itself
/ɪtˈself/pronoun
उच्चारण इट्सेल्फ़
स्वयं (वह वस्तु)
Basic word
- 1
(the reflexive form of it) used when an animal or a thing that causes an action is also affected by it; used to emphasize an animal, a thing
स्वयं (वह वस्तु)
- The cat cleaned itself.
- The idea itself is good.
- The machine switches itself off after ten minutes.
+ 2 more examples
- The village itself is small, but the fair is huge.
- Good history often seems to repeat itself every few years.
Synonyms it by itself in itself
§Structures (grammar patterns) 5
reflexive: subject + verb + itself
Used when a thing or animal does something to itself.
जब कोई वस्तु या पशु स्वयं पर कोई क्रिया करे।
- The cat cleaned itself.
- The machine switched itself off.
emphatic: the noun itself
Placed after a noun for emphasis, meaning that very thing.
Noun के बाद ज़ोर देने के लिए आता है, जिसका अर्थ 'वही चीज़' है।
- The village itself is small, but the fair is big.
- The idea itself is simple.
by itself / of itself
'By itself' means alone or without help; 'of itself' means automatically.
'By itself' का अर्थ अकेले या बिना सहायता; 'of itself' का अर्थ अपने आप।
- The door closed by itself.
- The problem will not solve itself.
in itself
Means by its own nature, apart from other things.
इसका अर्थ है अपने स्वभाव से, अन्य बातों को छोड़कर।
- Winning is not important in itself.
itself vs. himself / herself / themselves
Use 'itself' for things and animals; use himself or herself for people.
वस्तुओं और पशुओं के लिए 'itself'; लोगों के लिए himself या herself।
- The child hurt himself, but the puppy only scratched itself.
+Collocations 5
verb + itself
repeatproveturn outpresentadjustshow
- History repeats itself.
noun + itself
the city itselfthe building itselfthe law itselfthe plan itself
- The plan itself is good; the timing is wrong.
by / in + itself
by itselfin itselfof itselffor itself
- The machine runs by itself.
itself + adjective
itself smallitself rareitself enoughitself a reward
- Honesty is itself a reward.
idioms with itself
speak for itselfrepeat itselftake care of itselfbe a reward in itself
- The results speak for itself.
“More examples 6
- The company itself was not to blame for the delay.
देरी के लिए कंपनी स्वयं दोषी नहीं थी।
- The bus stopped by itself on the slope.
बस ढलान पर अपने आप रुक गई।
- Radhika's old clock winds itself every night.
राधिका की पुरानी घड़ी हर रात अपने आप चाबी भर लेती है।
- Kindness is not enough in itself; it needs action.
दया अपने आप में पर्याप्त नहीं है; उसे कर्म चाहिए।
- The room itself was clean, but the corridor was dirty.
कमरा स्वयं तो साफ़ था, पर गलियारा गंदा था।
- The Himalayas, by itself, form a natural border between India and Tibet.
हिमालय अपने आप में भारत और तिब्बत के बीच प्राकृतिक सीमा बनाता है।
!Common mistakes 2
✗ The machines repaired itself.
✓ The machines repaired themselves.
A plural subject needs the plural reflexive 'themselves'.
बहुवचन कर्ता के लिए बहुवचन reflexive 'themselves' आता है।
✗ The evidence speaks for it.
✓ The evidence speaks for itself.
The idiom is 'speak for itself'.
सही मुहावरा 'speak for itself' है।
¶Idioms 1
in itself
considered on its own, separately from other things
अपने आप में
- Cracking the interview is an achievement in itself.
- The plan is not bad in itself, but it costs too much.
≈Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms
it by itself in itself
§Grammar and usage
Itself (reflexive: 'The machine switches itself off'; emphatic: 'The book itself is not difficult'); by itself (automatically; alone: 'The door closed by itself'); in itself (considered alone: 'Learning a language is a skill in itself').
Itself (reflexive: 'The machine switches itself off'; emphatic: 'The book itself is not difficult'); by itself (स्वतः; अकेले: 'The door closed by itself'); in itself (अपने आप में: 'Learning a language is a skill in itself')।
“Collocations, idioms and sayings
Be patience or honesty itself (be very patient or honest).
Idiom 'be patience या honesty itself' (बहुत धैर्यवान या ईमानदार होना, धैर्य की मूर्ति)।