Themself vs. Themselves: Rules, Meaning, and Correct Usage

Quick Summary:

“Themselves” is the standard plural reflexive pronoun used when referring back to a plural subject (e.g., “The students introduced themselves”). “Themself” is a singular reflexive pronoun used alongside the singular they when referring to a single person whose gender is unknown or non-binary (e.g., “Each worker should clean up after themself”). While traditional grammar long favored themselves in all cases, modern style guides increasingly accept themself for singular individuals.

Introduction: The Reflexive Pronoun Dilemma

English pronouns are design features meant to streamline speech and writing. Instead of repeating a person’s name multiple times in a sentence, we replace it with words like he, she, they, himself, or themselves.

However, reflexive pronouns can occasionally trigger confusion for native speakers and English language learners alike.

One of the most widely debated questions in modern English grammar is the distinction between “themself” and “themselves.” You might wonder:

• Is “themself” actually a real English word, or is it a spelling error?

• When should I use “themselves” vs. “themself”?

• Are words like “theirselves” or “theirself” ever grammatically correct?

This comprehensive guide breaks down how reflexive pronouns work, explains the modern rise of singular they/themself, and provides clear rules to help you choose the right pronoun every time.

What Is a Reflexive Pronoun?

To understand “themself” and “themselves,” we first need to look at reflexive pronouns.

A reflexive pronoun is used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the exact same person or thing. In other words, the action performed by the subject reflects right back onto that subject.

In English, all reflexive pronouns end in either -self (for singular subjects) or -selves (for plural subjects).

Singular vs. Plural Reflexive Pronoun Alignment:

  SINGULAR (-self):   myself  | yourself | himself | herself | itself | themself
  PLURAL   (-selves): ourselves | yourselves | themselves

Singular vs. Plural Reflexive Pronoun Chart

When to Use “Themselves” (Plural Reflexive)

“Themselves” is the established, universally accepted plural reflexive pronoun. Whenever your subject refers to two or more people, animals, objects, or concepts, you must use themselves.

1. Standard Reflexive Actions (Plural Subject)

When a group performs an action on or for that same group, use “themselves”:

• “The pilots strapped themselves in for the long flight to the space station.”

• “The kids dirtying the surrounding tables should clean up after themselves.”

• “Pictures from the movie kept replaying themselves in her head.”

• “The campers found themselves lost in the forest.”

2. Intensive / Emphatic Usage

Sometimes, a pronoun is added right after a noun phrase simply to add dramatic emphasis. This is called an intensive pronoun:

• “The students themselves were surprised by the high exam rankings.”

• “Politicians themselves sometimes have a difficult time explaining complex policies.”

• “The economies themselves will see a rebound once trade reopens.”

Is “Themself” a Real Word? (The Singular “They” Dilemma)

The word “themself” has an interesting history. It was actually present in Middle English centuries ago before falling out of standard usage in favor of “themselves.” Today, “themself” has experienced a major resurgence due to the evolution of the singular “they.”

How Gender-Neutral Language Created a Need for “Themself”

In modern English, we frequently use they, them, and their to refer to a single individual whose gender is either unknown, irrelevant, or non-binary.

For example:

• “If a coworker is causing problems, report them to the manager.”

• “The delivery person arrived so quickly that I gave them an extra tip.”

Historically, when paired with a singular subject, traditional grammarians forced writers to use themselves (e.g., “Everyone should prepare themselves”) or the clunky phrase himself or herself (e.g., “Everyone should prepare himself or herself”).

However, because words like himself or yourself use the singular ending -self, pairing singular they with the plural ending -selves creates a logical mismatch:

Grammatical Logic Mismatch:

  [ Singular Person ] + [ Plural Ending ] ---> "A person can do it themselves." (Mixed number)
  [ Singular Person ] + [ Singular Ending] ---> "A person can do it themself."   (Matched number)

Current Status of “Themself” in Dictionaries & Style Guides

• Merriam-Webster & Oxford English Dictionary: Both recognize themself as a standard singular reflexive pronoun paired with singular they.

