Plural of ‘Myself’: Rules, Usage, Examples, and Common Mistakes Explained

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English reflexive pronouns, like ‘myself’, are essential tools for clear and precise communication. They help us show when an action reflects back onto the subject or when we want to emphasize a point. But what happens when more than one person is involved? The question, “What is the plural of ‘myself’?” often puzzles English learners and even native speakers. Is it ‘myselfs’? ‘My selves’? Or something else entirely?

Understanding plural forms is crucial for effective spoken and written English, especially in group or formal contexts such as business meetings, academic writing, and collaborative projects. Mistakes here can cause confusion or sound unprofessional.

This comprehensive article is designed for ESL/EFL students, teachers, writers, business professionals, and advanced grammar enthusiasts. It provides everything you need to master this topic: definitions, rules, examples, tables, practice exercises, advanced nuances, and a detailed FAQ.

Let’s unravel the mystery of the plural of ‘myself’ and learn how to use reflexive pronouns correctly in every context!

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1 What is ‘Myself’?

‘Myself’ is a reflexive pronoun in English. Grammatically, it is the first-person singular reflexive pronoun, used when the subject (‘I’) and the object of the verb are the same person.

For example: I taught myself to play piano.

Here, ‘myself’ refers back to the subject ‘I’.

3.2 Purpose of Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same. They are also used for emphasis. The table below lists all reflexive pronouns and their corresponding subject pronouns:

Subject Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun Example
I myself I made it myself.
you (singular) yourself You should help yourself.
he himself He cleaned himself.
she herself She introduced herself.
it itself The cat washed itself.
we ourselves We prepared ourselves.
you (plural) yourselves You should enjoy yourselves.
they themselves They fixed it themselves.

3.3 When is ‘Myself’ Used?

‘Myself’ is used in three main contexts:

  • Reflexive action: When the subject acts on itself. I reminded myself to call her.
  • Emphasis: To stress that the subject did the action. I baked the cake myself.
  • Clarification: To avoid ambiguity in complex sentences. As for myself, I prefer coffee.

Example sentences:

  • I made myself a sandwich.
  • I myself don’t agree with that opinion.
  • I hurt myself while running.

3.4 The Question of Plurality

Here’s where confusion often arises: How do we express the plural of ‘myself’? In English, ‘myself’ itself has no traditional plural form. Instead, the correct plural equivalent is ‘ourselves’.

Incorrect forms like ‘myselfs’ or ‘my selves’ are never used in standard English.

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1 Singular vs. Plural Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns change form depending on the number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, third). The table below compares singular and plural forms:

Person Singular Subject Singular Reflexive Plural Subject Plural Reflexive
First I myself we ourselves
Second you yourself you (plural) yourselves
Third he/she/it himself/herself/itself they themselves

4.2 Pluralizing ‘Myself’: The Correct Form

The correct plural form of ‘myself’ is ‘ourselves’ (not ‘myselfs’ or ‘myselves’). This is because the subject changes from ‘I’ (singular) to ‘we’ (plural), and the reflexive pronoun follows suit.

Incorrect: We taught myselfs to swim.
Correct: We taught ourselves to swim.

4.3 Subject-Pronoun Agreement

Reflexive pronouns must match their subject in person and number. If the subject is ‘I’, the reflexive is ‘myself’. If the subject is ‘we’, the reflexive is ‘ourselves’.

Examples:

  • I prepared myself for the test.
  • We prepared ourselves for the test.

4.4 Structural Patterns in Sentences

‘Myself’ and ‘ourselves’ typically appear:

  • After the verb: I hurt myself. / We hurt ourselves.
  • After the object: I made a cake for myself. / We made a cake for ourselves.
  • After the subject (emphatic): I myself disagree. / We ourselves disagree.
Subject Verb Reflexive/Emphatic Placement Example
I reminded after verb I reminded myself of the meeting.
We reminded after verb We reminded ourselves of the meeting.
I made after object I made coffee for myself.
We made after object We made coffee for ourselves.
I myself after subject (emphatic) I myself prefer tea.
We ourselves after subject (emphatic) We ourselves prefer tea.

4.5 Use in Formal and Informal Contexts

In formal writing and speech, reflexive pronouns are used accurately and sparingly. In informal English, speakers may sometimes misuse or overuse them, but correct subject-reflexive agreement is always preferred in professional, academic, or official contexts.

