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Lesson 26A2

Reflexive Pronouns

தன்வினை பிரதிபெயர்கள்

English marks 'doing something to oneself' with a dedicated set of -self words — a separate, visible marker where Tamil often just leaves the reflexive sense built into the verb itself.

Grammar Comparison

Grammar Comparison

myself/yourself/himself as an explicit add-on, not a built-in verb sense

English

I hurt myself. (myself is a separate, required word)

Tamil (English explanations)

நான் காயப்பட்டேன். (the reflexive sense is often built directly into the verb, no separate word needed)

Tamil frequently builds the 'to oneself' meaning directly into the verb's own form, without a separate reflexive word required. English instead requires an explicit -self/-selves word (myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves, themselves) whenever the subject and object of a verb are the same person — 'I hurt myself' cannot drop myself the way Tamil might fold the sense into காயப்பட்டேன். Treat this as a mandatory add-on English requires that your Tamil instinct won't automatically remind you to include.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

I hurt myself.eye hurt my-SELF
Tamil (English explanations)
நான் காயப்பட்டேன்.nān kāyappaṭṭēn.
Don't hurt yourself.dohnt hurt yor-SELF
Tamil (English explanations)
உன்னை காயப்படுத்திக்காதே.uṉṉai kāyappaduththikkādhē.
He looked at himself in the mirror.hee lookt at him-SELF
Tamil (English explanations)
அவன் கண்ணாடியில் தன்னைப் பார்த்தான்.avan kaṇṇāḍiyil thaṉṉaip pārththān.
They enjoyed themselves.thay en-JOYD them-SELVZ
Tamil (English explanations)
அவங்க சந்தோஷமா இருந்தாங்க.avanga sandhōshamā irundhānga.