Please help me translate: Keep your hands to yourself ...

Question

Hi everyone,

I am trying to figure out how to express the concept of one's self... So I have a few questions. How would I say: Keep your hands to yourself. You need to do it for yourself.

I also have questions about ownership and how to express a few sentences such as: Touch your own chair. You have a bike of your own.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help

Answer 1

If I am understanding correctly the word propia means ownership... so could I say : Ella tiene su propia libro.

As for the concept of self (si mismo) with an accent over the i. I am still having a hard time could you please explain more about the concept of the words: myself, yourself, him/ herself, themselves.

Thanks again you guys are all wonderful

Just a small point but if you want to use "own" as in posses, ie I own a boat, I own a car etc, you would not use propio/a but the verbs, tener, poseer and in the case of land, goods, companies, etc you can use ser dueño de. You also have pertenecer which means to belong.

Answer 2

Thank you very much for clearing that up for me.

Answer 3

If I am understanding correctly the word propia means ownership... so could I say : Ella tiene su propio libro.

In Spanish, adjectives (and possessives) agree with the words they modify, not with the person they belong to, like in English with "his"/"her"/"our"/...:

ÿl tiene su propio libro.
ÿl tiene su propia libreta.
ÿl tiene sus propios libros.
ÿl tiene sus propias libretas.

Ella tiene su propio libro.
Ella tiene su propia libreta.
Ella tiene sus propios libros.
Ella tiene sus propias libretas.

Ellos tienen su propio libro.
Ellos tienen su propia libreta.
Ellos tienen sus propios libros.
Ellos tienen sus propias libretas.

As for the concept of self (si mismo) with an accent over the i. I am still having a hard time could you please explain more about the concept of the words: myself, yourself, him/ herself, themselves.

This is just a reinforcement, used for clarification or for strong emphasis:

Juan y Pedro se lavan

Do they wash one another, or themselves? If context does not make it clear enough, a little extra will clear any possible misunderstanding:

Juan y Pedro se lavan a sí mismos
Juan y Pedro se lavan el uno al otro

Answer 4

If I am understanding correctly the word propia means ownership... so could I say : Ella tiene su propia libro.

As for the concept of self (si mismo) with an accent over the i. I am still having a hard time could you please explain more about the concept of the words: myself, yourself, him/ herself, themselves.

Thanks again you guys are all wonderful

Answer 5

touch your own chair=toca tu propia silla

Answer 6

Keep your hands to yourself = ¡Las manos quietas/quietecitas! (in Spain)
Touch your own chair = Toca tu propia silla.
You have a bike of your own = Tienes tu propia bici.

Answer 7

Hi everyone,

I am trying to figure out how to express the concept of one's self... So I have a few questions. How would I say: Keep your hands to yourself. You need to do it for yourself.

I also have questions about ownership and how to express a few sentences such as: Touch your own chair. You have a bike of your own.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help

Mantenga las manos a sí mismo - keep your hands to yourself

Tiene que hacerlo por sí mismo - you have to do it yourself