English reflexive pronouns can be confusing, especially when two expressions look almost identical but follow different grammatical rules. The difference between herself vs her self vs herselves is a good example. Although these expressions may appear interchangeable, they do not have the same meaning or usage. Choosing the correct form depends on whether you are referring to a person performing an action on herself, describing someone’s inner identity, or talking about more than one person.
Understanding these differences can improve your grammar, spelling, and writing skills. Whether you are writing an academic assignment, preparing a professional email, or improving your everyday English, knowing when to use herself and why the other forms are different will help you communicate more clearly. You may also wonder whether herselves is an acceptable plural form of herself. The answer is important because English reflexive pronouns follow specific patterns that are worth learning.
Quick Answer
Herself is the standard reflexive pronoun used for one female person. Her self is occasionally used when self means a person’s identity or inner nature. Herselves is not standard in ordinary modern English; use themselves or another appropriate expression when referring to multiple people.
Why People Confuse It
People often confuse herself, her self, and herselves because they contain similar words and appear to express related ideas. However, spelling, word function, and grammatical number determine how each expression should be used.
There are three main reasons for this confusion:
- Similar spelling: The expressions contain the words her and self, making them look closely related.
- Uncertainty about reflexive pronouns: English learners sometimes assume that adding an s to a singular pronoun automatically creates a plural form.
- Different meanings of self: The word self can refer to personal identity, while herself functions as a reflexive or emphatic pronoun.
For example, in the sentence “She prepared herself for the interview,” herself refers back to the subject she. However, a phrase such as “her inner self” refers to her identity or personality.
Understanding these grammatical differences makes it easier to choose the correct expression.
First Word: Herself
Herself is the standard spelling of the third-person singular feminine reflexive pronoun. It refers to a female person who is also the subject of the sentence. It can also emphasize that a particular person performed an action personally.
Meaning of Herself
The word herself has two common uses.
1. Reflexive use
A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence.
Examples:
- She blamed herself for the mistake.
- Maria taught herself to play the piano.
- She looked at herself in the mirror.
In each sentence, herself refers to the female subject.
2. Emphatic use
An emphatic pronoun emphasizes the person who performed an action.
Examples:
- The manager herself answered the complaint.
- Sarah herself organized the entire event.
- She herself admitted that she was wrong.
In these examples, herself adds emphasis rather than serving as the object required by the verb.
When to Use Herself
Use herself when:
- A woman or girl performs an action that affects her.
- You want to emphasize that she personally did something.
- You need a standard singular feminine reflexive pronoun.
- You are writing formal, academic, or everyday English.
Example: “Emma completed the project herself.”
This sentence emphasizes that Emma personally completed the project.
Second Word: Her Self
Her self is not the standard alternative spelling of herself. In ordinary English, the reflexive pronoun is written as one word.
However, her self can occur when self is treated as a separate noun and her functions as a possessive determiner. In this construction, the phrase may refer to someone’s identity, personality, or inner nature.
Meaning of Her Self
Consider these examples:
- She wanted to rediscover her true self.
- The experience helped her understand her inner self.
- She felt more connected to her authentic self.
Notice that these sentences use her true self, her inner self, and her authentic self. Here, self is a noun modified by a word describing identity or personal nature.
The phrase her self without an adjective is possible in certain specialized, philosophical, psychological, or literary contexts, but it is uncommon in ordinary modern English.
For example, a writer might discuss “her self” as a distinct concept in a philosophical argument about personal identity. Such usage is context-dependent and should not be confused with the standard reflexive pronoun.
Is Her Self Grammatically Correct?
The answer depends on the sentence.
- Incorrect for ordinary reflexive use: “She taught her self to cook.”
- Correct reflexive form: “She taught herself to cook.”
- Correct noun phrase: “She wanted to discover her true self.”
The first example uses an incorrect spelling for the intended meaning. The second uses the standard reflexive pronoun. The third uses self as a noun describing personal identity.
Remember: When you mean that a person performs an action on herself, write herself as one word.
Comparison Table
The following table summarizes the differences between herself, her self, and herselves.
| Expression | Grammatical Function | Standard Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herself | Reflexive or emphatic pronoun | Standard and common | She prepared herself for the exam. |
| Her self | Noun phrase in certain contexts | Possible but uncommon without additional description | She wanted to understand her true self. |
| Herselves | Purported plural reflexive pronoun | Not standard in ordinary modern English | Use themselves when appropriate. |
The key distinction is that herself is a standard pronoun, her self can refer to a person’s identity, and herselves is not the ordinary plural form of herself.
