help yourself

Meaning

An informal way to invite someone to take food, drink, or other items without waiting to be served. It shows hospitality and creates a relaxed atmosphere at social gatherings or meals.

Examples

• The buffet is open, so please help yourself to whatever you like.

  The buffet is open, so please help yourself to whatever you like.

• There's cold water in the fridge—help yourself.

  There's cold water in the fridge—help yourself.

• Don't wait for me to serve you, just help yourself to the pizza.

  Don't wait for me to serve you, just help yourself to the pizza.

• Help yourself to some cookies; I made them this morning.

  Help yourself to some cookies; I made them this morning.

• If you want another cup of coffee, help yourself.

  If you want another cup of coffee, help yourself.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please help you to the salad.

  ✓ Please help yourself to the salad.

  The reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject 'you', so 'yourself' (or 'yourselves' for plural) is required.

• ✗ Help yourself for the cake.

  ✓ Help yourself to the cake.

  The preposition that follows 'help yourself' when offering something specific is always 'to', not 'for'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The drinks are on the kitchen counter, so ___.

  💡 Invite someone to take drinks freely.

  Show answer

  help yourself

• Please ___ to the snacks while we wait for the main course.

  💡 Tell your guests they can start eating the appetizers.

  Show answer

  help yourself