Ourselves vs Ourself: Understanding Pronoun Usage and Differences

Have you ever typed “ourself” and then second-guessed yourself? You are not the only one. This pair of reflexive pronouns trips up native speakers, students, and professional writers alike. The confusion is understandable because both words look almost identical, share the same root, and come from the same pronoun family. Yet they serve very different purposes in English.

This guide breaks down the difference between ourselves and ourself, traces their historical roots, explains the famous Royal “We,” addresses common grammar myths, and gives you practical examples you can use right away. By the end, you will know exactly which word to choose and why, every single time.

The Core Difference in Meaning

At the most basic level, the distinction comes down to one concept: number.

Word	Number	Standard Use
Ourselves	Plural	Used when “we” refers to more than one person
Ourself	Singular	Used when “we” refers to a single person or authority (formal/historical)

Both words are reflexive pronouns, meaning they reflect the action of a verb back onto the subject “we.” Other reflexive pronouns in English include myself, yourself, himself, herself, themselves, and itself. The key rule is that reflexive pronouns must always agree in number with the subject they refer to.

When a group of people performs an action together, ourselves is the correct choice. When a single person uses the royal or institutional “we” to refer to themselves, ourself is the historically appropriate form. That second case is rare in modern English, but it is not wrong in the right context.

Quick rule: If “we” means more than one person, always write ourselves. Full stop.

Historical Development of ‘Ourself’ and ‘Ourselves’

To understand why both words exist, a short trip through history helps.

In Old English, speakers used distinct singular and plural forms for nearly every pronoun and self-reference. Early medieval texts show a clear separation between self used singularly and selves used for groups. As Middle English developed between the 11th and 15th centuries, these forms merged and evolved into compound reflexive pronouns. The word ourselves emerged as a clear plural form, combining our and selves.

Meanwhile, a separate tradition was developing in royal courts and the Church. Monarchs, popes, and high officials began using “we” to refer to themselves individually, a practice that signaled power, authority, and the unity between a ruler and their office. This gave rise to ourself as the singular reflexive counterpart.

By the 16th and 17th centuries, ourself was commonly found in royal proclamations, religious decrees, and formal documents. As English modernized and everyday speakers stopped using “we” to mean “I,” ourself gradually faded from common use. Today it survives mostly in ceremonial language and historical texts.

The Royal “We” and Its Link to ‘Ourself’

The Royal “We” (also called the majestic plural or pluralis majestatis) is perhaps the most fascinating chapter in the story of ourself. Monarchs have spoken of themselves in the plural for over a thousand years, and this tradition directly explains why ourself still exists.

When a single monarch uses “we” to refer to themselves, the reflexive form logically becomes ourself, not ourselves, because only one person is actually involved. The plural form would be grammatically misleading.

Famous examples from royal tradition:

• King James I (1603): “We have this day set our hand and seal ourself.”
• Queen Elizabeth II: “We thank you from the bottom of our heart.”
• Shakespeare’s Richard II: “We find ourself most content in solitude.”

The Royal “We” was never about arrogance. It represented the idea that a sovereign rules as both an individual and as the embodiment of the state. The plural form honored this dual role, and ourself was the natural reflexive companion.

This tradition still appears in formal Commonwealth state documents and ceremonial speeches today, though it is increasingly rare in everyday royal communication.

The Editorial and Institutional “We”

Closely related to the Royal “We” is the Editorial “We,” used in newspapers, academic journals, and institutional writing. Writers and editors sometimes say “we conclude” or “we believe” when expressing the collective voice of an organization, even when a single author is writing.

This is where a common misconception arises. Many people assume that the editorial “we” follows the same logic as the Royal “We” and therefore takes ourself. In reality, the editorial “we” almost always uses ourselves.

Why? Because the editorial “we” typically represents multiple people, namely the entire editorial board, research team, or organization. Since the subject is genuinely plural in spirit and representation, ourselves is the correct choice.

Compare these examples:

Sentence	Correct?	Why
We consider ourselves responsible for this analysis.	Yes	Editorial “we” = plural group
We consider ourself responsible for this analysis.	Rarely	Only correct if one person is the sole authority
We position ourselves as researchers.	Yes	Standard academic usage

If you are writing in an academic or journalistic context and are unsure, default to ourselves. It is the safer, more widely accepted choice in nearly every modern style guide.

Correct Modern Usage: When to Use ‘Ourselves’

In contemporary English, ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun and covers the vast majority of situations. Use it whenever “we” refers to more than one person, which in everyday writing means almost always.

Use ourselves in these situations:

1. Reflexive use (the action returns to the subject)
   
   • We reminded ourselves of the deadline.
   • The team pushed ourselves to finish early.
2. Emphatic use (to add stress or clarity)
   
   • We built the entire system ourselves.
   • We did the cooking ourselves, no catering.
3. Reciprocal or shared experience
   
   • We introduced ourselves to the new neighbors.
   • We challenged ourselves every single day.
4. Group identity or collective reference
   
   • As a company, we pride ourselves on honesty.
   • We consider ourselves a family here.

Common verbs that pair naturally with ourselves: reminded, introduced, found, prepared, challenged, positioned, considered, taught, hurt, and helped.