When to Use Each
Choosing the correct expression becomes easier when you identify what you want to communicate.
Use Herself for Reflexive Actions
Choose herself when the subject and the person receiving the action are the same.
Examples:
- She introduced herself to the new neighbors.
- Olivia reminded herself to call her mother.
- The child dressed herself without assistance.
In each example, the reflexive pronoun refers back to the female subject.
Use Herself for Emphasis
You can also use herself to emphasize that a person personally performed an action.
Examples:
- The author herself signed every copy.
- The director herself approved the final scene.
- She herself explained the situation to the committee.
These sentences highlight the person’s direct involvement.
Use Her Self When Referring to Identity
Use a noun phrase such as her true self or her inner self when discussing someone’s identity, personality, or personal nature.
Examples:
- She finally felt comfortable expressing her true self.
- Meditation helped her reconnect with her inner self.
- She wanted to become her authentic self.
In everyday writing, these complete noun phrases are much more natural than her self by itself.
Avoid Herselves in Standard English
Do not normally use herselves as a plural reflexive pronoun.
Instead, select the correct pronoun based on the subject:
- She → herself: She prepared herself.
- They → themselves: They prepared themselves.
- He → himself: He prepared himself.
- I → myself: I prepared myself.
- You → yourself or yourselves: You prepared yourself; you prepared yourselves.
Use themselves for a plural subject when appropriate, regardless of whether the group consists entirely of women.
Examples: Herself vs Her Self vs Herselves
These examples show how the expressions differ in real sentences.
Examples of Herself
- She taught herself how to use the new software.
- Jessica looked at herself in the mirror before leaving.
- Maria bought herself a new notebook.
- The student challenged herself to improve her grades.
- She blamed herself for forgetting the appointment.
- The actress herself attended the premiere.
- Emily prepared herself for the difficult conversation.
- She introduced herself to everyone at the meeting.
- The principal herself announced the results.
- She reminded herself to remain calm during the interview.
All ten sentences use herself as a standard reflexive or emphatic pronoun.
Examples of Her Self
- She wanted to discover her true self after years of uncertainty.
- Traveling alone helped her understand her inner self.
- She felt proud of her authentic self.
- The therapist encouraged her to express her real self.
- Writing poetry allowed her to explore her creative self.
These examples use self as a noun. The expressions are not alternative spellings of the reflexive pronoun herself.
Examples of Herselves and Correct Alternatives
The following sentences illustrate why herselves should generally be avoided.
- Nonstandard: “The girls prepared herselves for the competition.”
Standard: “The girls prepared themselves for the competition.” - Nonstandard: “The women introduced herselves to the audience.”
Standard: “The women introduced themselves to the audience.” - Nonstandard: “The sisters bought herselves new dresses.”
Standard: “The sisters bought themselves new dresses.” - Nonstandard: “The female athletes pushed herselves to improve.”
Standard: “The female athletes pushed themselves to improve.” - Nonstandard: “The teachers reminded herselves about the meeting.”
Standard: “The teachers reminded themselves about the meeting.”
These examples demonstrate that the correct plural reflexive pronoun is normally themselves, not herselves.
Common Mistakes
Even experienced English writers sometimes confuse reflexive pronouns with possessive expressions. The following mistakes are especially common.
Mistake 1: Writing Herself as Two Words
Incorrect: “She completed the assignment her self.”
Correct: “She completed the assignment herself.”
When her self is intended to mean that she personally completed something, use the single-word pronoun herself.
Mistake 2: Assuming Herselves Is the Plural of Herself
Incorrect: “The women congratulated herselves.”
Correct: “The women congratulated themselves.”
English does not form the standard plural reflexive pronoun by adding s to herself.
Mistake 3: Confusing Herself With Her Own Identity
Incorrect for the intended meaning: “She wanted to find herself true identity.”
Better: “She wanted to understand her true self.”
Use herself for reflexive or emphatic purposes, but use a noun phrase such as her true self when discussing personal identity.
Mistake 4: Using Herself When Themselves Is Needed
Incorrect: “The girls prepared herself for the test.”
Correct: “The girls prepared themselves for the test.”
The pronoun must agree with the subject in number. Because girls is plural, themselves is the appropriate choice.
Mistake 5: Using Herself Instead of Her
Incorrect: “The teacher gave the book to herself” when the intended meaning is that the teacher gave the book to another woman.
Correct: “The teacher gave the book to her.”
Use herself when the pronoun refers back to the subject or provides emphasis. Use her when an ordinary object pronoun is needed.
