What is the difference between by myself and alone? solo/a means both

Question

Does solo/a mean by myself and alone?

Ive heard a lot of people use them interchangeably in English

Answer 1

Don't forget "a solas."

Answer 2

They are pretty much interchangeable in English. When a distinction is made, "by myself" (or by him/her/yourself) is generally used with some action verb to mean "unassisted" e.g. "he did it by himself" while "alone" is more often used with some sort of stative verb to mean "unaccompanied" e.g. "he was alone"/"he went alone". However, the expressions could be exchanged in the preceding sentences without sounding odd.

As Lazarus' response indicates, "solo/a" can cover both meanings.

Answer 3

It would be helpful if you told us what your mother tongue is, so we can customize the explanations. "Solo/a" means "alone, without help".