Cool MateHer vs Hers vs Herself
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Her
Top 1,000 (very common)A1pronoun
Hers
Top 2,000 (common)A2pronoun
Herself
Top 2,000 (common)A2pronoun
Most common: Her
| Her | Hers | Herself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/hə(r)//ɜː(r)//ə(r)//hɜː(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hər//ɜːr//ər//hɜːr/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/hɜːz//ɜːz/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrz//ɜːrz/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/hɜːˈself//həˈself/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrˈself//hərˈself/"]/ |
| Meaning | the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about | belonging to her | 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. | His eyes met hers. | She hurt herself. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | A2 | A2 |
| Part of speech | pronoun | pronoun | pronoun |
| Collocations | give her, tell her, see her | hers is the best, this book is hers, the decision was hers | by herself, take care of herself, enjoy herself, teach herself, believe in herself |
| Antonyms | him, they, them | his, mine, ours, theirs | 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. | Using 'her' instead of 'hers' when possession is highlighted., Confusing 'hers' with 'his' or 'its'., Incorrectly applying 'hers' in plural contexts. | '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 '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. | 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 Hers vs Herself
What's the difference between Her, Hers, and Herself?
Her: the woman or girl that belongs to or is being talked about Hers: belonging to her Herself: The female form of 'himself', used to refer to the subject when it is a girl or woman.
Which is more common: Her, Hers, and Herself?
Her is the most common in everyday English.
Are Her, Hers, and Herself the same CEFR level?
Her: A1, Hers: A2, Herself: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Her, Hers, and Herself?
Her: pronoun, Hers: pronoun, Herself: pronoun.
Can you show an example of each?
Her: We're going to call her Sophie. Hers: His eyes met hers. Herself: She hurt herself.
Can I use Her, Hers, and Herself interchangeably?
Not always. Her, Hers, 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.