Cool MateHer vs Herself
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Her
Top 1,000 (very common)A1pronoun
Herself
Top 2,000 (common)A2pronoun
Most common: Her
| Her | Herself | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/hə(r)//ɜː(r)//ə(r)//hɜː(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hər//ɜːr//ər//hɜːr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/hɜːˈself//həˈself/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrˈself//hərˈself/"]/ |
| Meaning | the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about | The female form of 'himself', used to refer to the subject when it is a girl or woman. |
| Example | We're going to call her Sophie. | She hurt herself. |
| 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 | by herself, take care of herself, enjoy herself, teach herself, believe in herself |
| Antonyms | him, they, them | himself, themselves, yourself |
| 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. | 'Herself' is often confused with 'hers' (possessive)., Learners sometimes use 'herself' in place of 'she' in subject positions., Some learners forget to use 'herself' for the reflexive form when it's needed. |
| 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 'herself' when talking about a woman doing something alone or emphasizing her own actions. Avoid using it in overly casual contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Her vs Herself
What's the difference between Her and Herself?
Her: the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about Herself: The female form of 'himself', used to refer to the subject when it is a girl or woman.
Which is more common: Her and Herself?
Her is the most common in everyday English.
Are Her and Herself the same CEFR level?
Her: A1, Herself: A2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Her and Herself interchangeably?
Not always. Her and Herself 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.