Themselves or Themself: Which One Is Correct?

Choosing between themselves or themself can be confusing, especially because both forms appear in modern English. 

The word you need depends on the number of people you are talking about and, in some cases, the pronoun being used. 

Many people search for “themselves or themself” because they want to know which form is grammatically correct in a sentence. 

The confusion has also grown because singular they is now common in everyday English. Traditionally, “themselves” was used as the reflexive pronoun for plural “they.” 

However, “themself” is also used with singular “they,” especially when referring to one person whose gender is unknown or when a person uses they/them pronouns. 

Understanding this difference can help you write clearer emails, articles, school assignments, and professional documents. 

In this guide, you will learn when to use themselves, when themself can be correct, and how English usage differs across contexts.

Themselves or Themself Quick Answer

Themselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for plural they.

• The students prepared themselves for the exam
• The players congratulated themselves after the match

Themself is used mainly with singular they when referring to one person.

• Someone left their bag and came back for themself
• Alex wanted to challenge themself

Quick Comparison

Form	Main Use	Example
Themselves	Plural they	They introduced themselves.
Themself	Singular they	Jordan introduced themself.

In traditional grammar, themselves is the familiar and widely accepted form. Themself has become more common as singular “they” has gained wider use.

The Origin of Themselves or Themself

Themselves is formed from them and selves. The pronoun “them” comes from Old Norse influence on English and became established in Middle English. 

“Self” has Old English roots and has long been used to form reflexive expressions.

The form themselves developed as the plural reflexive form of “they.”

Themself follows a similar pattern:

them + self = themself

The spelling difference exists because themselves refers to more than one person, while themself can refer to one person when singular “they” is used.

For example:

• The children blamed themselves. → More than one person
• Taylor blamed themself. → One person

The distinction is therefore more about number and grammatical context than British versus American spelling.

British English vs American English Spelling

Unlike pairs such as “colour” and “color,” themselves and themself are not mainly a British-versus-American spelling difference.

Both forms can appear in British and American English. The important difference is usually whether they refers to one person or several people.

Feature	British English	American English
Plural they	themselves	themselves
Singular they	themself / themselves	themself / themselves
Standard plural form	themselves	themselves
Main difference	Context and style	Context and style

For plural subjects, themselves is the normal choice in both varieties.

British English:
“The players enjoyed themselves.”

American English:
“The players enjoyed themselves.”

With singular “they,” usage can vary by person, style guide, and context.

Example:
“Each student should ask themself whether the answer is clear.”

You may also see:

“Each student should ask themselves whether the answer is clear.”

The second form is very common, especially in general writing.

Which Spelling Should You Use?

For US English

Use themselves for plural subjects. With singular “they,” themself may be appropriate when referring to one person.

Example:

“Jordan reminded themself to call later.”

For UK and Commonwealth English

The same basic distinction applies. Themselves remains the normal plural reflexive pronoun, while themself can be used with singular “they.”

Example:

“Someone should ask themself why the rule exists.”

For Global English

If you are writing for an international audience, choose the form that clearly matches your meaning.

Use themselves for multiple people:

“They organized themselves into groups.”

Use themself when singular “they” clearly refers to one person:

“Sam wanted to prove themself.”

For formal writing, always consider the style guide or publication rules you are following.

Common Mistakes with Themselves or Themself

Mistake 1: Using themself for a plural subject

Incorrect:

“The workers completed the project by themself.”

Correct:

“The workers completed the project by themselves.”

The subject “workers” is plural, so themselves is needed.

Mistake 2: Assuming themself is always wrong

Some writers believe themself is never correct. This is too simple.

When singular “they” refers to one person, themself can be appropriate.

Example:

“Jamie wanted to introduce themself.”

Mistake 3: Confusing they with their number

“They” can refer to more than one person or, in modern English, to one person.

Compare:

“The girls dressed themselves.”
“The child dressed themself.”

