If you’ve ever wondered whether to write ourselves or ourself, you’re not alone. These two reflexive pronouns look very similar, but they aren’t interchangeable in most situations.
Many English learners—and even native speakers—pause when they need to refer back to a subject like we or the singular they.
The good news is that the rule is simpler than it first appears. In standard modern English, ourselves is the normal reflexive pronoun used with we, while ourself is uncommon and appears only in limited contexts, such as when we refers to a single person (like a monarch or an editor using the royal or editorial “we“) or, increasingly, with singular they in some styles.
This article explains when to use each form, why the difference exists, common mistakes to avoid, and how to choose the right option confidently in everyday writing, academic work, business communication, and casual conversation.
Quick Answer: Ourselves vs. Ourself
Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for the plural subject we and is the correct choice in almost all everyday situations. Ourself is a much rarer form that is used only in specific contexts, such as the royal or editorial we, and occasionally with singular they in some modern usage.
Use “ourselves” when the subject is we referring to more than one person.
Use “ourself” when we represents one person (rare) or when a style guide accepts it with singular they.
What Do “Ourselves” and “Ourself” Mean?
Both ourselves and ourself are reflexive pronouns. A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence.
For example:
- “We taught ourselves how to cook.”
- “The queen referred to ourself in the official address.”
In both examples, the pronoun points back to the subject. The difference lies in whether that subject is grammatically plural or treated as singular.
What Is “Ourselves”?
Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun that corresponds to the pronoun we when we means two or more people.
Examples:
- “We prepared ourselves for the interview.”
- “We introduced ourselves to the new neighbors.”
- “We should remind ourselves to save our work.”
- “We enjoyed ourselves at the concert.”
- “We challenged ourselves to finish the project early.”
This is the form you’ll encounter in almost every piece of modern English writing.
What Is “Ourself”?
Ourself is also a reflexive pronoun, but it is much less common.
It traditionally appears when we refers to one person rather than several, such as:
- the royal we
- the editorial we
- certain historical or literary styles
In recent years, some writers have also used ourself with singular they, although themself is more widely recognized for that purpose.
Examples:
- “We have decided to dedicate ourself to this cause.” (royal we)
- “As editor, we found ourself reconsidering the introduction.” (editorial we)
Outside these specialized contexts, ourself usually sounds unusual to modern readers.
The Main Difference Between “Ourselves” and “Ourself”
The key distinction is grammatical number.
| Term | Meaning | Grammar | Best Used When | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ourselves | Reflexive pronoun | Plural | Referring back to we meaning more than one person | “We blamed ourselves.” |
| Ourself | Reflexive pronoun | Singular or special usage | Royal we, editorial we, or limited singular usage | “We prepared ourself.” |
The easiest way to remember the difference is this:
- Plural we → ourselves
- Singular we (rare) → ourself
Because ordinary conversation almost always uses we to mean more than one person, ourselves is overwhelmingly more common.
When to Use Ourselves
If you’re writing or speaking about two or more people, ourselves is the correct choice.
It functions in several ways.
1. As a Reflexive Pronoun
The action comes back to the subject.
Examples:
- “We blamed ourselves for arriving late.”
- “We congratulated ourselves after finishing the marathon.”
- “We reminded ourselves about tomorrow’s meeting.”
- “We treated ourselves to dinner.”
- “We asked ourselves an important question.”
- “We introduced ourselves before the presentation.”
- “We encouraged ourselves to stay positive.”
Notice that the subject (we) performs the action and also receives it.
2. As an Intensive Pronoun
Sometimes ourselves adds emphasis rather than acting as the object.
Examples:
- “We ourselves approved the final proposal.”
- “We completed the repairs ourselves.”
- “We designed the website ourselves.”
- “We solved the issue ourselves.”
- “We cooked the entire meal ourselves.”
Here, removing ourselves wouldn’t make the sentence ungrammatical, but it would remove the emphasis.
3. In Everyday English
You’ll hear ourselves constantly in daily conversation.
Examples:
- “Let’s be honest with ourselves.”
- “We can protect ourselves by planning ahead.”
- “We should believe in ourselves.”
- “We found ourselves laughing.”
- “We owe it to ourselves to take a break.”
These expressions are natural in American, British, Canadian, and Australian English.
Why “Ourselves” Is the Standard Choice
English reflexive pronouns generally match the grammatical number of their subject.
Consider the pattern:
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| I | myself |
| you | yourself |
| he | himself |
| she | herself |
| it | itself |
| we | ourselves |
| they | themselves |
Since we is normally plural, ourselves naturally fits this pattern.
Imagine saying:
- “We enjoyed ourself.”
