Cool MateHer vs Hers
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Her
Top 1,000 (very common)A1pronoun
Hers
Top 2,000 (common)A2pronoun
Most common: Her
| Her | Hers | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/hə(r)//ɜː(r)//ə(r)//hɜː(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hər//ɜːr//ər//hɜːr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/hɜːz//ɜːz/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrz//ɜːrz/"]/ |
| Meaning | the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about | belonging to her |
| Example | We're going to call her Sophie. | His eyes met hers. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | pronoun | pronoun |
| Collocations | give her, tell her, see her | hers is the best, this book is hers, the decision was hers |
| Antonyms | him, they, them | his, mine, ours, theirs |
| Common mistakes | Using 'her' instead of 'she' as the subject of a sentence., Confusing 'her' with 'his' when referring to a female., Incorrectly using 'her' when the word should be a possessive noun. | Using 'her' instead of 'hers' when possession is highlighted., Confusing 'hers' with 'his' or 'its'., Incorrectly applying 'hers' in plural contexts. |
| Usage notes | Use 'her' when referring to someone female. It is appropriate in all contexts. However, do not confuse it with 'she', which is a subject pronoun. | Use 'hers' to indicate possession when the owner is female. It is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it when it's unclear what is being possessed. |
Frequently asked questions: Her vs Hers
What's the difference between Her and Hers?
Her: the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about Hers: belonging to her
Which is more common: Her and Hers?
Her is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Her and Hers?
Hers is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Her and Hers the same CEFR level?
Her: A1, Hers: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Her and Hers?
Her: pronoun, Hers: pronoun.
Can you show an example of each?
Her: We're going to call her Sophie. Hers: His eyes met hers.
Can I use Her and Hers interchangeably?
Not always. Her and Hers are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.