Themselves vs Theirselves: Which One Is Correct?

The difference between themselves and theirselves comes down to standard versus dialectal usage.

Use themselves in standard American English. It is the accepted reflexive and intensive form of they:

• The students completed the project themselves.
• They reminded themselves about the deadline.

Theirselves has the same basic meaning. However, it occurs mainly in regional dialects and nonstandard speech. Therefore, avoid it in school assignments, business documents, articles, and other edited writing.

Quick Answer

Themselves is correct for standard American English.

Theirselves is a real dialectal form, but most editors and teachers consider it nonstandard. Merriam-Webster labels it “chiefly dialectal,” while recognizing themselves as the standard plural pronoun. Merriam-Webster: themselves, Merriam-Webster: theirselves

Context	Best Choice	Why
Formal writing	Themselves	It is the standard form
School assignments	Themselves	Teachers expect standard usage
Professional communication	Themselves	It sounds natural and polished
Everyday standard speech	Themselves	It is widely accepted
Quoting regional speech	Theirselves	It may accurately preserve the speaker’s dialect
Fictional dialogue	Depends on the character	Theirselves can show a regional speech pattern

The easiest rule is simple: choose themselves unless you intentionally want to represent dialectal speech.

Why People Confuse Them

The confusion often begins with the word their.

English uses several reflexive pronouns that combine a possessive form with self or selves:

• My + self = myself
• Your + self = yourself
• Our + selves = ourselves

Following that pattern, theirselves may appear logical. However, standard English follows a different pattern here:

• Them + selves = themselves

That makes themselves similar to himself, which begins with the object pronoun him rather than the possessive word his.

Some speakers grow up hearing theirselves in their families or communities. Consequently, the form may sound completely natural within those dialects. Its dialectal status does not make the speaker careless or the dialect meaningless. Still, formal and edited American English uses themselves.

Key Differences At A Glance

• Themselves: The standard reflexive and intensive form of they.
• Theirselves: A dialectal form that means themselves.
• Meaning: The two forms generally express the same idea.
• Grammar: Both function as pronouns, but only themselves suits standard edited English.
• Formality: Themselves works in formal and informal contexts. Theirselves usually appears in regional or informal speech.
• Best general choice: Use themselves.

Meaning And Usage Difference

Themselves As A Reflexive Pronoun

A reflexive pronoun points back to the subject of its clause. Use themselves when the people performing an action also receive that action.

• The children dressed themselves.
• The players introduced themselves.
• My neighbors built the deck themselves.
• They asked themselves whether the plan would work.

In the first example, the children perform and receive the action of dressing. Therefore, themselves refers back to the children.

Themselves As An Intensive Pronoun

Themselves can also add emphasis. In this role, it highlights that the people completed an action personally or that a statement applies specifically to them.

• The owners themselves answered the complaint.
• The researchers checked the results themselves.
• They themselves admitted that the instructions were unclear.

You can often remove an intensive pronoun without destroying the sentence:

• The owners answered the complaint.
• The researchers checked the results.

Removing the pronoun reduces the emphasis, but the main meaning remains intact.

Theirselves As A Dialectal Pronoun

Theirselves usually performs the same reflexive or intensive jobs:

• Dialectal: They made theirselves dinner.
• Standard: They made themselves dinner.
• Dialectal: The employees theirselves requested the change.
• Standard: The employees themselves requested the change.

Although readers may understand theirselves, it can distract them in formal writing. Moreover, spelling and grammar checkers may flag it as an error.

Tone, Context, And Formality

Themselves has a neutral tone. You can use it in conversation, academic work, journalism, instructions, legal documents, and workplace communication.

• The applicants must identify themselves.
• The managers reviewed the figures themselves.
• The children can serve themselves.

Theirselves carries a strong regional or conversational quality. It may appear in dialect writing, recorded speech, interviews, or fictional dialogue. In those situations, changing it could remove part of the speaker’s natural voice.

For example, a novelist might use theirselves to reflect how a character speaks. A reporter might also preserve it in a direct quotation. Outside such situations, themselves remains the safer and more widely accepted choice.

The distinction is about language variety, not intelligence. Regional forms follow patterns within their own communities. Nevertheless, readers expect standard conventions in most published and professional material.

Which One Should You Use?

Use themselves when you are writing:

• An email
• An essay
• A résumé or cover letter
• A report
• A news article
• Website content
• Instructions
• A business proposal
• A social media post for a broad audience

Use theirselves only when you have a clear reason to preserve or represent a dialect. For example, it may fit a character’s dialogue or an exact quotation.

When you are unsure, ask whether the sentence will appear in standard edited English. If it will, choose themselves.

When One Choice Sounds Wrong

In formal writing, theirselves sounds out of place:

Incorrect in standard English:

The board members gave theirselves another week.

Correct:

The board members gave themselves another week.

Likewise, use themselves for emphasis:

Incorrect in standard English:

The teachers theirselves designed the program.

Correct:

The teachers themselves designed the program.

However, do not “correct” theirselves inside an exact quotation without showing that you changed the speaker’s words. Quoted language may intentionally preserve a person’s original phrasing.

