Use themselves in standard US English. It is the established reflexive and intensive form connected with the pronoun they.
The form theirselves is used in some regional and vernacular dialects. However, it is not normally accepted in school assignments, professional communication, academic work, or other edited writing.
The confusion is understandable. English has forms such as myself, yourself, and ourselves, which begin with possessive forms. A writer may therefore expect their + selves to follow the same pattern.
Standard English does not follow that pattern in this case. It uses them + selves, producing themselves.
Quick Answer
Themselves is correct for standard American English.
Use it when people perform an action affecting the same people, as in “The students introduced themselves.” It can also add emphasis: “The students themselves organized the event.”
Theirselves is a dialectal form. It may appear in regional speech or character dialogue, but it should generally be replaced with themselves in formal and edited writing.
What Is Correct?
| Form or Pattern | Best Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| themselves | Standard spoken and written English | It is the established reflexive and intensive form of they |
| theirselves | Dialect representation, direct quotation, or authentic dialogue | It occurs in some regional varieties but is nonstandard in edited US English |
| they themselves | Strong emphasis on the people performing an action | Themselves works as an intensive pronoun |
| they helped themselves | An action directed back toward the subject | Themselves works as a reflexive pronoun |
For general communication, the dependable choice is always themselves.
The Core Grammar Rule
A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of its clause. Use one when the subject performs an action that affects the same person or group.
In “The players prepared themselves,” the noun players identifies the people doing the preparation. Themselves refers back to those same players.
The standard third-person plural pattern is:
they → them → their → theirs → themselves
Although their is the possessive form, standard English does not use it as the base of this reflexive pronoun. The accepted form begins with the object form them.
The same word can also work as an intensive pronoun. An intensive pronoun adds emphasis without serving as the object of the action:
“The players themselves designed the new uniforms.”
Removing themselves changes the emphasis but leaves a complete sentence.
When Each Form Is Correct
Use themselves in standard writing, everyday communication, education, journalism, business communication, and public-facing content.
“The neighbors introduced themselves.”
“The employees completed the project themselves.”
“Everyone should give themselves enough time.”
The last example uses themselves with singular everyone. This use is common when a person’s gender is unknown, irrelevant, or not expressed.
Theirselves can be appropriate when faithfully quoting a speaker who used it. It may also appear in fiction when a writer intentionally represents a character’s regional dialect.
In those settings, the form communicates voice, background, or community speech. It should not automatically be treated as meaningless. However, it remains outside standard edited US English.
When It Is Incorrect or Less Natural
In standard American writing, theirselves is nonstandard:
Incorrect in standard writing: “The volunteers organized theirselves into teams.”
Standard revision: “The volunteers organized themselves into teams.”
It is especially unsuitable in formal documents, résumés, reports, applications, instructions, news articles, and schoolwork.
Avoid changing authentic quotations without indicating that a change was made. When a speaker’s exact wording matters, preserve the quotation according to the publication’s quotation policy.
In ordinary narration, however, use themselves unless the dialectal form serves a clear purpose.
Meaning, Structure, or Emphasis Differences
The intended meaning of theirselves is usually the same as that of themselves. The primary difference is not meaning but grammatical status within different varieties of English.
In standard English, themselves has two central functions.
It is reflexive when the action returns to the subject:
“They blamed themselves for the mistake.”
It is intensive when it emphasizes the subject:
“They themselves reported the mistake.”
Theirselves may perform these same functions in dialect speech. However, standard edited English uses themselves for both.
Do not confuse reflexive meaning with reciprocal meaning.
“The friends photographed themselves” means that the friends photographed their own persons.
“The friends photographed each other” means that one friend photographed another.
Real-World Examples
“The children dressed themselves before breakfast.”
“The founders personally answered the questions.”
“After the rain, the dogs shook themselves dry.”
“Applicants should describe themselves honestly.”
“They kept the entire cabin to themselves.”
Nonstandard in edited writing: “The children dressed theirselves.”
Standard revision: “The children dressed themselves.”
Dialect in dialogue: “They built the whole porch theirselves,” the character said.
Standard narration: The workers built the entire porch themselves.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
One mistake is building the pronoun from their because myself and ourselves begin with possessive forms. English reflexive pronouns do not all follow one perfectly regular formation pattern. Use the established form themselves.
Another mistake is claiming that theirselves has never existed. It does exist in dialect use. The accurate description is dialectal or nonstandard, not imaginary.
Writers may also confuse theirselves with themself. Themself can be used with singular they, depending on the context and preferred editorial style. It does not make theirselves standard.
A final mistake is using themselves for a mutual action. Use each other when two or more people direct an action toward one another.
Grammar Rule Details
Rule
Use themselves as the standard reflexive or intensive form associated with they.
When the subject performs an action that affects the same person or group, themselves works as a reflexive pronoun. For emphasis on who performed the action, it functions as an intensive pronoun.
Correct Usage
“The students prepared themselves for the presentation.”
Here, the students prepared the same people identified by the subject.
“The students themselves selected the topic.”
Here, themselves emphasizes that the students—not their teacher—selected it.
Incorrect or Less Natural Usage
“The students prepared theirselves” is nonstandard in edited US English.
It may sound natural within a dialect where theirselves is established. That does not make it the expected form for formal or general-audience writing.
Examples
“The hikers found themselves on the wrong trail.”
“They bought themselves new laptops.”
“The directors themselves approved the revised schedule.”
“Anyone can teach themselves a new skill with enough practice.”
Common Mistakes
Do not form the pronoun by mechanically joining their and selves.
Do not use theirselves merely because several people possess something. Possession requires their, but a reflexive relationship requires themselves.
Compare “their coats” with “They protected themselves from the cold.”
Exceptions
There is no general exception that makes theirselves standard in edited American English.
The form may be retained in direct quotations, dialect writing, historical material, or fictional dialogue when preserving the speaker’s natural wording is important.
Quick Test
- Identify the subject: they, people, students, or another plural group.
- Ask whether the action returns to that same subject or whether emphasis is needed.
- When it does, choose themselves, not theirselves.
Usage Notes
Correct the form according to the setting, not by judging the speaker.
In an application, report, lesson, or public article, use themselves. In dialogue or a quotation, consider whether changing a dialectal form would remove intentional voice or misrepresent the speaker.
FAQ
Yes, it is recorded as a dialectal form. People use it in some regional varieties of English. However, it is not the standard form expected in edited American writing. Use themselves for school, work, publishing, and general communication.
The form follows a logical pattern. Words such as myself, yourself, and ourselves begin with possessive forms. Some dialects extend that pattern and combine their with selves. Standard English instead uses them in themselves.
Yes. Themselves can follow singular they, particularly after words such as someone, anyone, and everyone.
For example: “Every customer should identify themselves at the front desk.”
No. Themself is a singular reflexive form sometimes used with singular they. Theirselves is generally a dialectal alternative to plural themselves. They should not be treated as the same usage question.
Not automatically. Keep it when the form intentionally represents a character’s dialect or preserves an exact quotation. In neutral narration or formal prose, revise it to themselves.
Conclusion
Use themselves in standard US English. It is the correct reflexive form when an action returns to a subject represented by they, and it is also the correct intensive form when extra emphasis is needed.
Theirselves is not the standard choice, but it is more accurately described as dialectal than nonexistent. It can appear naturally in regional speech, quotations, and character dialogue.
For schoolwork, professional communication, publishing, and general writing, remember the standard pattern: they, them, their, theirs, themselves.
