By Myself in Portuguese: Sozinho, Por Mim Mesmo, or Por Conta Própria?
Sozinho describes being alone or doing something without company; por conta própria emphasizes independence.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Sozinho means alone or by oneself and agrees with the person: sozinho, sozinha, sozinhos, or sozinhas. The context shows whether the person is physically alone or simply doing an activity without company.
Use sozinho for being alone
Moro sozinho perto do centro.
I live alone near downtown.
Ela viajou sozinha pela primeira vez.
She traveled by herself for the first time.
Use por conta própria for independence
Por conta própria emphasizes that someone acted independently, without being told or relying on help. It is useful when talking about learning, decisions, and work.
Aprendi português por conta própria.
I learned Portuguese on my own.
Ele resolveu o problema por conta própria.
He solved the problem by himself.
Use por mim mesmo for ‘by my own effort’
Por mim mesmo or por mim mesma can stress that you personally did something. The possessive-style form agrees with the speaker, so choose mesmo or mesma to match.
Quero tentar por mim mesma primeiro.
I want to try by myself first.
Consertei a bicicleta por mim mesmo.
I fixed the bike by myself.
Put it into practice
Use sozinho for being alone, por conta própria for independence, and por mim mesmo to emphasize your own effort.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I learned Portuguese on my own”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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