Quick Answer: Ourselves is the standard and widely accepted reflexive pronoun used with we. It refers to two or more people, including the speaker. Ourself is much less common and is generally used only in specific contexts, especially with singular we, such as the royal or editorial “we.” In normal everyday English, use ourselves: “We prepared ourselves for the exam.”
What Is the Difference Between Ourselves and Ourself?
Ourselves and ourself are reflexive pronouns related to the pronoun we. The main difference is that ourselves is the normal standard form when we refers to more than one person. Ourself has a much narrower use and may appear when we refers to one person, particularly in formal, historical, royal, or institutional language.
For ordinary conversation and writing, ourselves is almost always the form you want. For example, “We introduced ourselves to the new teacher” is natural and grammatically correct. Saying “We introduced ourself” would sound incorrect when we refers to multiple people.
Why Does the Difference Matter?
Choosing the correct reflexive pronoun helps your sentence agree with its subject. The pronoun we normally refers to multiple people, so its corresponding reflexive form is ourselves. This agreement makes the sentence sound natural and grammatically complete.
The word ourself can be confusing because it is technically found in some specialized uses of English. However, its existence does not make it interchangeable with ourselves. If you are writing an email, article, essay, school assignment, business document, or everyday message, ourselves is normally the correct choice.
Core Rule: Use Ourselves With We
The simplest rule is easy to remember: we → ourselves. When we refers to two or more people and the action comes back to those same people, use ourselves.
| Subject Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | myself | I prepared myself. |
| You | yourself / yourselves | You prepared yourselves. |
| He | himself | He prepared himself. |
| She | herself | She prepared herself. |
| We | ourselves | We prepared ourselves. |
| They | themselves | They prepared themselves. |
Therefore, when we means multiple people, ourselves is the standard reflexive form. The plural ending -selves matches the plural subject.
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What Does Ourselves Mean?
Ourselves is the first-person plural reflexive pronoun. It can refer to the same group of people represented by we or us. It is used when the people performing an action are also affected by that action.
For example, in “We taught ourselves Spanish,” the people doing the teaching and receiving the teaching are the same group. Similarly, in “We hurt ourselves,” the group performing the action is also the group affected by it.
Examples of Ourselves
- We introduced ourselves to the new neighbors.
- We prepared ourselves for the competition.
- We should remind ourselves to stay focused.
- We bought ourselves some new equipment.
- We organized the event ourselves.
- We need to take care of ourselves.
- We taught ourselves how to use the software.
- We challenged ourselves to finish the project.
- We asked ourselves whether the plan was practical.
- We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
What Does Ourself Mean?
Ourself is a much less common reflexive pronoun. It can occur when we is used as a singular pronoun, particularly in certain formal, royal, editorial, or institutional contexts. In such cases, the speaker may use we while referring to only one person.
For example, a monarch may traditionally use we to refer to himself or herself. In that specialized construction, ourself can function as the corresponding reflexive form. This is not the normal pattern of modern everyday English.
Examples of Ourself in Specialized Usage
- We have chosen to represent ourself in this matter.
- We must remind ourself of the responsibilities of the office.
- As an institution, we must hold ourself to a high standard.
These examples are unusual in ordinary conversation. Depending on the context, writers may instead use ourselves, rewrite the sentence, or use a more specific noun such as the organization or the institution.
Ourselves vs Ourself: Comparison Table
| Feature | Ourselves | Ourself |
|---|---|---|
| Standard everyday English | Yes | Rare |
| Reflexive form of plural “we” | Yes | No |
| Refers to multiple people | Yes | Generally no |
| Used with singular “we” | Usually not | Possible in specialized contexts |
| Common in conversation | Yes | No |
How to Use Ourselves Correctly
Use ourselves when we refers to a group and the group is also the object of the action. This is the most important use of the word.
For example, “We congratulated ourselves after winning the competition” is correct because we and the people receiving the congratulations are the same group.
You can also use ourselves for emphasis. In “We ourselves designed the website,” ourselves emphasizes that the group personally performed the action rather than someone else doing it.
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Reflexive Use
Use ourselves when the action returns to the subject.
- We blamed ourselves for the mistake.
- We reminded ourselves to be patient.
- We introduced ourselves to the audience.
- We protected ourselves from the rain.
Emphatic Use
Ourselves can also emphasize who performed an action.
- We ourselves completed the entire project.
- We ourselves inspected every room.
- We ourselves made the decision.
- We ourselves witnessed the event.
Correct Examples of Ourselves
- We introduced ourselves before the meeting began.
- We prepared ourselves for the long journey.
- We taught ourselves basic photography.
- We need to remind ourselves about the deadline.
- We enjoyed ourselves during the celebration.
- We should be proud of ourselves.
- We bought ourselves new laptops.
- We challenged ourselves to improve every day.
- We asked ourselves several important questions.
- We organized the entire event ourselves.
- We need to take better care of ourselves.
- We congratulated ourselves on completing the project.
Incorrect vs Correct: Ourselves and Ourself
| Incorrect or Unnatural | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| We introduced ourself. | We introduced ourselves. | Plural “we” normally takes “ourselves.” |
| We prepared ourself. | We prepared ourselves. | The group needs the plural reflexive form. |
| We should remind ourself. | We should remind ourselves. | “Ourselves” agrees with plural “we.” |
| We hurt ourself. | We hurt ourselves. | The plural subject requires the plural reflexive. |
| We taught ourself English. | We taught ourselves English. | “Ourselves” is standard for a group. |
| We congratulated ourself. | We congratulated ourselves. | The action refers back to multiple people. |
| We enjoyed ourself. | We enjoyed ourselves. | The standard expression is “enjoy ourselves.” |
| We need to protect ourself. | We need to protect ourselves. | Plural “we” takes “ourselves.” |
| We blamed ourself. | We blamed ourselves. | The reflexive pronoun must match the plural subject. |
| We should trust ourself. | We should trust ourselves. | “Ourselves” is the normal form in everyday English. |
Why Do People Say Ourself?