The context tells you whether the subject is plural or singular.

Mistake 4: Using themselves when the sentence needs another reflexive pronoun

Each reflexive pronoun has a matching subject.

• I → myself
• You → yourself/yourselves
• He → himself
• She → herself
• It → itself
• They → themselves/themself

Using the wrong reflexive form can make a sentence unclear.

Themselves or Themself in Everyday Examples

In Emails

Plural:

“Please ask the team members to introduce themselves.”

Singular they:

“Please ask the new employee to introduce themself.”

In News Writing

Plural:

“Officials said the workers had organized themselves.”

Singular:

“A person can decide for themself whether the information is useful.”

News organizations may follow their own style rules, so usage can vary.

On Social Media

Social media often uses themself when a person uses singular they.

“Everyone should be free to express themself.”

However, themselves remains common in general statements:

“People should be able to express themselves.”

In Formal Writing

For plural subjects:

“Researchers must explain themselves clearly.”

For singular they:

“Every applicant should ask themself whether the position is suitable.”

In formal documents, consistency matters. Follow the style guide used by your school, employer, publisher, or organization.

Themselves or Themself Google Trends & Usage Data

Search interest for “themselves or themself” reflects a broader question about how English handles singular “they.” 

The issue has become more visible as singular “they” has gained wider acceptance in modern English.

Themselves remains much more established in general English because it has traditionally served as the plural reflexive form of “they.”

Themself is more closely connected with singular “they.” 

Its use can therefore appear more often in discussions about gender-neutral language, inclusive writing, grammar, and pronoun usage.

Usage also varies by context. General writing tends to contain many examples of themselves, while discussions about one person using they/them pronouns may contain themself.

Search popularity can change over time and can differ by country. 

Google Trends measures search interest rather than grammatical correctness, so higher search interest does not mean that one form is more correct.

Themselves vs Themself: Side-by-Side Comparison

Point	Themselves	Themself
Number	Usually plural	Usually singular
Pronoun	They	Singular they
Example	They blamed themselves.	Alex blamed themself.
Commonness	Very common	Less common
Traditional usage	Established	More recent/common in modern usage
British English	Used	Used in suitable contexts
American English	Used	Used in suitable contexts
Best use	Multiple people	One person using singular they

FAQs About Themselves or Themself

1. Is “themselves” always correct?

No. Themselves is correct for plural “they” and is also commonly used in some sentences where “they” is singular. The exact choice depends on context and style.

2. Is “themself” grammatically correct?

Yes. Themself can be correct when singular “they” refers to one person.

3. Should I say “they did it themself”?

If “they” refers to one person, themself can be appropriate. If “they” refers to several people, use themselves.

4. Is “themself” accepted in formal English?

Yes, it is used in modern formal English, especially with singular “they.” However, individual style guides and organizations may have different preferences.

5. What is the plural of themself?

The plural reflexive form is themselves.

Example:

“They completed the work themselves.”

6. Can I use “themselves” for one person?

Yes. Singular “they” is often paired with themselves, especially in general or traditional usage.

Example:

“Someone should take care of themselves.”

7. Is themself British or American?

Neither form belongs exclusively to British or American English. Themself can be found in both varieties. The main issue is whether singular “they” is being used.

Conclusion

The choice between themselves or themself depends mainly on whether “they” refers to more than one person or one person. 

Themselves is the standard reflexive form for plural “they”: “The students prepared themselves.” It is also widely used with singular “they,” especially in general statements. 

Themself is used mainly when singular “they” clearly refers to one person: “Jordan prepared themself.” 

Both forms can appear in British and American English, so this is not simply a British-versus-American spelling issue. 

Instead, the key is understanding the number and context of the subject. 

For professional writing, choose the form that matches your meaning and follow the style guide of your audience or organization. 

If you are writing about several people, themselves is the safe standard choice. If you are referring to one person with singular “they,” themself may be the clearest option.