Ok.. when I just started learning Spanish I loved the word 'mismo' and 'misma'. But now I am not so sure..
Sometimes I get confused when I have to use 'mismo' (/igual), 'propio' / 'propia' or even for example ' por mi cuenta'.
' I have done it myself' for example: ' Lo he hecho yo mismo'? or ' ' yo lo he hecho por mi cuenta'
Both are right. In one case you emphasize you did it yourself and in the other you say you did it on your own initiative.
' Es el mismo' - but 'y su uso propio' - not ' y su uso mismo' - right, or wrong?
I'm not sure I understand your question here... "Es el mismo" means it's the same... (it needs either something said before or a complement: "the same jacket", "the same place"...)
"Su uso propio" and "su uso mismo" also need some context or complement. "La biblioteca es para uso propio de los estudiantes" (it's the students who will use it).
But "su uso mismo" is not related to "su uso propio": "Las drogas dañan la salud. Su uso mismo está prohibido". (The use of drugs itself is forbidden).
' Me da igual' but not ' me da
lo mismo' ? Although in most cases I suppose ' igual' and ' mismo' can be used interchangeably..?
"Me da igual" and "me da lo mismo" can be used interchangeably and both mean "I don't care".
So can someone give me a clear rule of thumb when to use
'mismo'
'propio'
'por me cuenta'
when referring to 'self' , 'by him/him/herself ' etc?
For example if I want to emphasize that I have done something ' all by myself' - would I say ' por me cuenta'?
I don't think I can give any rules. The continuous use of the words and the contexts will show you how to use them. Try to write many sentences with different examples and you'll start seeing the nuances between them.
Or if I want to emphasize that I was 'all by myself ' would I be using any of these words or should I use ' completamente sola' for example?
"All by myself" can be said "yo sola", "completamente sola", "sin ayuda", "por mi cuenta"... it depends on the context and your intention.
He came all by himself (meaning not alone but of his own initiative, it was all his idea), would I translate that as '
Veni vino completamente
/enteramente/todo por su cuenta' or would I need to put it in another way
Somehow this seems like a fairly easy distinction between these words, yet when I am trying to use them it seems I don't use them appropriately more often than not.
