Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

these may seem similar but they are not

Reflexive Pronouns

• pronouns that show the subject doing the action to themselves. (reflecting the subject)

Examples:

“Ego me lavo.” - I love myself.

“Tu tibi flores das.” - You give flowers to yourself.

“Canis se in piscina.” - The dog sees itself in the fishpond.

First and Second declension share the same declensions as Personal Pronouns": (https://knowt.com/note/3bd4da4c-e404-4b4f-b1cf-14067d08254e/Personal-Pronouns)

Reflexive Pronouns have a completely different Third declension, however.

Intensive Pronouns

• pronouns that emphasize the presence of the noun its referring too (intense-ing the noun)

• it’s like seeing a celebrity and shouting “I just saw Ryan Reynolds himself!” which emphasizes his importance/presence

it uses this declension

Examples:

“Ego ipse optimus sum” - I am the best myself (emphasizes “I”)

“Video coquum ipsum” - I see the cook himself (emphasizes the cook)

These sentences don’t NEED the myself, or himself, but they’re there to emphasize the noun.

English Examples (for more context):

“She herself is the queen” emphasizes “she”

“The dog itself is brown” emphasizes the dog

Overall Difference

While both uses -self…

• Reflexive is when the the noun is doing the action to itself

• Intensive is where it emphasizes the noun