Toimême

Toimême is a French term that translates literally to "to himself" or "to herself." It is used reflexively in French grammar, indicating that the subject of a verb is also the object of that verb. For example, in the sentence "Il se regarde dans le miroir," "se" is the reflexive pronoun referring back to "il," meaning "He looks at himself in the mirror." The term "toimême" itself, however, is a more emphatic form. It is used to add stress or emphasis to the reflexive pronoun, meaning "oneself" or "myself/yourself/himself/herself" when the speaker wants to highlight the subject's direct involvement or action.

The construction with "toimême" often translates to phrases like "by oneself," "personally," or "for oneself." For instance, "Il l'a fait toimême" emphasizes that he did it himself, without any help. Similarly, "Elle a décidé d'y aller toimême" means "She decided to go there herself," stressing her personal decision. It functions as an intensifier, drawing attention to the agent performing the action. While the basic reflexive structure is common, the addition of "toimême" is reserved for situations where a stronger sense of individual agency or self-action is intended.