When choosing between “their life” and “their lives,” the correct form depends on how many people you are talking about and whether you mean one shared life situation or the individual lives of several people. This small difference can change the meaning of a sentence, especially when using their as a possessive determiner.
The confusion happens because their can refer to one person, multiple people, or a group, while life and lives follow different number patterns. “Their life” uses the singular noun life, whereas “their lives” uses its plural form lives. Understanding when to use each makes your writing clearer and helps you avoid common grammar mistakes. In this guide, you will learn the meaning, grammar rules, examples, and practical differences between their life vs their lives.
Quick Answer
Use “their life” when life refers to one person’s life or a single shared life or existence. Use “their lives” when their refers to multiple people and each person has an individual life. The context determines which form is correct.
Why People Confuse It
The word their does not tell you whether the following noun should be singular or plural.
For example:
- The child changed their life. → one person’s life
- The children changed their lives. → several people’s individual lives
- The couple changed their life together. → one shared life
Because their can refer to both singular and plural antecedents, you need to examine the context.
Another important point is that life is an irregular plural noun:
- Singular: life
- Plural: lives
The spelling changes from f to v when pluralized.
First Word: Their Life
“Their life” contains the possessive determiner their followed by the singular noun life.
It can be correct in several situations.
1. One person
“Their” can be singular when referring to a person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or when they use they/them pronouns.
Every student should take responsibility for their life.
Here, their refers to every student, which is grammatically singular.
2. A shared life
“Their life” can also describe one life shared by two or more people.
The newly married couple began their life together.
The couple has one shared life or lifestyle in this particular context.
3. A collective or shared experience
The team’s victory changed their life forever.
If the context treats the team as a single collective entity, singular life may be appropriate, depending on the intended meaning.
Second Word: Their Lives
“Their lives” uses the plural noun lives.
It is generally used when their refers to two or more people and you are talking about their separate individual lives.
The sisters have completely different lives.
Each sister has her own life, so lives is appropriate.
Another example:
Social media has changed their lives.
This means social media affected the individual lives of multiple people.
The key idea is individuality. If several people each have a separate life being discussed, their lives is usually the natural choice.
Comparison Table
| Phrase | Meaning | Typical Use | Example |
| Their life | One person’s life | Singular they | Every person should value their life. |
| Their life | One shared life | Couples/groups sharing one existence | They built their life together. |
| Their lives | Multiple individual lives | Two or more people | The experience changed their lives. |
| Their lives | Separate personal experiences | Groups of people | The students returned to their lives. |
When to Use Each
Use “Their Life” When:
- Their refers to one person.
- You are using singular they.
- Several people share one life or existence.
- The noun life represents one unified experience.
Example:
Everyone deserves to make their own choices in their life.
Use “Their Lives” When:
- Their refers to multiple people.
- You are talking about separate individual lives.
- Different people have different experiences.
- The action affects each person individually.
Example:
The volunteers dedicated their lives to helping others.
A useful question is:
Am I talking about one life or several individual lives?
That question will often give you the answer immediately.
Examples
Here are more examples showing the difference clearly:
- Everyone should have control over their life.
- The twins have lived very different lives.
- Each person must decide what to do with their life.
- The disaster changed their lives forever.
- The couple started their life together in a new city.
- The soldiers risked their lives to protect others.
- Nobody should feel that their life has no purpose.
- The students returned to their lives after graduation.
- Every employee deserves a healthy balance in their life.
- The inventions transformed their lives.
- They wanted to build a peaceful life together.
- The two friends went on to lead completely different lives.
Notice that their life can be correct even when their refers to one person or a shared situation.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using “Lives” for Singular They
Incorrect:
Every student should respect their lives.
Better:
Every student should respect their life.
When their refers to every student individually, life is normally singular.
Mistake 2: Using “Life” for Multiple Individual People
Incorrect:
The three brothers live completely different life.
Correct:
The three brothers live completely different lives.
Each brother has an individual life.
Mistake 3: Assuming “Their” Always Means Plural
Their does not always indicate multiple people.
Someone forgot their phone.
Here, their is singular and refers to someone.
Therefore, their life can also be grammatically correct.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the Irregular Plural
The plural of life is lives, not lifes.
- one life
- two lives
- many lives
Memory Trick
Use this simple rule:
One life → their life
Separate lives → their lives
Think about whether you can replace the phrase with:
- his/her life → their life
- their individual lives → their lives
For example:
Everyone should enjoy their life.
Think: his or her life.
But:
The athletes risked their lives.
Think: each athlete risked his or her own life.
American vs British English
The distinction between their life and their lives is essentially the same in American and British English.
Both varieties use:
- life as the singular noun
- lives as the plural noun
- their as a possessive determiner
- singular they/their in appropriate contexts
Differences in pronunciation or style do not change the basic grammar rule.
For example, both American and British English can use:
Everyone has the right to live their life freely.
And:
The events changed their lives.
Similar Words
Understanding related possessive phrases can make this rule easier:
- his life — one male person’s life
- her life — one female person’s life
- their life — one person’s life with singular they, or a shared life
- their lives — multiple individual people’s lives
- our life — one shared life or existence
- our lives — the individual lives of members of a group
- your life — one person’s life or a general singular reference
- your lives — multiple people’s individual lives
Compare:
We built our life together.
with:
We changed our lives through education.
The first emphasizes a shared existence; the second emphasizes individual lives.
FAQs
Is “their life” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Their life” is grammatically correct when their refers to one person, especially with singular they, or when referring to one shared life.
Is “their lives” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Their lives” is correct when their refers to multiple people and you mean their separate individual lives.
Which is correct: “everyone has their life” or “everyone has their lives”?
Usually, “everyone has their life” is correct because everyone is grammatically singular.
Can “their life” refer to multiple people?
Yes. It can refer to multiple people when they are understood as sharing one life or existence.
What is the plural of “life”?
The plural of life is lives.
one life → two lives
Should I say “they changed their life” or “they changed their lives”?
It depends on the meaning. If they refers to one person, use their life. If they refers to several people and each person’s life changed, use their lives.
Is “their life together” correct?
Yes. “Their life together” is natural when two or more people share one life or relationship.
Final Verdict
The difference between their life vs their lives is mainly about number and meaning. Use their life for one person’s life or one shared life. Use their lives when referring to multiple people’s separate individual lives.
The easiest way to choose is to look at the meaning rather than the word their alone. Ask whether you are describing one life or several individual lives. Once you understand that distinction, choosing between life and lives becomes much easier.
Remember This
Their life = one life or one shared life.
Their lives = multiple individual lives.