Formal: We will handle the matter ourselves.
Informal (nonstandard): Myself and John will go. (Incorrect; should be “John and I will go.”)

5. Types or Categories

5.1 Standard Plural Form: ‘Ourselves’

‘Ourselves’ is the only correct standard plural form for ‘myself’. Use it when the subject is ‘we’ and the action is reflexive or for emphasis.

  • We did it ourselves.
  • We found ourselves in a difficult situation.

5.2 Nonstandard/Incorrect Forms

Forms like ‘myselfs’, ‘myselves’, or ‘my selves’ are incorrect and should be avoided.

  • Incorrect: We introduced myselfs to the group.
  • Correct: We introduced ourselves to the group.

5.3 Plural Reflexive Pronouns for Other Persons

Other subject pronouns also have their own plural reflexive forms.

Subject (Plural) Reflexive Pronoun Example
we ourselves We enjoyed ourselves.
you (plural) yourselves You should introduce yourselves.
they themselves They blame themselves.

5.4 Emphatic vs. Reflexive Use in Plural

Reflexive use: The subject and object are the same.

  • We prepared ourselves for the challenge.

Emphatic use: Used for emphasis or to stress the subject.

  • We ourselves finished the project.

Both uses are grammatically correct, but the meaning changes based on context.

6. Examples Section

6.1 Basic Examples: Singular ‘Myself’ vs. Plural ‘Ourselves’

Singular (‘Myself’) Plural (‘Ourselves’)
I cooked dinner for myself. We cooked dinner for ourselves.
I reminded myself about the appointment. We reminded ourselves about the appointment.
I taught myself to play guitar. We taught ourselves to play guitar.
I bought myself a new phone. We bought ourselves new phones.
I am proud of myself. We are proud of ourselves.
I will do it myself. We will do it ourselves.
I made myself a cup of tea. We made ourselves cups of tea.
I found myself lost in thought. We found ourselves lost in thought.
I introduced myself to the teacher. We introduced ourselves to the teacher.
I saw myself in the mirror. We saw ourselves in the mirror.

6.2 Examples by Usage Context

Reflexive action:

  • I taught myself to knit.
  • We taught ourselves to knit.

Emphatic action:

  • I myself fixed the computer.
  • We ourselves fixed the computer.

Clarification:

  • As for myself, I will stay home.
  • As for ourselves, we will stay home.

With prepositions:

  • I did it by myself.
  • We did it by ourselves.

6.3 Complex Sentences

  1. Although I was tired, I forced myself to finish the assignment.
  2. We found ourselves facing unexpected challenges as we traveled.
  3. I asked myself whether I had made the right decision.
  4. After the meeting, we congratulated ourselves on a job well done.
  5. Even though I wanted help, I decided to handle the problem myself.
  6. We reminded ourselves to bring all the necessary documents before leaving.
  7. Realizing the mistake, I blamed myself for not being more careful.
  8. We prepared ourselves for the worst but hoped for the best.
  9. Having completed the project myself, I was satisfied with the result.
  10. We ourselves did not expect such a positive outcome, but we were delighted.

6.4 Common Errors and Corrections

Incorrect Correct
We did it by myselfs. We did it by ourselves.
We taught myself to swim. We taught ourselves to swim.
I and John prepared ourselves. John and I prepared ourselves.
Myself and my friends went to the park. My friends and I went to the park.
We introduced myself to the manager. We introduced ourselves to the manager.

6.5 Examples in Questions, Negatives, and Commands

Questions:

  • Did I hurt myself?
  • Did we hurt ourselves?
  • Should I remind myself to call?
  • Should we remind ourselves to call?

Negatives:

  • I didn’t see myself in the photo.
  • We didn’t see ourselves in the photo.
  • I can’t imagine myself living there.
  • We can’t imagine ourselves living there.

Commands:

  • Prepare yourself for the test.
  • Prepare yourselves for the test.
  • Remind yourself to check your work.
  • Remind yourselves to check your work.

