Himself vs Hisself: What’s Correct and Why It Matters

Have you ever heard someone say, “He did it himself, and you’re not sure if that is correct?” You are not alone. There is more of a discussion about himself vs hisself than you might imagine. The two words are alike in appearance and share the same meaning; however, only one of these words should be used in standard English.

The reflexive pronoun for a girl or boy who is the subject and object of the sentence. This is the term that’s been embraced by all significant grammar experts. Hisself, however, is a variant. It is used in some regional dialects of the U.S. and the U.K. but is not found in any formal grammar reference. Most people wouldn’t consider it a grammar mistake if a copywriter used him in a job application, academic paper, or professional email.

This is understandable because other reflexive pronouns are formed in a similar manner. There are words like “myself,” “yourselves,” and “herself” that are all patterned by the possessive form. If you apply the same reasoning, you might think that then you should expect yourself to be his, since “his” is the possessive of “he. That is not the case with English, though, for a third-person singular male. The word is just “himself,” with “him” as the object of the word, not the possessive form “his.”

Himself vs Hisself: Key Facts at a Glance

Feature	Himself	Hisself
Grammatical Status	Standard English	Nonstandard / dialectal
Accepted in Formal Writing	Yes	No
Common in Speech	Yes	In some regional dialects
Part of Speech	Reflexive pronoun	Informal pronoun (nonstandard)
Example Sentence	He built the house himself.	He built the house hisself. (incorrect in formal use)
Origin Pattern	Object pronoun (him) + self	Possessive pronoun (his) + self
Used in Grammar Guides	Always	Never

Understanding Reflexive Pronouns First

Before going deeper into himself vs hisself, it helps to understand what a reflexive pronoun actually does. A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of the sentence. It shows that the subject is also the receiver of the action.

Here is the full list of standard reflexive pronouns in English:

Subject Pronoun	Reflexive Pronoun
I	myself
you (singular)	yourself
he	himself
she	herself
it	itself
we	ourselves
you (plural)	yourselves
they	themselves

Notice that “himself” follows the pattern of “him” + “self.” It does not follow the possessive pattern. The word “hisself” would need to follow “his” + “self,” which is inconsistent with the rest of the pronoun family. That inconsistency is why grammarians do not accept it.

Himself: Meaning and Correct Usage 

In a sentence, Himself can function in two different ways.

First, it is used when there is one that is the same person for both the subject and the object. The action is reflected on the subject.

Second, it is used to make emphasis. It indicates that the person did something independently or personally without any other persons helping.

Examples of Himself Used Correctly 

• He injured himself while working on the car.
• The complaint was taken up by **the manager.
• He worked himself to completion of the project on time.
• He was able to keep the news to himself for weeks.
• At the beginning of the meeting, he made himself known as
• He was not given instructions as to what to do. He “discovered it on his own.”

Each of these sentences has a male subject to which himself refers. It is an essential component of the sentence, and its absence would make the sentence ungrammatical.

Read More: 30 Simple Ways to Say ‘I Look Forward To’ (Updated 2026)

Hisself: Where It Comes From and Why People Use It 

No, “Hisself” is not a typo. It goes back to historical English and is still present in certain regional dialects. It is used in certain rural regions of the United States, Appalachian English, and some dialects of British English, especially among the working class.

The word has a consistent internal structure. Let us assume that a speaker thinks that a speaker who uses himself should use his.Let us suppose that a speaker concludes that a speaker who uses himself should use his, because I use my, and you use your. That’s a fair argument. It’s not the route taken by common English.

Analogy-based innovations are forms such as “hisself,” “theirselves,” etc., that linguists describe. They are present because the standard language is inconsistent, and the speakers apply a consistent rule to the inconsistent standard language. But it is not to say that they are accurate in formal settings; it is just a reason why they appear so frequently in informal speech.

Examples of “Hisself” in Dialectal Use 

• He prepared all the food himself. (informal, colloquial) (not standard)
• The boy constructed that fence. *(regional dialect)*
• He never sought any help from anybody. Done it **hisself**. *(Appalachian English)*

The following examples are not grammatically correct in the standard form of English. However, these are actual instances of the working of living language in communities where hisselfs is normal speech.