Most native speakers immediately notice that something feels off because the plural subject doesn’t match the singular reflexive pronoun.
That is why style guides, dictionaries, and grammar references overwhelmingly recommend ourselves for ordinary writing.
Is “Ourself” Ever Correct?
Yes—but only in limited situations.
Many people mistakenly believe ourself is always incorrect. That’s not true.
Instead, it’s grammatically valid but highly specialized.
The most common situations include:
The Royal “We”
Historically, kings and queens sometimes referred to themselves as we instead of I.
Example:
- “We dedicate ourself to the welfare of the kingdom.”
Although the subject is we, it actually refers to one individual.
The Editorial “We”
Some editors, academics, and authors use we when presenting ideas.
Example:
- “In this chapter, we find ourself considering a different interpretation.”
Today, many writers prefer rewriting the sentence or using I, but ourself is still considered acceptable in this traditional style.
Historical and Literary English
Older English texts contain ourself more frequently than modern writing.
Authors often used it because grammatical conventions differed slightly from today’s standards.
Modern readers should generally preserve it only when quoting or discussing historical works.
When to Use Ourself
Although ourself is a legitimate English word, it has a much narrower range of uses than ourselves. Most people can write for years without needing it.
Understanding these special cases will help you recognise when ourself is appropriate—and when it isn’t.
1. When We Refers to One Person
The most traditional use of ourself is when we represents a single individual instead of a group.
This happens in formal or ceremonial contexts, particularly with the royal we.
Examples:
- “We have devoted ourself to public service.”
- “We find ourself deeply honoured by this award.”
- “We place ourself under the protection of the law.”
- “We commit ourself to this solemn duty.”
- “We present ourself before the council.”
In these examples, we refers to one person speaking in an official capacity.
2. Editorial and Academic “We”
Some writers use we instead of I to sound more objective or to include readers in the discussion. Although less common today, ourself may appear in this style.
Examples:
- “Throughout this discussion, we found ourself returning to the same question.”
- “As we revised the manuscript, we challenged ourself to be more concise.”
- “We reminded ourself that every claim required evidence.”
- “We asked ourself whether another example would improve clarity.”
- “After reviewing the results, we found ourself reconsidering our original conclusion.”
Many modern publishers now encourage writers simply to use I when referring to themselves individually.
3. Singular They and “Ourself”
Another situation occasionally discussed by linguists is the use of ourself alongside singular they in certain contexts.
However, this usage remains uncommon. Most style guides that accept a singular reflexive pronoun prefer themself, while many writers continue to use themselves even for singular they.
Because this area of English is still evolving, ourself is not normally recommended as a replacement for ourselves in everyday writing.
For most readers, the safest choice remains:
- we → ourselves
- they → themselves (or themself, depending on the style guide)
Correct and Incorrect Examples
The following examples show where learners commonly make mistakes.
| Sentence | Status | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| “We introduced ourselves to the new manager.” | ✅ Correct | Standard plural reflexive pronoun. |
| “We introduced ourself to the new manager.” | ❌ Incorrect in normal English | The subject refers to more than one person. |
| “We enjoyed ourselves during the holiday.” | ✅ Correct | Standard usage. |
| “We enjoyed ourself during the holiday.” | ❌ Incorrect | Use the plural reflexive. |
| “The monarch dedicated ourself to the nation.” | ✅ Correct | Royal we refers to one person. |
| “We completed the work ourselves.” | ✅ Correct | Intensive pronoun adding emphasis. |
| “We completed the work ourself.” | ❌ Incorrect in ordinary usage | Plural subject requires ourselves. |
| “We should trust ourselves.” | ✅ Correct | Standard modern English. |
Compare These Sentence Pairs
Correct
“We taught ourselves Spanish during the summer.”
Incorrect
“We taught ourself Spanish during the summer.”
Why?
The speaker is talking about more than one person, so the reflexive pronoun must also be plural.
Correct
“We completed the report ourselves.”
Less Appropriate
“We completed the report ourself.”
Why?
Only a singular ceremonial or editorial we would normally use ourself.
Does the Choice Change by Context?
For this comparison, the answer is mostly no. The grammar rule stays the same across different types of writing.
Everyday Conversation
People almost always say:
- “We hurt ourselves.”
- “We enjoyed ourselves.”
- “We should believe in ourselves.”
Using ourself in these sentences would sound unusual to most native speakers.
Business Communication
Professional writing follows the standard grammar rule.
Examples:
- “We committed ourselves to improving customer service.”
- “We prepared ourselves for the audit.”
- “We introduced ourselves to the new clients.”
Academic Writing
Researchers occasionally use the editorial we, but even then many modern publications avoid ourself altogether.