6.6 Examples from Real-Life English (Literature, News, Conversation)

  • “We must learn to rely on ourselves.” (news article)
  • “I found myself wondering what would happen next.” (novel)
  • “We pride ourselves on our customer service.” (company website)
  • “I told myself to stay calm.” (memoir)
  • “We asked ourselves if this was the right decision.” (magazine interview)
  • “We ourselves have seen the changes over time.” (history book)
  • “I made myself a promise.” (autobiography)
  • “We have to push ourselves to succeed.” (motivational speech)

7. Usage Rules

7.1 Rule 1: Use ‘Myself’ for Singular, ‘Ourselves’ for Plural

  1. If the subject is ‘I’, use ‘myself’: I prepared myself.
  2. If the subject is ‘we’, use ‘ourselves’: We prepared ourselves.

7.2 Rule 2: Subject-Reflexive Agreement

Always match the subject with the correct reflexive pronoun, as shown below:

Subject Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun Example
I myself I will do it myself.
we ourselves We will do it ourselves.

7.3 Rule 3: Placement in Sentences

  • Reflexive pronouns usually come after the verb or the object.
  • For emphasis, they can appear after the subject.

Examples:

  • I hurt myself. / We hurt ourselves.
  • I myself disagree. / We ourselves disagree.

7.4 Rule 4: Reflexive vs. Emphatic Usage

Use the reflexive for actions the subject does to itself:

  • I blame myself. / We blame ourselves.

Use the intensive (emphatic) form for emphasis:

  • I myself completed the work. / We ourselves completed the work.

7.5 Rule 5: Avoiding Nonstandard Forms

Never use: ‘myselfs’, ‘myselves’, ‘my selves’ as a plural form. Always use: ‘ourselves’ for the first-person plural reflexive.

7.6 Special Cases and Exceptions

  • With collective nouns, use ‘ourselves’ if the group is acting as one (The team congratulated themselves), but adjust for ambiguity.
  • Be careful with ambiguous subjects; always clarify who is included.

8. Common Mistakes

8.1 Using ‘Myselfs’ or ‘My Selves’

  • Incorrect: We did it by myselfs.
  • Correct: We did it by ourselves.
  • Incorrect: We must trust my selves.
  • Correct: We must trust ourselves.

8.2 Overusing or Misplacing Reflexive Pronouns

  • Incorrect: Myself and John went to the store.
  • Correct: John and I went to the store.
  • Incorrect: Please give it to myself.
  • Correct: Please give it to me.

8.3 Confusing Reflexive and Intensive Usage

Reflexive (Correct) Intensive (Correct) Incorrect
I cut myself while cooking. I myself cooked dinner. I cooked myself dinner. (OK, but different meaning)
We blamed ourselves for the error. We ourselves corrected the error. We corrected ourselves the error. (Incorrect)

8.4 Incorrect Subject-Pronoun Agreement

  • Incorrect: We prepared myself for the exam.
  • Correct: We prepared ourselves for the exam.
  • Incorrect: I congratulated ourselves.
  • Correct: I congratulated myself.

8.5 Regional or Nonstandard Variations

  • In some dialects, you may hear: “Myself and Mary will go.” (Nonstandard; use “Mary and I will go.”)
  • Some speakers mistakenly say “We did it by myselfs.” (Never correct in standard English.)

9. Practice Exercises

9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises

# Sentence Blank
1 I made a sandwich for ______.
2 We prepared ______ for the competition.
3 I reminded ______ about the meeting.
4 We taught ______ to play chess.
5 I did it all by ______.
6 We found ______ in a difficult situation.
7 I blame ______ for the mistake.
8 As for ______, I prefer tea.
9 We enjoyed ______ at the party.
10 I introduced ______ to the group.

9.2 Error Correction Exercises

# Sentence Correction
1 We bought myself a gift.
2 Myself and my friends will go.
3 We did it by myselfs.
4 I and John congratulated ourselves.
5 I myselfs am responsible.
6 We introduced myself to the teacher.
7 I saw ourselves in the mirror.
8 We made myself a cup of tea.
9 Myself will handle the issue.
10 We congratulated myself on the achievement.

9.3 Identification Exercises

# Sentence Correct? Explanation
1 I baked myself a cake.
2 We taught ourselves Spanish.
3 We gave the books to myself.
4 I introduced myself at the conference.
5 We found ourselves laughing at the joke.
6 We prepared myself for the challenge.
7 I reminded myself to call.
8 We did it ourselves.
9 Myself and Tom went to the movies.
10 We ourselves fixed the error.