Himself vs Hisself: Side-by-Side Examples

Sentence	Himself (Correct)	Hisself (Nonstandard)
Reflexive use	He hurt himself.	He hurt hisself.
Emphasis usage	He fixed the car himself.	He fixed the car hisself.
Isolation use	He kept it to himself.	He kept it to hisself.
Introduction	He introduced himself.	He introduced hisself.
Independence	He did it himself.	He did it hisself.

The meaning in every row is the same. The only difference is whether the word is acceptable in standard English or not.

Read More: 30 Ways to Say Congratulations to You Both (Updated 2026)

People Also Ask — Himself vs Hisself

Question	Short Answer
Is hisself a real word?	Hisself is a nonstandard form. It is not accepted in formal or standard English writing.
When should I use himself?	Use himself when the male subject and object in a sentence are the same person.
Why do people say hisself?	Regional dialects follow a logical possessive pattern, making hisself common in informal speech.
Is hisself in the dictionary?	Some dictionaries note hisself as dialectal. It is never recommended for standard use.
What is the correct reflexive pronoun for he?	Himself is the only correct reflexive pronoun for the third-person singular male subject.
Is hisself a Southern word?	Hisself appears in Southern American English and Appalachian dialects but is not standard.
Can I use hisself in casual writing?	In very informal contexts it may appear, but himself is always the safer and clearer choice.

Common Mistakes Writers Make with Himself 

The most common mistakes in such words are using the word in the wrong context, or using the word hisself in professional writing.

Mistake 1: His self in the professional writing.

He finished the report by himself.Wrong: He finished the report by his self.  

Right: He did the report all by himself.

Mistake 2: When the subject is not a male, use the person.

Wrong: At the end, she made him look good.  

Right: In the end, she was proved right.

Mistake 3: Mixing up reflexive with regular object pronouns

Wrong: He said to him to “cool down.” *(suggests that two persons are involved)*  

Right: He quieted down for himself. *(same person)*

Mistake 4: Omitting himself for emphasis when it strengthens the sentence 

Weak: The decision was made by the chief executive officer.  

Strongest: The decision was made by the CEO himself.

How to Remember the Difference Every Time 

A simple mental test is the quickest method to maintain himself vs hisself.

Do you think the word is part of the words you usually use in writing standard English?

If yes, he himself.  

If it’s regional or informal—you need to replace it, you’re reaching for hisself.

It can also be recalled as the following:

Him + self = himself.

 The same as her, and self = herself.

The word is in the objective form, not the possessive form. That is the rule. After it does stick, he will never get confused on his side vs. hisself again.

Read More: 30 Better Ways to Say “Kindly Request” (Updated 2026)

Why This Matters for SEO and Professional Writing 

When you’re writing for the web, nonstandard grammar, such as the use of “hisself,” may influence readers’ perception of credibility. Search engines favor content that is easy to read and understandable. Most importantly, when your grammar is clean, you are more trusted by your audience.

The ‘he himself/himself’ question is a minor one. In professional writing, however, it’s the little things that matter. The use of himself is an indicator of your knowledge of your subject. If you use *hisself* in a formal piece, then you’re being sloppy—it doesn’t matter how the rest of your writing is done.

Whenever you have to write blog posts, product descriptions, articles, or any content to be consumed by a vast number of people, always use the *himself* form. It is the one that anyone will be able to read and agree with without doubts.

Final Thoughts

No competition in this circle with these two words: himself vs. hisself. In standard English, he wins all the time. There is a real world that HisSelsef has. It is found in dialects, in informal speech, and in literature in which writers record authentic regional speech. However, in formal writing, professional communication, and anything you wish to appear on Google or go past the editor’s eyes, he is the only option.

The one guideline to follow is that if you’re writing something you want to be taken seriously, use it. If you are writing fiction and your character speaks in a southern rural accent, then “hisself” might be the right and proper word choice. Context drives everything. Next time that you type “he did it himself,” take a bit of time out. Change it to “He did it by himself. You’ll thank your grammar.

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