Common Mistakes And Quick Fixes

Using Theirselves In Formal Writing

Incorrect:

The employees introduced theirselves at the meeting.

Correct:

The employees introduced themselves at the meeting.

Using Theirself For A Plural Group

Incorrect in standard usage:

The two candidates prepared theirself for the debate.

Correct:

The two candidates prepared themselves for the debate.

Because the two candidates is plural, the reflexive pronoun must also be plural.

Confusing Themselves With Their Selves

Usually, write themselves as one word:

They consider themselves fortunate.

The two-word form their selves is rare. It may appear when selves functions as an ordinary noun, especially in discussions of identity:

Their public and private selves seemed very different.

That sentence refers to different versions or aspects of the people. It does not use the ordinary reflexive pronoun.

Using Themselves Without A Clear Antecedent

Unclear:

Themselves completed the repairs.

Clear:

The homeowners completed the repairs themselves.

A reflexive or intensive pronoun normally needs an antecedent, the person or group to which it refers.

Using Themselves Instead Of They

Incorrect:

Jordan and themselves organized the event.

Correct:

Jordan and they organized the event.

In natural English, however, most writers would recast the sentence:

Jordan organized the event with them.

Themselves should not replace an ordinary subject or object pronoun simply because it sounds more formal.

Everyday Examples

Examples With Themselves

• The children cleaned the room themselves.
• The musicians introduced themselves before the show.
• The hikers found themselves far from the main trail.
• The new employees familiarized themselves with the policies.
• The dogs entertained themselves with an old tennis ball.
• The neighbors organized the fundraiser themselves.
• The students gave themselves enough time to revise.
• The twins bought themselves matching jackets.
• The committee members could not agree among themselves.
• After a short break, the runners felt like themselves again.

Corrected Examples With Theirselves

Nonstandard:

The guests helped theirselves to dessert.

Standard:

The guests helped themselves to dessert.

Nonstandard:

They should be proud of theirselves.

Standard:

They should be proud of themselves.

Nonstandard:

The players blamed theirselves for the loss.

Standard:

The players blamed themselves for the loss.

Nonstandard:

The children made the decorations theirselves.

Standard:

The children made the decorations themselves.

Themselves With Singular They

Although themselves ends in -selves, it can refer to one person when it accompanies singular they.

• Someone left their phone, but they may return for it themselves.
• Every applicant should ask themselves whether the position is suitable.
• Taylor said they would complete the project themselves.

Major dictionaries recognize this singular use. Merriam-Webster notes that themselves can follow an indefinite singular antecedent, while Dictionary.com includes its use with both unspecified and known singular people. Merriam-Webster, Dictionary.com

Themself also appears with singular they, particularly when referring to one known person:

• Taylor completed the project themself.

Both themselves and themself occur with singular they. However, theirselves is not the standard singular reflexive form.

Dictionary-Style Word Details

Verb

• Themselves: Not a verb. It is a reflexive or intensive pronoun.
• Theirselves: Not a verb. It is a dialectal reflexive or intensive pronoun.

Neither word expresses an action on its own.

Noun

• Themselves: Not normally classified as a noun. It functions as a pronoun referring back to they, them, or a related antecedent.
• Theirselves: Not normally classified as a noun. It functions as a dialectal pronoun with the same general meaning.

Synonyms

Reflexive pronouns do not usually have direct synonyms because their form depends on the sentence’s subject.

• Themselves: No exact general synonym. Depending on the sentence, personally, without help, or on their own may express a similar idea.
• Theirselves: Themselves is its standard equivalent.

Examples:

• They repaired the car themselves.
• They personally repaired the car.
• They repaired the car without help.
• They repaired the car on their own.

These versions overlap in meaning, but they do not work as exact replacements in every context.

Example Sentences

Themselves:

• The volunteers organized themselves into small groups.
• The actors themselves approved the final script.
• The puppies wore themselves out in the yard.
• The directors gave themselves until Friday to decide.
• Everyone should allow themselves time to rest.

Theirselves:

• The speakers expressed theirselves clearly.
  This form may occur in dialect, but standard writing uses themselves.
• They completed the work theirselves.
  In edited English, write themselves instead.

Word History

Themselves developed as the standard reflexive form connected with they and them. Merriam-Webster traces its known use to the 13th century.

Theirselves is not a recent misspelling. Dictionaries record it as an older dialectal formation, and Merriam-Webster traces known examples to the 14th century. However, age alone does not determine whether a form belongs in present-day standard writing. Modern edited American English favors themselves.

Phrases Containing

Themselves:

• By themselves
• Among themselves
• For themselves
• Help themselves
• Keep to themselves
• Pride themselves on
• See themselves as
• Think for themselves
• Be themselves
• Feel like themselves

Theirselves:

No common standard expressions require theirselves. Dialect speakers may use it in places where standard English uses themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Use themselves in standard American English. It works as both a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun:

• They prepared themselves.
• They themselves made the decision.

Theirselves carries the same basic meaning, but it belongs mainly to regional dialects. Therefore, save it for exact quotations, dialect writing, or dialogue that intentionally reflects a character’s speech.

For school, business, professional, and general-purpose writing, themselves is the clear choice.