Ourselves and ourself look almost identical, but they are not normally interchangeable.
In standard modern English, ourselves is the correct reflexive pronoun used with we and us.
For example, “We prepared ourselves for the journey” and “We did it ourselves.”
Ourself is much less common and has specific uses, particularly with the singular pronoun we in certain formal or institutional contexts.
For students and English learners, the easiest rule is simple: when we refers to more than one person, use ourselves.
It can refer back to the subject of a sentence or emphasize that the people represented by “we” did something personally.
Ourself, by contrast, is generally used when we refers to a single person, especially in formal writing where “we” is used instead of “I.”
Understanding this distinction will help you choose the natural form in everyday English.
Quick Answer
Ourselves is the normal reflexive pronoun for we/us when “we” refers to multiple people. Ourself is uncommon and is mainly used when we refers to one person, such as an institutional or formal “we.” In ordinary conversation, use ourselves: “We introduced ourselves.”
Why Do People Confuse “Ourselves” and “Ourself”?
The confusion comes from the fact that both words combine our with a reflexive ending.
English commonly forms reflexive pronouns with -self or -selves:
- myself
- yourself
- himself
- herself
- itself
- ourselves
- yourselves
- themselves
Because ourself looks like a logical singular version of ourselves, learners sometimes assume that both forms are equally common.
However, standard everyday English normally uses ourselves with we.
“We taught ourselves English.”
Not:
“We taught ourself English.”
What Does “Ourselves” Mean?
Ourselves is a reflexive pronoun corresponding to we or us.
It is normally used when we refers to two or more people.
1. Reflexive use
The action comes back to the people performing it.
“We introduced ourselves.”
Here, we and ourselves refer to the same people.
More examples:
- “We hurt ourselves.”
- “We blamed ourselves.”
- “We prepared ourselves for the exam.”
2. Emphatic use
Ourselves can also emphasize that the people represented by “we” personally performed an action.
“We built the table ourselves.”
This emphasizes that nobody else built it for them.
Another example:
“We completed the project ourselves.”
What Does “Ourself” Mean?
Ourself is a rare or specialized form. It can be used when we refers to one person, particularly in formal, institutional, or historical styles.
For example, a monarch or another individual speaking formally may use we instead of I. In such a context, ourself can be used reflexively.
It may also appear in certain formal or archaic expressions.
For ordinary modern English, however, ourself is uncommon.
If we clearly refers to several people, ourselves is the natural choice.
Ourselves vs Ourself: Comparison Table
| Feature | Ourselves | Ourself |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Reflexive pronoun | Rare reflexive pronoun |
| Normal use | We/us referring to multiple people | We referring to one person in special contexts |
| Everyday English | Very common | Uncommon |
| Example | “We introduced ourselves.” | “We must remind ourself…” |
| Standard choice for plural “we” | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Typical context | Everyday, academic, professional English | Formal, institutional, historical, or specialized usage |
When Should You Use “Ourselves” or “Ourself”?
Use “ourselves” with plural “we”
When we means two or more people, ourselves is the normal form.
“We enjoyed ourselves at the party.”
“We organized the event ourselves.”
“We need to remind ourselves to stay focused.”
Use “ourself” only in special contexts
Ourself may be appropriate when we refers to one person rather than a group.
This is most likely in formal or institutional language, where an individual speaks as an institution or uses a traditional formal “we.”
For ordinary writing, however, ourselves will almost always be the appropriate choice when referring to a group.
10+ Examples of “Ourselves” and “Ourself”
Examples with “Ourselves”
- “We introduced ourselves to the new teacher.”
- “We prepared ourselves for the competition.”
- “We taught ourselves how to cook.”
- “We should be proud of ourselves.”
- “We accidentally hurt ourselves.”
- “We organized the entire event ourselves.”
- “We reminded ourselves to stay calm.”
- “We enjoyed ourselves during the trip.”
- “We challenged ourselves to improve.”
- “We bought the furniture and assembled it ourselves.”
Examples with “Ourself”
- “The speaker used the formal royal ‘we’ when referring to ourself.”
