로 했어요. Be aware that Korean does not use reflexive pronouns as frequently as English does; sometimes the object is simply dropped when it is obvious.
One thing to watch for
Using 나를 (nareul) or 너를 (neoreul) when the subject and object are the same, as in 나는 나를 다쳤어요.
Try this instead: Although 나는 나를 다쳤어요 is understandable, it sounds like you hurt 'me' as a separate object. To be clearly reflexive, use 스스로를 or 자신을: 나는 스스로를 다쳤어요 (na-neun seuseuro-reul dachyeosseoyo) or 나는 자신을 다쳤어요 (na-neun jasin-eul dachyeosseoyo). In casual speech, simply dropping the object (나는 다쳤어요) is also very natural.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'She introduced herself' using a reflexive pronoun?
Show a sample answer
그녀는 자신을 소개했어요.
자신을 means 'herself' as the object. This is the standard reflexive form. You could also say 그녀는 스스로를 소개했어요, which is also correct but slightly more emphatic.
2What is the difference between 나를 다쳤어요 and 스스로를 다쳤어요?
Show a sample answer
나를 다쳤어요 uses the object pronoun 나를 ('me'), which can sound like you hurt a separate person. 스스로를 다쳤어요 uses the reflexive 스스로를 ('myself'), clearly showing the subject and object are the same.
The reflexive form avoids ambiguity. In casual speech, context may make 나를 다쳤어요 acceptable, but 스스로를 is more precise.
3Translate: 'We must take care of ourselves.'
Show a sample answer
우리는 우리 자신을 돌봐야 해요.
우리 자신을 means 'ourselves'. The plural 우리 before 자신 makes it clear that the reflexive refers to 'we'. You could also say 우리는 스스로를 돌봐야 해요, which is also correct.
Use 자신 or 스스로 when the subject and object are the same. They work like 'myself', 'yourself', etc., but do not change form. Avoid using 나를 or 너를 for reflexive actions if you want to be precise; in casual speech, dropping the object is often the most natural choice.
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