me stesso
/ˈme ˈstes.so/word by word
The English word 'myself' is translated into Italian as me stesso.
Me stesso is used to mean 'myself'. It is typically used for emphasis or to clarify that the action is directed back at the speaker.
Meaning: me, reflexive form of me (pron)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the direct object pronoun me and the adjective stesso, which means 'same' or 'self'.
Which one should you use?
While me stesso is used for emphasis, Italian often uses the unstressed reflexive pronoun mi in many reflexive sentences instead (for example, Mi amo versus Amo me stesso).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree with the gender of the speaker. If the speaker is female, the adjective changes to the feminine form me stessa.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈme ˈstes.so/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- Because stesso comes from a combination of 'that' and 'himself', the word literally carries the ghost of an old demonstrative pronoun.
- While English uses 'myself' primarily as a reflexive, in Italian, the word stesso focuses heavily on the concept of 'sameness'.
- Even if the action is directed at yourself, the tiny pronoun mi is the default choice for most Italians, making me stesso feel like an unnecessary or even theatrical addition.
Examples in context
- Io amo me stesso.I love myself.This sentence is useful for expressing self-love using me stesso.Tatoeba #13297512 by Guybrush88, translation #1121857 by cntrational
- Io odio me stesso.I hate myself.This sentence is useful for expressing self-hatred using me stesso.Tatoeba #2723021 by Guybrush88, translation #1779951 by Spamster
- Non amo me stesso.I don't love myself.Tatoeba #5455739 by Emanuela, translation #5455693 by maaster
- Io posso farcela da solo.I can do it myself.
- Devo prendere cura di me stesso.I need to take care of myself.
- Io me l'aspettavo da me stesso.I expected it from myself.
- Concentrati su te stesso.Focus on yourself.
- Lo faccio solo per me stesso.I'm doing it only for myself.
- 103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are talking about a new hobby.
- GiuliaHo imparato a dipingere da me stesso.I learned to paint by myself.
- FrancescoÈ incredibile, Giulia! Sei molto brava.It's incredible, Giulia! You are very good.
- GiuliaGrazie, ma voglio migliorare me stesso ancora.Thanks, but I want to improve myself even more.
- FrancescoContinua così e diventerai un'artista.Keep it up and you will become an artist.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (me, stesso) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, stesso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
