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Je préfère bricoler moi-même à la maison.

Je préfère bricoler moi-même à la maison.
I prefer to do DIY myself at home.
From Lesson 346:Adverbial even and self pronouns (même / -même)·French

Breakdown of Je préfère bricoler moi-même à la maison.

je
I
préférer
to prefer
à la maison
at home
bricoler
to do DIY
moi-même
myself

Questions & Answers about Je préfère bricoler moi-même à la maison.

Why is moi-même placed after bricoler instead of right after Je?
In English, we can say 'I myself prefer...' or 'I prefer doing it myself.' In French, the emphatic pronoun -même usually follows the specific verb or action it emphasizes. Because it emphasizes who is doing the DIY (bricoler), it sits immediately after that infinitive.
Does moi-même change the meaning, or could I just say Je préfère bricoler à la maison?
It adds an important nuance. Without it, the sentence simply means 'I prefer doing DIY at home' (maybe instead of at a workshop). Adding moi-même strongly emphasizes doing it personally rather than hiring a professional, paying a contractor, or asking a friend to do it.
Does the verb bricoler only mean 'to do DIY'?
It is the standard word for doing DIY, home improvements, or odd jobs around the house, which is a huge part of French culture (le bricolage). It can also mean 'to tinker' or 'to cobble something together' in a more casual, everyday sense.
Why isn't there a preposition like de or à before the infinitive bricoler?
Verbs expressing a preference, such as préférer, aimer, adorer, and détester, take a direct infinitive. You never need a preposition between them and the action verb that follows.

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