selber

Selber is a German adverb and pronoun used to indicate that the subject performs an action personally, equivalent to “oneself” or “by oneself.” It is a colloquial variant of the standard word selbst and is common in everyday speech across German-speaking regions. In formal writing, the form selbst is generally preferred, whereas sel­ber is considered informal and often emphatic.

Usage: Selber typically appears in spoken language before or after the verb. Examples include “Ich mache das selber” (I’ll do that myself) and “Du kannst das selber entscheiden” (You can decide that yourself). It can also be used in phrases like “selber machen/tun” to stress personal initiative. A well-known fixed expression is “selber schuld,” meaning “it’s your own fault.”

Regional and stylistic notes: The word is especially common in northern Germany but is understood throughout the German-speaking world. In many contexts, sel­ber conveys a more casual, conversational tone than selbst. In some situations, particularly in writing or formal speech, selbst remains the preferred choice.

Etymology: Both selber and selbst derive from the same root related to the self, with sel­ber evolving as a spoken variant that carries extra emphasis or informality.

See also: selbst, selbsterklärung.