eux-mêmes
/ø.mɛm/
The English word 'themselves' is translated into French as eux-mêmes.
eux-mêmes is used as the reflexive case of the third-person plural pronoun. While eux-mêmes is used for emphasis or after prepositions, the unstressed reflexive pronoun se is used to indicate the subject is performing the action on themselves.
Meaning: the reflexive case of they, the third-person plural personal pronoun (pron)
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between using eux-mêmes and the unstressed reflexive pronoun se.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes to elles-mêmes if the group being referred to is exclusively female.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ø.mɛm/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'they did it by themselves' to mean 'without help', you might use tout seuls instead of eux-mêmes.
- The word mêmes in this phrase functions as an adjective meaning 'same' rather than a direct translation of the English suffix '-selves'.
- While eux-mêmes emphasizes the actors, the reflexive pronoun se can be used to create a 'passive' meaning. For example, saying 'the book sells se' implies it sells itself without mentioning a seller.
Examples in context
- Ils ont tout fait eux-mêmes.They did it all themselves.This sentence is useful for seeing eux-mêmes used to show they did the action personally.Tatoeba #12159923 by Taibouche, translation #7408544 by CH
- Ils se moquaient d'eux-mêmes.They laughed at themselves.This sentence is useful for seeing eux-mêmes used after a preposition.Tatoeba #12159926 by Taibouche, translation #7408548 by CH
- Ils eurent honte d'eux-mêmes.They were ashamed of themselves.Tatoeba #12376671 by Rovo, translation #7408460 by CH
- Les étudiants ont organisé la fête eux-mêmes.The students organized the party themselves.
- Les femmes se sont préparées pour le spectacle elles-mêmes.The women prepared for the show themselves.
- 57 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are talking about their friends' new house.
- LéaIls ont construit la maison eux-mêmes ?Did they build the house themselves?
- NathanOui, ils ont tout fait sans aide.Yes, they did everything without help.
- LéaC'est incroyable, ils sont très courageux.That's incredible, they are very brave.
- NathanIls sont très fiers d'eux-mêmes.They are very proud of themselves.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry eux-mêmes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