9.4 Sentence Construction

  1. Write a sentence using ‘myself’ to show reflexive action.
  2. Write a sentence using ‘ourselves’ to show reflexive action.
  3. Create a sentence using ‘myself’ for emphasis.
  4. Create a sentence using ‘ourselves’ for emphasis.
  5. Use ‘myself’ after a preposition.
  6. Use ‘ourselves’ after a preposition.
  7. Write a question with ‘myself’.
  8. Write a negative sentence with ‘ourselves’.
  9. Write a command using ‘yourself’ (singular).
  10. Write a command using ‘yourselves’ (plural).

9.5 Advanced Usage Challenges

  1. Rewrite: “We did the work by myself” (correct the error).
  2. Identify and correct the reflexive pronoun error: “I will introduce ourselves.”
  3. Is this correct? “We ourselves did not expect the results.” Why or why not?
  4. Rewrite to fix pronoun agreement: “Myself and the team organized the event.”
  5. Correct the error: “We congratulated myself after the meeting.”
  6. Choose the correct pronoun: “We reminded (myself/ourselves) to arrive early.”
  7. Explain why “We must trust myselfs” is incorrect and revise it.
  8. Is this sentence correct? “We made ourselves a promise.” Explain.
  9. Find the error: “We saw myself on TV.”
  10. Rewrite using emphasis: “We completed the task.”

Answer Keys and Explanations

9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank Answers Answer
I made a sandwich for ______. myself
We prepared ______ for the competition. ourselves
I reminded ______ about the meeting. myself
We taught ______ to play chess. ourselves
I did it all by ______. myself
We found ______ in a difficult situation. ourselves
I blame ______ for the mistake. myself
As for ______, I prefer tea. myself
We enjoyed ______ at the party. ourselves
I introduced ______ to the group. myself
9.2 Error Correction Answers Correction
We bought myself a gift. We bought ourselves a gift.
Myself and my friends will go. My friends and I will go.
We did it by myselfs. We did it by ourselves.
I and John congratulated ourselves. John and I congratulated ourselves.
I myselfs am responsible. I myself am responsible.
We introduced myself to the teacher. We introduced ourselves to the teacher.
I saw ourselves in the mirror. I saw myself in the mirror.
We made myself a cup of tea. We made ourselves a cup of tea.
Myself will handle the issue. I will handle the issue.
We congratulated myself on the achievement. We congratulated ourselves on the achievement.
9.3 Identification Exercise Answers Correct? Explanation
I baked myself a cake. Yes ‘Myself’ matches subject ‘I’ and the action is reflexive.
We taught ourselves Spanish. Yes ‘Ourselves’ matches subject ‘we’ and the action is reflexive.
We gave the books to myself. No Should be ‘ourselves’ because the subject is ‘we’.
I introduced myself at the conference. Yes ‘Myself’ is correct with ‘I’ as the subject.
We found ourselves laughing at the joke. Yes ‘Ourselves’ matches plural subject ‘we’.
We prepared myself for the challenge. No Should be ‘ourselves’ (subject is ‘we’).
I reminded myself to call. Yes Correct subject-reflexive agreement.
We did it ourselves. Yes Correct plural reflexive usage.
Myself and Tom went to the movies. No Should be ‘Tom and I’ (not reflexive).
We ourselves fixed the error. Yes Correct intensive (emphatic) usage.

9.4 Sentence Construction Sample Answers

  1. I cut myself accidentally.
  2. We congratulated ourselves after the performance.
  3. I myself finished the assignment.
  4. We ourselves repaired the car.
  5. This gift is for myself.
  6. This opportunity is for ourselves.
  7. Did I hurt myself?
  8. We didn’t see ourselves in the video.
  9. Prepare yourself for the exam.
  10. Prepare yourselves for the exam.

9.5 Advanced Usage Challenges Answers

  1. We did the work by ourselves.
  2. I will introduce myself.
  3. Yes, it is correct. ‘Ourselves’ is used for emphasis; the structure is intensive (emphatic) usage.
  4. The team and I organized the event. (Or: My team and I organized the event.)
  5. We congratulated ourselves after the meeting.
  6. Ourselves.
  7. ‘Myselfs’ is never correct; the correct form is ‘ourselves’.
  8. Yes, it is correct. ‘Ourselves’ is the plural reflexive pronoun with ‘we’ as the subject.
  9. We saw ourselves on TV.
  10. We ourselves completed the task.