- “In historical writing, a monarch may refer to ourself instead of ‘myself.’”
The second form is unusual in modern everyday English, so learners should not use ourself simply as a shorter version of ourselves.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using “ourself” for a group
Incorrect:
“We introduced ourself to the guests.”
Correct:
“We introduced ourselves to the guests.”
Because we refers to multiple people, ourselves is required.
Mistake 2: Assuming every “we” needs “ourself”
The choice depends on what we refers to.
- Plural we → ourselves
- Singular formal/institutional we → ourself may occur in specialized usage
Mistake 3: Replacing “myself” with “ourself”
If one person is speaking normally, the correct reflexive pronoun is myself.
Incorrect:
“I taught ourself the subject.”
Correct:
“I taught myself the subject.”
Mistake 4: Using “ourselves” when “us” is needed
Reflexive pronouns cannot simply replace ordinary object pronouns.
Incorrect:
“The teacher gave the books to ourselves.”
In standard English, this would normally be:
“The teacher gave the books to us.”
Use ourselves when it refers back to the subject or is being used for emphasis.
Memory Trick: Ourselves vs Ourself
Remember the number:
We = multiple people → ourselves
Think:
we → ourselves
Just as:
I → myself
you → yourself
he → himself
she → herself
we → ourselves
they → themselves
The -selves ending usually signals a plural reflexive pronoun.
American vs British English
There is no major difference between American and British English in the ordinary use of ourselves.
In both varieties:
“We introduced ourselves.”
“We did it ourselves.”
Ourself remains unusual in ordinary modern speech and writing in both varieties.
Specialized, formal, historical, or institutional uses may occur, but learners generally do not need ourself for everyday English.
Similar Words
Myself
Myself is the reflexive pronoun corresponding to I.
“I taught myself Spanish.”
Yourself
Yourself is generally used with singular you.
“Take care of yourself.”
Yourselves
Yourselves is used with plural you.
“You should prepare yourselves.”
Themselves
Themselves corresponds to they.
“They introduced themselves.”
Ours
Ours is a possessive pronoun, not a reflexive pronoun.
“That house is ours.”
You would not normally use ourselves in this sentence.
Final Verdict
For normal modern English, ourselves is the correct choice when we refers to two or more people. It is the standard reflexive pronoun used in sentences such as “We introduced ourselves” and “We completed the work ourselves.”
Ourself is a rare and specialized form. It can occur when we refers to a single person using a formal or institutional “we,” particularly in historical or ceremonial language. For everyday English, however, learners should generally use ourselves with plural we.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “ourself” grammatically correct?
Ourself can be grammatically acceptable in specialized contexts, especially when a singular person uses we formally. However, it is uncommon in ordinary modern English.
Should I say “ourselves” or “ourself”?
In normal English, use ourselves when we refers to multiple people.
“We did it ourselves.”
Is “ourself” a real word?
Yes. Ourself exists as a rare reflexive form, but it is not normally used as the singular equivalent of ourselves in everyday English.
Can I say “we did it ourself”?
Normally, no. If we refers to several people, say:
“We did it ourselves.”
What is the difference between ourselves and ourself?
Ourselves is the normal plural reflexive pronoun for we. Ourself is rare and can be used when a singular person uses the formal or institutional pronoun we.
Is “ourselves” singular or plural?
Ourselves is normally plural. It refers back to we when “we” represents two or more people.
What is the reflexive pronoun for “we”?
The standard reflexive pronoun for plural we is ourselves.
Remember This
We + multiple people = ourselves
“We prepared ourselves.”
I + one person = myself
“I prepared myself.”
Ourself is a rare specialized form, not the normal singular version of ourselves.
Conclusion
The main difference between ourselves and ourself is their normal grammatical use. Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for we when we refers to multiple people. It is common in everyday conversation, academic writing, professional communication, and general English.
Ourself does exist, but it is uncommon and usually belongs to specialized formal, institutional, or historical contexts in which a single person uses we. For students and ESL learners, the safest everyday rule is simple: when we means more than one person, use ourselves.
