Lesson 085

Russian pronoun САМ

In this lesson we’ll learn another Russian pronoun, it’s the pronoun сам. Сам is used to emphasize the subject which is performing an action. It can be translated in English as ‘myself’, ‘yourself’, ‘himself’ and so on.

Declension of the pronoun сам

As many other Russian pronouns, сам changes in gender, number and case. Have a look at the declension on the pronoun сам.

The declension table is not included in the audio.

masculine feminine neuter plural
Nominative сам сама́ само́ са́ми
Genitive самого́ само́й самого́ сами́х
Dative самому́ само́й самому́ сами́м
Accusative самого́ саму́ самого́ сами́х
Instrumental сами́м само́й сами́м сами́ми
Prepositional само́м само́й само́м сами́х
Russian Pod 101

Use of the pronoun сам

Я сама́ зна́ю, что и как де́лать.
I know myself what to do and how.

Он сам пришёл, его́ никто́ не звал.
He came by himself, nobody called him.

Э́та карти́на напи́сана сами́м Леона́рдо да Ви́нчи.
This picture is painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

Сам is very often used with себя:

Помоги́ себе́ сам.
Help yourself.

Э́то говори́т само́ за себя́.
It speaks for itself.

Learn a few useful expressions with the pronoun сам

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Сам винова́т. / Сама́ винова́та.
You asked for it! (lit. – You are guilty yourself!)

Сам не свой. / Сама́ не своя.
Not one’s usual self. (lit. – Not oneself)

Само́ собо́й (разумеется).
Of course. / Sure.

Play the audio file to practice all examples of today’s lesson:

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2 comments on “085 – Russian pronoun САМ”

  1. Mary says:

    One tiny typo, ‘himslef’ instead of ‘himself’ in the first paragraph.

    A really useful lesson. As an Irish speaker I realised this pronoun serves the same grammatical function as ‘fein’ – I am beginning to think we need a comparative Russian Gaelic grammar! Great course, so thorough and clear, thank you!

    1. Learn Russian Step by Step says:

      Hi Mary,

      Thanks for your comment and correction, appreciated. Good luck! 🙂

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