selbst

== German == === Etymology === With excrescent -t (same: eins > einst, su(n)s > sonst etc.) fossilized from the neutral gendered Middle High German sëlbes, from the Old High German pronoun sëlb, sëlbo, from Proto-Germanic *selbaz, from Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ- (“one's own”), from *s(w)e- (“separate, apart”). Compare Low German sulv, Dutch zelf, English self, Danish selv. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /zɛlpst/ (Germany) IPA(key): /zɛlps/ (Germany, usually before a consonant; colloquially also in pausa) IPA(key): /sɛlpst/ (Austria, Southern Germany, Switzerland) === Particle === selbst personally, by oneself Synonym: selber ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Adverb === selbst even Synonym: sogar Selbst du hast es zugegeben. ― Even you admitted it. ==== Usage notes ==== DWDS labels selbst an indeclinable pronoun when it means “personally”, and an adverb when it means “even”. DWB labels it a pronoun when it means “personally”. The Duden labels it a particle in both senses. Selbst is generally understood to refer to the subject of the clause, whatever its position. Thus ich habe Sandra selbst gefragt means “I myself asked Sandra”, and not “I asked Sandra herself”. This can only be changed by placing the object at the beginning of the clause: Sandra selbst habe ich gefragt (“Sandra herself [was the one] I asked”). ==== Derived terms ==== === References ===