• APA & MLA Style Guides: Accept themself when writing about a specific non-binary individual who uses they/them pronouns or when referring to a general singular person.

• Formal / Traditional Academic Contexts: Some conservative editors still prefer using themselves or rephrasing the sentence to avoid the issue entirely.

Common Non-Standard Errors: “Theirselves” and “Theirself”

While themselves and themself are legitimate English words, you may occasionally hear expressions like “theirselves”, “theirself”, or “themselve”.

Standard vs. Non-Standard Spelling:

  [ Correct Standard ] ---> themselves  |  themself
  [ Incorrect/Dialect] ---> theirselves |  theirself  |  themselve

Why “Theirselves” Is Incorrect

English reflexive pronouns are formed using either objective pronouns (him + self = himself, them + selves = themselves) or possessive pronouns (my + self = myself, our + selves = ourselves).

Because the third-person plural form built on them (themselves), using their to create “theirselves” or “theirself” is considered a dialectal error or non-standard spelling. You should always replace “theirselves” with themselves in formal speech and writing.

Special Clarifications and Common Questions

1. Is “His or Herself” Correct?

While you can say “his or her” (e.g., “Every student must bring his or her notebook”), combining possessive his with reflexive herself is incorrect. You should say “himself or herself” (e.g., “Each candidate must present himself or herself”). However, in modern English, writing “themself” or rephrasing to a plural subject (“All candidates must present themselves”) is much smoother.

2. Is “Anyone” Singular or Plural?

Indefinite pronouns like anyone, someone, everyone, anybody, and nobody are grammatically singular.

• Correct Verb Agreement: “Is anyone available?” (Not “Are anyone available?”).

• Reflexive Pronoun Choice: “Everyone who guessed the correct answer can congratulate themself“ (or “themselves” in traditional formal style).

3. Can You Say “They Themselves”?

Yes. Saying “They themselves” is an intensive pronoun construction used for strong emphasis (e.g., “They themselves admitted the mistake”). While it can occasionally sound slightly wordy, it is completely valid in formal English.

Summary Comparison Table

Practice Exercise: Test Your Knowledge

Select the correct reflexive pronoun to complete each sentence:

1. The team members worked tirelessly to prepare ________ for the championship.

   a) theirselves

   b) themselves

   c) themself

2. If an applicant has any questions, they should feel free to introduce ________ at the front desk.

   a) themself

   b) theirself

   c) themselve

3. Which of the following forms is universally classified as a non-standard spelling error?

   a) Themselves

   b) Themself

   c) Theirselves

(Answers: 1 = b, 2 = a, 3 = c)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use “themself” in formal academic papers?

In APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, “themself” is permitted when referring to a specific individual who uses they/them pronouns or when paired with a singular indefinite pronoun. However, if you are unsure of a publisher’s preference, you can easily rephrase sentences using plural subjects (e.g., “People should help themselves” instead of “A person should help themself”).

Why isn’t “theirselves” a recognized word?

In standard English grammar, third-person reflexive pronouns are built using the object pronoun them (them + selves = themselves, them + self = themself), rather than the possessive form their. Therefore, “theirselves” is non-standard.

What is the difference between an intensive pronoun and a reflexive pronoun?

A reflexive pronoun is essential to the sentence because the subject acts upon itself (e.g., “She taught herself”). An intensive pronoun simply adds dramatic emphasis to a subject and can be removed without making the sentence ungrammatical (e.g., “The president himself visited the city”).

Master English Pronouns and Grammar

Navigating subtle language choices like “themself vs. themselves” demonstrates advanced awareness of modern English grammar trends and formal usage.

To continue polishing your understanding of pronouns, prepositions, and sentence structures, explore our full library of guides on the English Forward Grammar Hub.

Have a question about reflexive pronouns or sentence construction? Share your draft in the English Forward Language Community Forum to get helpful feedback from native speakers and certified ESL educators!

Clap

Clap