por sí solo

on its own, by himself; on its own; without help

→ por

phrase Uncommon #19,969

on its own Also means "by itself" or "alone," depending on context. Often emphasizes doing something without help.

SP: Aprendí a cocinar por sí solo.

EN: I learned to cook on my own.

Este es el único trabajo que sucede por sí solo, sin ningún esfuerzo.

This is the only job that happens on its own, without any effort.

— Piku (2015)

Él vivía allá por sí solo.

He lived there all by himself.

Tom no tuvo el valor para ir ahí por sí solo.

Tom didn't have the courage to go there on his own.

Sucede por sí solo.

It happens on its own.

— Piku (2015)

Tom dijo que María pensaba que él quizás no tendría que hacerlo por sí solo.

Tom said that María thought he might not have to do it by himself.

Lo ayudaré a mover la cabeza por sí solo.

I will help him move his head on his own.

— La escafandra y la mariposa (2007)

Lo sé, pero que caiga por sí solo.

I know, but let it fall on its own.

— Aún estoy aquí (2024)

El dinero, por sí solo, no proporciona la felicidad.

Money alone does not provide happiness.

El niño aprendió a vestirse por sí solo a los cuatro años.

The boy learned to dress himself at the age of four.

Japón no aguantará por sí solo.

Japan won’t be able to hold out on its own.

— Oppenheimer (2023)

Tom vino aquí por sí solo.

Tom came here on his own.

phrase Rare #30,593

by himself; on its own; without help Used to say that someone does something without assistance, or that something happens automatically or independently. It can agree with the noun it refers to: por sí solo / por sí sola / por sí solos / por sí solas.

SP: Tom lo hizo por sí solo.

EN: Tom did it by himself.

El paracaídas debería abrirse por sí solo.

The parachute should open by itself.

— The Running Man (2025)

Él tuvo que buscar su habitación por sí solo.

He had to find his room by himself.

Habla por sí solo.

It speaks for itself.

Tom trató de averiguar la respuesta por sí solo.

Tom tried to figure out the answer on his own.

Tom pintó la casa por sí solo.

Tom painted the house by himself.

Tom de hecho lo descifró por sí solo.

Tom actually figured it out on his own.

A Tom le gusta hacer las cosas por sí solo.

Tom likes to do things by himself.

Incapaz de cumplir la tarea por sí solo, él acudió a mí por ayuda.

Unable to complete the task on his own, he came to me for help.

Tom lo hizo por sí solo.

Tom did it all by himself.

phrase Rare #40,481

on its own Also means 'by itself' or 'by himself/herself' depending on context. Used to say something happens without help.

SP: El problema se resolvió por sí solo.

EN: The problem solved itself.

Puede ser que no se bloqueó por sí solo.

It may not have blocked itself.

— El manantial de las colinas (1986)

Te habría encontrado por sí solo.

I would have found you on my own.

— The Internship (2026)

Tom estaba reacio a ir por sí solo.

Tom was reluctant to go alone.

El gato se subió al techo de mi casa por sí solo.

The cat climbed onto the roof of my house by itself.

Eso se irá por sí solo en dos semanas.

That will go away on its own in two weeks.