10. Advanced Topics

10.1 Reflexive Pronouns in Formal and Academic Writing

In formal writing, reflexive pronouns are used precisely and not overused. They often show responsibility, involvement, or emphasis in research, reports, and professional correspondence.

  • We ourselves conducted the experiment to ensure accuracy.
  • We prepared ourselves for every possible scenario.

10.2 Reflexive Pronouns in Different Varieties of English

In some dialects (especially informal UK or Irish English), you may hear nonstandard uses such as “Myself and Sarah went to the shop.” In standard English, use “Sarah and I went to the shop.” Some varieties may also overuse reflexive pronouns for emphasis.

10.3 Reflexive Pronouns with Collective Nouns

When a collective noun (like ‘team’, ‘committee’) acts as a group, use plural reflexive pronouns: “The team congratulated themselves.” If the noun is acting as a single unit, singular forms may occur, but ‘themselves’ is safest in most cases.

10.4 Historical Evolution of Reflexive Pronouns

Historically, English used forms like “ourself” for plural, but modern English standardizes to “ourselves.” The reflexive pronoun system became regularized over centuries, leading to today’s forms.

10.5 Reflexive Constructions in Other Languages

Many languages (Spanish, French, German) have reflexive pronouns. For example, Spanish “nosotros nos preparamos” (we prepare ourselves).

English is unique in using ‘-self/-selves’ endings and in requiring agreement with the subject pronoun.

11. FAQ Section

  • What is the plural of ‘myself’?

    The correct plural is ‘ourselves’. ‘Myself’ is first person singular; ‘ourselves’ is first person plural.
  • Why can’t I say ‘myselfs’ or ‘my selves’?

    Because English reflexive pronouns have irregular plural forms. ‘Ourselves’ is the only correct plural.
  • When should I use ‘ourselves’ instead of ‘myself’?

    Use ‘ourselves’ when the subject is ‘we’ (plural). Use ‘myself’ when the subject is ‘I’ (singular).
  • Are there any exceptions to these rules?

    Very few. Collective nouns and regional dialects can add complexity, but standard English always uses ‘ourselves’ as the plural.
  • How do I use ‘ourselves’ for emphasis?

    Place it after ‘we’ or at the end of the sentence: “We ourselves completed the task.”
  • Can ‘myself’ ever refer to more than one person?

    No. ‘Myself’ is always singular. For plural, use ‘ourselves’.
  • What are common mistakes with plural reflexive pronouns?

    Using ‘myselfs’, ‘myselves’, or ‘my selves’ instead of ‘ourselves’. Also, mismatching subject and reflexive pronouns.
  • Is ‘ourself’ ever correct?

    Very rarely, in extremely formal or archaic contexts (like the “royal we”), but it is not standard.
  • How do I choose between ‘ourselves’ and ‘yourselves’?

    ‘Ourselves’ is for ‘we’ (the speaker and others). ‘Yourselves’ is for ‘you’ (addressing more than one person).
  • What about reflexive pronouns in formal writing?

    Use them accurately for reflexive or emphatic meaning, and avoid overuse or misuse.
  • Do native speakers make mistakes with these pronouns?

    Yes, especially in informal speech or certain dialects. However, standard English follows the rules outlined here.
  • How do reflexive pronouns work in other languages?

    Many languages have reflexive pronouns, but the forms and rules differ. English uses ‘-self/-selves’ endings and matches subject and reflexive pronoun.

12. Conclusion

Mastering the plural of ‘myself’ is essential for clear, accurate, and professional English. Remember:

  • ‘Myself’ is always singular.
  • ‘Ourselves’ is the only correct plural equivalent.
  • Avoid nonstandard forms like ‘myselfs’ or ‘my selves’.
  • Always match the subject pronoun with the correct reflexive.

By practicing the rules and examples in this article, you will improve your grammatical accuracy and confidence. For further clarification, review the FAQ or repeat the exercises.

Understanding reflexive pronouns will help you communicate effectively in both formal and informal settings. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon find these forms come naturally!

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