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selbst

oneself

adverb particle ZELPST Common
Grammar & Structure Particles

Also means

even

Usage Note

selbst has two jobs: after a noun it means 'oneself' (ich mache es selbst, 'I'll do it myself'), but in front of a phrase it means 'even' (selbst der Chef kam, 'even the boss came'). The colloquial form selber covers only the first sense.

Examples

"Das habe ich selbst gemacht."

Natural Translation

I did that myself.

Literal Translation

That have I myself made.

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