People sometimes use ourself because they naturally associate the word with the singular reflexive pattern: myself, yourself, himself, herself. They may assume that because our looks singular in some contexts, ourself should be the standard reflexive form.
However, grammatical number does not work that way. Our is a possessive determiner that can refer to multiple people, and we is normally plural. Therefore, the standard reflexive pronoun is ourselves.
Ourselves in Real English
In real everyday English, ourselves is overwhelmingly the natural choice when we refers to multiple people. Native speakers commonly say “We did it ourselves,” “We introduced ourselves,” and “We need to look after ourselves.” These constructions are natural in conversation, professional writing, academic writing, and general communication.
Ourself is not simply a casual alternative to ourselves. It has specialized uses and may sound unusual or incorrect if used for a normal group. If your sentence refers to several people, ourselves is the safe and natural choice.
Is Ourself Ever Grammatically Correct?
Yes, but its use is restricted. Ourself can appear when the pronoun we is singular in meaning, especially in historical or formal uses such as a monarch’s “royal we.” It can also occur in some institutional or editorial contexts where an organization speaks of itself using we.
This specialized usage should not be confused with ordinary plural we. If “we” means “you and I,” “my team and I,” “my friends and I,” or another group of people, ourselves is normally required.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not normally use ourself when we refers to several people.
- Remember that we → ourselves is the standard everyday pattern.
- Do not confuse ourself with a normal singular reflexive pronoun.
- Use ourselves after phrases such as “by,” “to,” “for,” and “of” when the meaning refers back to a plural “we.”
- Use ourselves for emphasis when a group personally performs an action.
Ourselves in Common Expressions
Ourselves appears in many natural English expressions. Learning these phrases can make the correct form easier to remember.
- By ourselves: without help from others.
- Among ourselves: within our own group.
- For ourselves: for our own benefit or use.
- To ourselves: privately or without sharing with others.
- Enjoy ourselves: have a good time.
- Be ourselves: behave naturally rather than pretending to be someone else.
- Believe in ourselves: have confidence in our abilities.
Real-Life Situations
At Work
“We completed the presentation ourselves” emphasizes that the group did the work without outside assistance. “We introduced ourselves to the new manager” uses ourselves as a reflexive pronoun.
At School
Students might say, “We taught ourselves how to use the software.” Because the students are a group represented by we, ourselves is the natural reflexive form.
In Everyday Conversation
You might hear, “We enjoyed ourselves at the concert,” or “We should take care of ourselves.” These are common, natural expressions that use ourselves.
How to Remember Ourselves vs Ourself
A simple memory trick is to connect the ending of the reflexive pronoun to the number of people. When we means a group, think ourselves. The ending -selves signals the plural meaning.
Remember this pattern:
I → myself
We → ourselves
If you are talking about yourself and at least one other person, choose ourselves.
Practice Quiz
Choose ourselves or ourself in each sentence.
- We introduced ______ to the new team.
- We should remind ______ to stay calm.
- We completed the work ______.
- We need to take care of ______.
- We enjoyed ______ at the festival.
- We challenged ______ to improve.
- We bought ______ some new equipment.
- We blamed ______ for the mistake.
Answers: 1. ourselves, 2. ourselves, 3. ourselves, 4. ourselves, 5. ourselves, 6. ourselves, 7. ourselves, 8. ourselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “ourselves” correct?
Yes. Ourselves is the standard first-person plural reflexive pronoun and is normally used when we refers to multiple people.
Is “ourself” a real word?
Yes, but it is uncommon and specialized. It can be used in certain contexts where we refers to one person, particularly formal, royal, historical, or institutional uses.
Should I say “we ourselves” or “we ourself”?
Say “we ourselves” when we refers to a group. For example, “We ourselves completed the project.”
Is “by ourself” correct?
For a normal group, use “by ourselves.” For example, “We completed the project by ourselves.” By ourself is not the normal choice when we refers to multiple people.
Is “we did it ourselves” correct?
Yes. “We did it ourselves” is a completely natural and correct sentence. Here, ourselves emphasizes that the group personally completed the action.
Can ourself be used in formal English?
It can occur in specialized formal or historical contexts, especially when singular we is used. However, formal writing does not automatically require ourself. In most normal formal writing, ourselves remains correct when we refers to a group.
What is the singular form of ourselves?
The usual singular equivalent of ourselves is myself when the subject is I. For example, “I prepared myself” corresponds to “We prepared ourselves.”
What is the difference between ourself and ourselves?
Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for plural we. Ourself is rare and is mainly associated with specialized uses of singular we. They should not normally be treated as interchangeable.
Which is more common: ourselves or ourself?
Ourselves is far more common in standard modern English. It is the natural choice whenever we refers to multiple people.
Is “we should trust ourself” correct?
If we refers to multiple people, the standard sentence is “We should trust ourselves.” “Ourself” would be unusual unless the sentence belongs to a specialized context involving singular we.
Quick Summary
Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun used with plural we. Use it when a group performs an action on itself or when you want to emphasize that the group personally performed an action. For example, “We introduced ourselves,” “We prepared ourselves,” and “We did it ourselves” are all correct. Ourself is much less common and is mainly found in specialized contexts where we has a singular meaning, such as certain royal, historical, or institutional uses. For everyday speaking and writing, remember the simple rule: we → ourselves.
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