Memory Trick
You can remember the difference between these expressions with three simple rules.
- Herself = one female person: Think of a woman doing something to or for herself.
- Her self = her identity: Think of phrases such as her true self or her inner self.
- Herselves = avoid in standard English: For multiple people, use themselves when appropriate.
Here is an easy way to remember the correct forms:
She → herself
They → themselves
Her identity → her true self
For example:
- She dressed herself.
- They dressed themselves.
- She wanted to express her true self.
If you are unsure whether to write herself or her self, ask yourself whether you mean a reflexive pronoun or a noun describing personal identity. That simple question will usually lead you to the correct choice.
American vs British English
There is no significant difference between American and British English in the standard spelling of herself.
Both varieties use herself as the singular feminine reflexive and emphatic pronoun. Neither variety normally uses herselves as the standard plural reflexive pronoun.
The expression her self may occur in both varieties when self is used as a noun, especially in discussions of identity, psychology, literature, or philosophy.
Examples in both American and British English include:
- She taught herself French.
- The author herself attended the event.
- She wanted to rediscover her true self.
- The students prepared themselves for the examination.
Some vocabulary and spelling conventions differ between American and British English, but these pronoun forms remain the same.
The rule is simple: Use herself in both varieties of English when you need the standard singular feminine reflexive pronoun.
Similar Words
Understanding other reflexive pronouns can help you use herself correctly and avoid similar mistakes.
| Pronoun | Used With | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Myself | I | I taught myself to swim. |
| Yourself | You, singular | You should believe in yourself. |
| Yourselves | You, plural | You should prepare yourselves. |
| Himself | He | He introduced himself. |
| Herself | She | She introduced herself. |
| Itself | It | The door closed by itself. |
| Ourselves | We | We organized the event ourselves. |
| Themselves | They | They congratulated themselves. |
Herself vs Himself
Use herself when referring to a female subject and himself when referring to a male subject.
- She taught herself to drive.
- He taught himself to drive.
Herself vs Themselves
Use herself with a singular feminine subject and themselves with a plural subject or a singular they subject.
- Sarah prepared herself for the presentation.
- The students prepared themselves for the presentation.
- Alex prepared themselves for the presentation.
Herself vs Her Own
These expressions serve different grammatical purposes.
- Herself: She completed the project herself.
- Her own: She completed her own project.
The first emphasizes who completed the project. The second indicates possession or ownership.
Remember This
- Herself: The standard singular feminine reflexive pronoun.
- Her self: A noun phrase referring to personal identity in suitable contexts.
- Herselves: Not standard in ordinary modern English; use themselves for plural subjects when appropriate.
FAQs:
1. Is Herself One Word or Two?
Herself is one word when used as a reflexive or emphatic pronoun. For example, “She completed the work herself.” Two words may appear when her modifies the noun self, as in “her true self.”
2. Is Herselves a Real Word?
Herselves may appear in nonstandard, historical, or specialized contexts, but it is not the standard plural reflexive pronoun in ordinary modern English. Use themselves when referring to multiple people.
3. What Is the Plural of Herself?
The usual plural counterpart of herself is themselves when the subject is plural. For example, “She prepared herself” becomes “They prepared themselves.”
4. When Should I Use Her Self Instead of Herself?
Use herself when you need a reflexive or emphatic pronoun. Use a noun phrase such as her true self when discussing a person’s identity, personality, or inner nature.
5. Is Herself Correct in Both American and British English?
Yes. Herself is the standard spelling in both American and British English. There is no difference in its basic grammatical function between the two varieties.
6. Can I Write She Did It Her Self?
In standard English, write “She did it herself.” The single-word pronoun herself emphasizes that she personally performed the action.
7. Is Themselves Gender-Neutral?
Yes. Themselves is used with plural subjects and is also widely used with singular they, which can refer to a person without specifying gender. For example, “Jordan prepared themselves for the interview.”
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between herself, her self, and herselves can help you avoid common grammar and spelling mistakes. The most important rule is that herself is the standard reflexive pronoun for a singular feminine subject. You can use it in sentences about personal actions, such as “She taught herself to cook,” or for emphasis, as in “The director herself approved the proposal.” In contrast, her self may be appropriate when discussing identity or personality, particularly in expressions such as her true self and her inner self.
When referring to multiple people, remember that themselves is the standard plural reflexive pronoun, not herselves. Whether you are writing an email, completing an assignment, or creating English-learning content, paying attention to these small grammatical distinctions will make your writing clearer and more natural. Keep the three rules in mind, and choosing the correct expression will become much easier.
