Люби себя
To say "love yourself" in Russian, you say Люби себя.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative verb Люби (love) and the reflexive pronoun себя (yourself/oneself).
Which one should you use?
Люби себя uses the singular imperative, which is used when speaking to one person informally, whereas Любите себя is used for a group or a single person in a formal context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperative form changes from the informal Люби to the polite or plural Любите depending on the level of formality or the number of people being addressed. To change the command "Love yourself" into the statement "You love yourself", the verb changes to the second-person singular form Любишь.
Did you know?
- In Russian culture, emphasizing Люби себя can sometimes be perceived as promoting 'эгоизм' (egoism) rather than healthy self-care.
- The word себя comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *swé, which is a distant relative of the English word 'self'.
- The reflexive pronoun себя is an 'accusative' form that does not change based on the gender or number of the person being addressed.
Examples in context
- Помните, что важно любить себя даже в трудные времена.Remember that it is important to love yourself even in difficult times.
- У тебя есть прекрасные качества, так что люби себя такой, какая ты есть.You have wonderful qualities, so love yourself for who you are.
- Мой друг, ты заслуживаешь любви, поэтому люби себя безоговорочно.My friend, you deserve love, so love yourself unconditionally.
- Люби себя, прежде всего.Lyubi sebya, prezhde vsego.Love yourself, above all.
Example conversation
Sergey is giving advice to Ekaterina about her self-esteem.
- Сергей SergeyЕкатерина, просто люби себя.Ekaterina, prosto lyubi sebya.Ekaterina, just love yourself.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЭто так трудно, Сергей.Eto tak trudno, Sergey.It is so difficult, Sergey.
- Сергей SergeyЛюби себя, и всё наладится.Lyubi sebya, i vsyo naladitsya.Love yourself, and everything will improve.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЯ постараюсь это сделать.Ya postarayus' eto sdelat'.I will try to do that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries себя, CC BY-SA 4.0.
