Being your own boss
As an independent (onafhankelijk) freelancer, you often do everything yourself. In Dutch, you can emphasize that an action is performed upon the subject by adding -zelf to basic reflexive pronouns.
For the third person (he, she, they), the basic reflexive pronoun zich becomes the emphatic zichzelf.
| The freelancer is independent and motivates himself. | De freelancer is onafhankelijk en motiveert zichzelf. |
You will use this often when setting boundaries and determining (bepalen) your rate (het tarief).
| The freelancer sells himself well and determines the rate. | De freelancer verkoopt zichzelf goed en bepaalt het tarief. |
How does the client (de opdrachtgever) view their role?
| Does the client see himself as the boss? | Ziet de opdrachtgever zichzelf als de baas? |
Demanding discipline from myself
When the subject is ik (I), the basic reflexive me becomes mezelf (myself) to add emphasis. This is especially useful when talking about self-imposed discipline (de discipline).
| I am independent, but I demand discipline from myself. | Ik ben onafhankelijk, maar ik eis discipline van mezelf. |
| I motivate not only myself, but also the client. | Ik motiveer niet alleen mezelf, maar ook de opdrachtgever. |
Challenging yourself
Finally, for jij/je (you), the reflexive pronoun je becomes the emphatic jezelf (yourself). Use it when you want to highlight that you must challenge (uitdagen) yourself, rather than relying on someone else.
| You challenge yourself and you demand the best rate. | Jij daagt jezelf uit en je eist het beste tarief. |
| Do you challenge yourself, or do you need a client? | Daag jij jezelf uit, of heb je een opdrachtgever nodig? |
Quick Overview
Here are the emphatic forms you have learned in this lesson compared to their basic forms:
| Subject | Basic Reflexive | Emphatic Reflexive |
|---|---|---|
| Ik | me | mezelf |
| Jij / Je | je | jezelf |
| Hij / Zij / Ze | zich | zichzelf |