Instead, they often write:
- “We demonstrate…”
- “We argue…”
- “We show…”
If a reflexive pronoun is needed, publishers frequently rewrite the sentence rather than rely on ourself.
Emails
In emails, the standard form is always the safest choice.
Examples:
- “We wanted to introduce ourselves.”
- “We have prepared ourselves for the meeting.”
- “We appreciate the opportunity to present ourselves.”
Social Media
Social media tends to be informal, but the grammar does not change.
Examples:
- “We treated ourselves today!”
- “We surprised ourselves with how quickly we finished.”
Again, ourself would likely stand out as unusual unless the writer intentionally adopts a literary or humorous voice.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Learners often confuse these two forms because both appear to match the pronoun we.
Here are the most common errors.
Mistake 1: Assuming “Ourself” Is the Singular Version of “Ourselves”
❌ Incorrect
“My friend and I blamed ourself.”
✅ Correct
“My friend and I blamed ourselves.”
Tip: If we means two or more people, always choose ourselves.
Mistake 2: Thinking “Ourself” Is More Formal
Some learners believe dropping the -selves ending makes the sentence sound more sophisticated.
It doesn’t.
In ordinary English, ourself usually sounds old-fashioned or unusual rather than more formal.
Mistake 3: Using “Ourself” in Business Writing
❌
“We present ourself as an innovative company.”
✅
“We present ourselves as an innovative company.”
This is the wording expected in professional English.
Mistake 4: Believing “Ourself” Is Wrong in Every Situation
This misconception is also inaccurate.
Although rare, ourself has recognised uses in:
- royal language
- editorial writing
- historical texts
- certain specialised styles
Understanding these exceptions helps you recognise authentic examples without assuming they are grammatical mistakes.
Related Reflexive Pronouns
Seeing ourselves alongside other reflexive pronouns makes the pattern easier to understand.
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | myself | “I taught myself French.” |
| You | yourself | “You should trust yourself.” |
| He | himself | “He introduced himself.” |
| She | herself | “She prepared herself.” |
| It | itself | “The machine switched itself off.” |
| We | ourselves | “We challenged ourselves.” |
| They | themselves | “They organised themselves.” |
Notice that ourselves fits naturally into the standard system of English reflexive pronouns.
The singular-looking ourself is the exception rather than the rule.
A Simple Memory Trick
Here’s an easy way to remember the difference.
Ask yourself one question:
Does “we” mean more than one person?
If the answer is yes, use ourselves.
Think of it this way:
- we + plural = ourselves
- single ceremonial we = ourself
Another helpful reminder is to compare it with other reflexive pronouns:
- myself
- yourself
- himself
- herself
- ourselves
- themselves
Since we is normally plural, ourselves belongs naturally in this list.
When in doubt, ourselves is almost always the correct choice in modern English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ourselves or ourself correct?
Both are correct, but they are used in different situations. Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for we when it refers to two or more people. Ourself is a rare form used mainly with the royal or editorial we, and occasionally in specialised or historical contexts.
Why is ourselves more common than ourself?
Ourselves is more common because we almost always refers to more than one person in everyday English. Since English reflexive pronouns usually match the grammatical number of their subjects, the plural we naturally takes the plural reflexive pronoun ourselves.
Can I use ourself in everyday writing?
In almost all cases, no. Unless you’re intentionally using the royal we, the editorial we, or writing in a historical or literary style, ourself will sound unusual to most readers. For everyday conversation, emails, school assignments, and business writing, ourselves is the correct choice.
Is ourself old-fashioned?
In many contexts, yes. Ourself appears more often in older English, historical documents, and formal ceremonial writing than in modern everyday English. Although it is still recognised by major dictionaries, it is rarely needed in contemporary writing.
Do American and British English use these words differently?
No significant regional difference exists. Both American and British English follow the same general rule: ourselves is the standard form, while ourself is reserved for specialised uses. Canadian and Australian English follow the same convention.
How can I remember which one to use?
A simple rule works almost every time: if we means more than one person, choose ourselves. Only consider ourself when we refers to a single individual in a special context, such as the royal or editorial we.
Ourselves or Ourself: Which Should You Use?
If you’re choosing between ourselves and ourself, the answer is straightforward for almost every situation.
Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun used with the plural subject we, making it the correct choice in everyday conversation, professional communication, academic writing, and most published English.
Ourself is not incorrect, but its use is limited to specialised contexts such as the royal or editorial we, as well as certain historical and literary texts. When in doubt, use ourselves. It is the form readers expect, and it will be correct in nearly every modern English sentence.
Thomas Richardson is an English language writer dedicated to making grammar, vocabulary, and word comparisons simple, accurate, and easy for every learner.