One useful test: remove ourselves from the sentence. If the sentence still makes grammatical sense, you are using it for emphasis. If the sentence breaks, it is functioning as a true reflexive pronoun. Either way, ourselves is correct for plural subjects.

When ‘Ourself’ Still Appears (and Why It’s Rare)

Ourself is not a grammatical error. It is simply a word that belongs to a very specific and shrinking set of contexts. Knowing when it is legitimate keeps your grammar knowledge complete and accurate.

Contexts where ourself may appear:

• Royal and ceremonial language: Formal state documents, royal addresses, and official proclamations from monarchies
• Religious texts: Church declarations or papal documents using the majestic plural
• Singular collective nouns treated as one unit: The committee found ourself at an impasse (rare and contested by many style guides)
• Historical and literary quotation: When reproducing or referencing original historical texts
• Archaic formal writing: Legal or religious documents styled after older conventions

Outside these narrow contexts, ourself will almost always read as an error to modern readers and editors. Most contemporary style guides, including the Chicago Manual of Style and AP Style, do not recognize ourself as standard usage for modern writing.

Usage in Literature and Historical Texts

Literature offers a rich record of how both pronouns evolved. The contrast between their usage across different eras tells the story of English grammar in miniature.

Shakespeare used ourself frequently, reflecting the norms of his time. In Richard II, the king speaks of himself in the plural, and ourself appears as a natural and expected form. In works addressing collective groups or society, ourselves appears just as naturally.

17th century writers like John Locke used ourselves in a recognizably modern way: “We must remind ourselves of our duty.” This shows that even during the period when ourself was common, ourselves was already the go-to form for genuine plural reference.

19th century literature shows a clear shift. As democracy replaced monarchy as the dominant political idea, the Royal “We” fell out of fashion in public life. Ourself became increasingly confined to formal or archaic registers.

20th and 21st century texts overwhelmingly prefer ourselves. A search through any major modern corpus confirms that ourself accounts for a tiny fraction of usage compared to its plural counterpart.

.“For a clearer understanding of commonly confused words like this, check out this detailed guide on appreciate it or appreciated it to sharpen your writing accuracy even further.”

Common Misconceptions and Grammar Myths

Several persistent myths surround these two words. Clearing them up protects your writing from both errors and overcorrection.

Myth 1: “Ourself is always wrong.” False. As shown above, ourself is grammatically correct in specific historical, royal, and formal contexts. Calling it universally wrong oversimplifies the history of English.

Myth 2: “Ourselves can be used for any subject.” Also false. Ourselves applies only when the subject is “we” representing a genuine plural group. A single person writing alone should use myself, not ourselves.

Myth 3: “They mean the same thing and are interchangeable.” Not quite. While they are close relatives, their number and context are different. Swapping them carelessly can make your writing sound either archaic or grammatically incorrect to a modern reader.

Myth 4: “Ourself is just a formal version of ourselves.” This misses the point. The difference is about singular versus plural, not about formality level. You can write in a very formal register and still use ourselves correctly.

How to Remember the Difference

A few simple strategies make this distinction stick permanently.

The “Selves vs Self” test: Notice that ourselves ends in selves (plural) and ourself ends in self (singular). Match the ending to the number of people involved.

The “Crown or Crowd” shortcut: Ask yourself: Am I wearing a crown (speaking as a lone monarch or authority)? Use ourself. Am I part of a crowd (speaking as a group)? Use ourselves.

The substitution trick: Replace “we” with “I” in your sentence. If the sentence sounds natural with “I,” you are dealing with a singular “we,” and ourself might apply. If “we” truly means multiple people, stick with ourselves.

A simple rhyme to remember: “If there’s more than one of us, ourselves is right for us.”

Practical Grammar Tips and Real-Life Examples

Putting this into practice is easier than it sounds. Here are real-world scenarios alongside the correct word choice.

Workplace writing:

Incorrect	Correct
We prepared ourself for the presentation.	We prepared ourselves for the presentation.
The team pushed ourself to meet the deadline.	The team pushed ourselves to meet the deadline.

Academic writing:

• Correct: We position ourselves as advocates for evidence-based policy.
• Correct: We found ourselves revisiting the original data.

Casual conversation:

• Correct: We made the whole dinner ourselves!
• Correct: We really outdid ourselves this time.

Royal or ceremonial (rare):

• Correct: We are pleased to announce ourself satisfied with the proceedings.

Key tips for everyday writing:

• When in doubt, choose ourselves. It is correct for all standard plural uses.
• Never use ourself in everyday professional writing unless the context specifically calls for it.
• Proofread reflexive pronouns deliberately. They are easy to overlook during editing.
• Read the sentence aloud. Ourself will sound awkward in most modern sentences, which is usually a reliable signal to switch to ourselves.

Conclusion

Understanding ourselves vs ourself becomes much easier once you know whether the subject is plural or singular. Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun used with “we,” while ourself appears only in rare or very specific cases. Knowing this difference helps make your writing clearer and grammatically correct.

In everyday English, most people will use ourselves far more often, but learning ourselves vs ourself can help you avoid common mistakes. Whether you’re writing casually or formally, choosing the right pronoun improves sentence flow and meaning. With a little practice, using the correct form becomes natural.