To emphasize that someone did something independently, Russian uses the emphatic pronoun сам. It translates to "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," or "themselves," depending on who is doing the action.
The pronoun сам must agree in gender and number with the subject it emphasizes.
| Gender / Number | Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|
| Masculine | сам | myself, yourself, himself |
| Feminine | сама | myself, yourself, herself |
| Neuter | само | itself |
| Plural | сами | ourselves, yourselves, themselves |
Masculine and Feminine (сам / сама)
Use сам for masculine subjects (or a male saying "I" or "you").
Use сама for feminine subjects (or a female saying "I" or "you").
These pronouns are often used with verbs like справиться (to manage or cope) to emphasize handling a situation independently.
Plural (сами)
When talking about groups (мы, они), use the plural form сами. You also use сами with вы, whether addressing a group or speaking formally to one person.
Neuter (само)
For neuter nouns—like приложение (application)—use the neuter form само.
DIY Projects
You will frequently hear these pronouns in the context of crafts, renovations, and chores.
