moi-même
/mwa.mɛm/
The English word 'myself' can be translated into French as me or moi-même.
Meaning: me, reflexive form of me (pron)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| moi-même | /mwa.mɛm/ |
| me | /mə/ /mø/ (Paris) |
In French, you choose between a short reflexive form and an emphatic form depending on whether you are describing an action performed on yourself or emphasizing your own identity.
What does it mean word for word?
The emphatic form moi-même is composed of the stressed pronoun moi (me) and même (self/same).
Which one should you use?
The short form me is used as a reflexive pronoun within a verb phrase, such as when describing an action done to oneself. In contrast, moi-même is used for emphasis, often to mean 'I myself' or to clarify that you personally performed an action.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the reflexive form me in constructions such as Je me suis…, the me must precede the auxiliary verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/mwa.mɛm/
Did you know?
- In standard French me serves as both the direct and indirect object, but some northern dialects still use mi specifically for the indirect object.
- The word même in moi-même comes from the Latin word for 'same', meaning the phrase literally translates as 'me same'.
- Using moi-même can sometimes sound more formal or even slightly dramatic in spoken French compared to the simple reflexive me.
Examples in context
- Je me suis coupé.I cut myself.This sentence shows how to use the reflexive form me with the verb 'cut'.Tatoeba #1803616 by sacredceltic, translation #1553482 by CK
- Je me suis brûlé.I've burnt myself.This sentence shows how to use the reflexive form me with the verb 'burn'.Tatoeba #2231489 by Amastan, translation #1739682 by sundown
- Je me suis amusé.I amused myself.This sentence shows how to use the reflexive form me with the verb 'amuse'.Tatoeba #2415943 by sacredceltic, translation #2245608 by CK
- Moi-même, je suis étudiant en informatique.Myself, I am a computer science student.
- Je souhaite me présenter. Je suis Jean Dupont.I would like to introduce myself. I am Jean Dupont.
- 706 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking about their weekend plans.
- EmmaJe vais préparer le dîner moi-même.I am going to prepare the dinner myself.
- NathanTu n'as pas besoin d'aide, Emma ?Don't you need help, Emma?
- EmmaNon, je peux le faire moi-même.No, I can do it myself.
- NathanD'accord, Nathan fera la vaisselle alors.Okay, then Nathan will do the dishes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “myself” translations and entries moi-même, me, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
