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selbst. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
selbst, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
selbst in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
selbst you have here. The definition of the word
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German
Etymology
With excrescent -t fossilized from the nonfeminine genitive singular Middle High German sëlbes, from the Old High German pronoun selb, selbo, 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/ (official standard)
- IPA(key): /zɛlps/ (usually before a consonant; colloquially also in pausa)
Particle
selbst
- personally, by oneself
- Synonym: selber
Du hast es selbst zugegeben.- You yourself admitted it.
Der Mann selbst hat uns es gesagt.- The man himself (personally) told us.
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 I asked”).
References