Office email and meetings

“I’ll do it today itself”: the natural English way to say it

Say “I'll do it today” or, for emphasis, “I'll get it done by 5 pm today”. In standard English, itself does not add emphasis to time words.

Instead of

I will send it today itself.

Say

I'll send it today, for sure.

Why Indian speakers say it

Hindi adds ही for emphasis: “आज ही भेज दूँगा” means “I’ll send it today, not later”. Indian English translates ही as itself, and sometimes as only (“I am here only”). In standard English, itself is a reflexive pronoun (“the machine turns itself off”), so “today itself” sounds odd. Emphasis comes from other words: for sure, no later than today, right now, or a specific time.

हिंदी मेंहिंदी में ज़ोर देने के लिए “ही” लगाते हैं: “आज ही”। अंग्रेज़ी में इसका अनुवाद itself नहीं होता, क्योंकि itself एक reflexive pronoun है। “I’ll send it today itself” की जगह “I’ll send it today” या “I’ll send it by 5 pm today” कहें।

Three more examples

Instead of	Say
Call me now itself.	Call me right now.
He left yesterday itself.	He already left yesterday.
I am staying here only.	I'm staying right here. The same ही often becomes “only”.

Quick self-check

Answer in your head, then open the answer.

Choose the natural sentence.
1. I'll finish the report today itself.
2. I'll finish the report today, for sure.
3. I'll finish the report today only itself.
Show answer
b) I'll finish the report today, for sure. “For sure” carries the emphasis.
Which sentence uses itself correctly?
1. The door locks itself.
2. Do it now itself.
3. Meet me there itself.
Show answer
a) The door locks itself. Itself points back to the door, the subject.
“I am at home only” (meaning “I am right at home”) is better said as:
1. I'm at home.
2. I am only at home.
3. I'm home itself.
Show answer
a) I'm at home. “I am only at home” means something different: home is the only place you go.

Practise it out loud

Knowing the rule is not the same as saying it right under pressure. In WordSlick you practise sentences like these out loud with AskSlick, the AI tutor, and get corrections explained in Hindi. Mistakes you keep making come back in later sessions until they stop.

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Questions

Is “today itself” grammatically wrong?

It is common Indian English and Indian listeners understand it. In standard English it is not used, and listeners abroad may miss the emphasis you intend.

How do I stress urgency politely?

“I’ll send it by 5 pm today.” A specific time is clearer and more convincing than any emphasis word.

Related mistakes

From the WordSlick editorial team’s guide to the English mistakes Indian speakers make. Updated 2026-10-15. Spotted a mistake? Read our editorial policy.