「themselves」是一個反身代名詞，主要用於指代句子中已提及的複數主體，強調動作返回自身或加強語氣。
反身用法
EN: They taught themselves how to code.
翻譯: 他們自學了如何寫程式。
強調用法
EN: The directors themselves made the announcement.
翻譯: 是董事們親自宣布了這個消息。
泛指一般人
EN: People often find themselves in similar situations.
翻譯: 人們常常發現自己處於類似的情況中。
小提醒：注意「themselves」是複數形式，對應的主詞必須是複數（如 they, people, the children）。單數的「他自己」是「himself」或「herself」，中性或泛指單數則用「themself」（較新用法）或「themselves」（傳統用法）。
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Real-life Examples of "Themselves" from YouTube Videos
Geoff Ralston: The Story of Your Startup
Y Combinator
“but most of all, they need to tell a story that resonates with themselves.”
1. used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a group of people or things previously mentioned as the subject of the clause
（用作動詞或介系詞的受詞，指代前面提到的群體）他們自己；她們自己；它們自己
They bought themselves a new car.
他們給自己買了一輛新車。
The children made lunch for themselves.
孩子們為自己做了午餐。
The cats were washing themselves in the sun.
貓咪們在陽光下給自己梳洗。
2. used to emphasize a particular group of people or things
（用於強調特定群體）他們自己；她們自己；它們自己
The directors themselves made the decision.
是董事們自己做的決定。
The books themselves are not valuable, but the ideas are.
書本身並不值錢，有價值的是其中的思想。
They themselves admitted the mistake.
他們自己承認了錯誤。
3. used after 'by' to mean 'alone' or 'without help'
（用於 by 之後）獨自地；無需幫助地
They managed to fix the computer by themselves.
他們自己想辦法修好了電腦。
The kids can get dressed by themselves now.
孩子們現在可以自己穿衣服了。
She completed the project all by herself.
她完全靠自己完成了這個專案。
4. used to refer to a person's normal or typical self, state, or condition
（指某人正常的自我、狀態或狀況）他們自己；她們自己
After a good rest, they were themselves again.
好好休息之後，他們又恢復了正常狀態。
They don't seem themselves today—maybe they're sick.
他們今天看起來不太對勁——也許是生病了。
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| themselves | （反身用法）他們自己；她們自己；它們自己 | They built the house themselves. (他們自己蓋了那棟房子。) |
| by themselves | 獨自地；單獨地 | The children can get dressed by themselves now. (孩子們現在可以自己穿衣服了。) |
| for themselves | 為他們自己 | They need to decide for themselves. (他們需要為自己做決定。) |
| to themselves | 獨自擁有；不與他人分享 | They kept the secret to themselves. (他們把秘密藏在心裡，沒有告訴別人。) |
| among themselves | 在他們之間；互相 | They divided the money among themselves. (他們把錢在彼此之間分了。) |
| see themselves as... | 將自己視為… | They see themselves as pioneers. (他們將自己視為開拓者。) |
| talk to themselves | 自言自語 | They often talk to themselves when thinking. (他們思考時常常自言自語。) |
| help themselves (to something) | 自行取用（某物） | Please help yourselves to some cake. (請自己拿些蛋糕吃。) |
| find themselves + V-ing / adj. | 發現自己（處於某種狀態或做某事） | They found themselves lost in the forest. (他們發現自己在森林裡迷路了。) |
對比例句： EN: They found themselves laughing at the old joke again. 翻譯: 他們發現自己又被那個老笑話逗笑了。
EN:They forced themselves to finish the marathon.
翻譯:他們強迫自己跑完馬拉松。
對比例句： EN: I can't picture themselves agreeing to such a plan. 翻譯: 我無法想像他們會同意這樣的計劃。
EN:They are teaching themselves to code.
翻譯:他們正在自學寫程式。
一般來說，描述「感知到的狀態或進行中的動作」用 themselves doing，而表達「有意識的意圖、決定或努力去完成某動作」則用 themselves to do。
themselves vs them
"themselves" 是反身代名詞，強調主詞自己執行動作或回到主詞本身；"them" 是受格代名詞，指涉其他人或事物。
themselves vs each other
"themselves" 指同一群體內部的個體對自身；"each other" 指同一群體內成員之間的相互關係。
themselves vs theirselves
"themselves" 是標準正確形式；"theirselves" 是非標準、不正確的用法，應避免。
在口語中，有時會用 "themselves" 來引述或轉述他人的話，特別是當對方使用了這個詞時。 EN: They kept saying, "We have to do it themselves to get it right." 翻譯: 他們一直說：「我們必須親自做才能做好。」
EN:So I told them, "If you want it done, you have to rely on themselves."
翻譯:所以我告訴他們：「如果你們想把事情做好，就得靠自己。」
在非正式對話中，"themselves" 可以用來加強語氣，強調「親自」、「本人」或「獨自」的概念。 EN: They built the entire shed themselves! 翻譯: 他們整個棚子都是自己蓋的！
EN:Well, they can figure that out themselves.
翻譯:嗯，他們可以自己搞定那件事。
在思考或組織語句時，說話者有時會重複或使用 "themselves" 作為一種填充詞，尤其是在解釋或舉例之後。 EN: They need to be more independent, you know, learn to handle things... themselves. 翻譯: 他們需要更獨立一點，你知道的，學會自己處理事情。
EN:It's about taking responsibility, for their own actions, themselves.
翻譯:這關乎為他們自己的行為負責，親自負責。
正式寫作注意：在正式或學術寫作中，應避免將 "themselves" 用於上述口語中的停頓填充或過於鬆散的引述結構，以保持文體的嚴謹與清晰。
by themselves
by themselves
獨自地；靠他們自己
for themselves
for themselves
為他們自己；親自
to themselves
to themselves
獨享；私下
among themselves
among themselves
在他們之間；互相
express themselves
express themselves
表達自己
protect themselves
protect themselves
保護自己
find themselves
find themselves [verb-ing / adjective / prepositional phrase]
發現自己處於某種狀態
enjoy themselves
enjoy themselves
玩得開心；享受時光
×They bought a gift for theirselves.
✓They bought a gift for themselves.
「theirselves」是錯誤的單字。反身代名詞的正確形式是「themselves」。
×The team congratulated themselves on the win.
✓The team congratulated itself on the win.
當主詞是單數的集合名詞（如 team, company, government）時，應使用單數反身代名詞「itself」，而非「themselves」。
×Someone left their bag by themselves.
✓Someone left their bag by themself.
當使用單數不定代名詞「someone」並需要性別中立的反身代名詞時，現代用法傾向使用「themself」而非「themselves」。傳統語法則可能建議重寫句子。
×They talked about the problem between themselves.
✓They talked about the problem among themselves.
「between」用於兩者之間；「among」用於三者或更多之間。當涉及群體內部的互動時，應使用「among themselves」。
×The students, as well as the teacher, enjoyed themselves at the picnic.
✓The students, as well as the teacher, enjoyed themselves at the picnic. (但語意可能模糊) 更佳：The students enjoyed themselves at the picnic, and the teacher did too.
原句在語法上可能被接受，但「as well as」連接的主詞可能導致反身代名詞「themselves」指代不清（是指 students 還是 students and teacher？）。為求清晰，最好重寫句子。
×They felt very tired, so they went to bed early by themselves.
✓They felt very tired, so they went to bed early.
「by themselves」在此為冗言，因為「went to bed」的動作已暗示是他們自己做的。除非需要特別強調「獨自一人，沒有他人陪伴」，否則不需使用「by themselves」。