Himself is the standard and correct form in modern English, while hisself is generally considered a nonstandard or dialectal form. If you are writing an email, essay, article, school assignment, business document, or formal message, himself is the form you should use.
The confusion is understandable because hisself looks like a natural combination of his + self. However, English reflexive pronouns do not always follow that simple pattern. In this guide, you will learn the difference between himself and hisself, why hisself exists, how to use himself correctly, and when you might encounter the less-standard form.
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Himself or Hisself: Quick Answer
Himself is the correct standard-English form.
Hisself is a documented English word form, but dictionaries describe it as dialectal or nonstandard. American Heritage, for example, describes hisself as chiefly Southern and South Midland U.S. usage, while Dictionary.com labels it “Nonstandard.”
So, the simple rule is:
Use “himself” in standard English.
For example:
- Correct: He introduced himself.
- Correct: John fixed the bike himself.
- Avoid in formal English: He introduced hisself.
- Avoid in formal English: John fixed the bike hisself.
Cambridge defines himself as the reflexive form of he and also explains its use for emphasis and in expressions such as by himself.
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What Does “Himself” Mean?
Himself is a reflexive pronoun. It normally refers back to a male person or male animal already mentioned as the subject.
Himself as a Reflexive Pronoun
When the subject and object refer to the same person, himself is used.
Examples:
- He blamed himself for the mistake.
- David taught himself Spanish.
- The boy hurt himself while playing.
- Mark introduced himself to the new manager.
In the sentence “David taught himself Spanish,” David is both the person doing the action and the person receiving it.
Himself for Emphasis
Himself can also emphasize a particular person.
- The manager himself called me.
- The author himself answered the question.
- The president himself attended the meeting.
- James himself repaired the computer.
Here, himself means something like “that person personally”.
Himself With “By”
When used with by, himself can mean alone or without help.
- He completed the project by himself.
- Tom traveled by himself.
- The child learned to ride the bicycle by himself.
This is one of the most common uses of the word.
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Why Is “Hisself” Used?
At first glance, hisself seems logical because English has forms such as myself, yourself, and herself. A speaker may naturally assume that his + self should produce hisself.
However, standard English uses him + self → himself, not his + self.
The Historical Reason
The history is more interesting than simply calling hisself a spelling mistake.
American Heritage explains that speakers using vernacular dialects may form hisself by regularizing an irregular-looking pattern in English reflexive pronouns. The form has historical roots and has survived in some dialects.
Etymonline also traces hisself back to around the 14th century, showing that the form has a long history in English rather than being a completely modern invention.
Hisself in Dialect and Informal Speech
You may encounter hisself in:
- Regional dialects
- Informal speech
- Fictional dialogue
- Historical writing
- Writing that intentionally represents a person’s speech
For example:
“He did it all by hisself.”
The sentence can communicate the intended meaning, but hisself is not the standard form expected in formal English.
Is Hisself a Real Word?
Yes, with an important qualification.
Hisself is a documented word form, but being documented in a dictionary does not mean it has the same status as the standard form himself.
American Heritage identifies it as a dialectal form, and Dictionary.com identifies it as nonstandard.
Therefore:
Hisself exists → Yes.
Hisself is standard English → No.
Himself is the standard choice → Yes.
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Himself vs Hisself: The Main Difference
The easiest way to remember the difference is to focus on standard usage.
| Word | Standard English? | Typical role | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| himself | Yes | Reflexive/emphatic pronoun | He did it himself. |
| hisself | No, generally dialectal/nonstandard | Regional or informal usage | He did it hisself. |
Himself Is the Standard Form
Use himself when writing standard English.
- He washed himself.
- He introduced himself.
- He completed the task himself.
- He bought the gift himself.
Hisself Is Dialectal or Nonstandard
You might hear or see hisself in particular speech communities or in writing designed to reproduce dialect.
For example:
- “He fixed it hisself.”
- “The old man did it hisself.”
These examples demonstrate how the word can appear in real language without making it the preferred form for formal writing.
A Simple Memory Trick
Think:
He → him → himself
Not:
He → his → hisself
For reflexive use, remember him + self = himself.
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How to Use “Himself” Correctly
Knowing the rule is useful, but seeing it in different sentence patterns makes it much easier to remember.
After a Verb
Use himself when the action comes back to the male subject.
- He cut himself.
- Daniel congratulated himself.
- Peter taught himself to cook.
- The athlete pushed himself to improve.
For Strong Emphasis
Use himself when you want to emphasize who performed an action.
- The CEO himself approved the plan.
- The teacher himself explained the lesson.
- Robert himself wrote the letter.
The emphasis tells the reader that the person personally performed or participated in the action.
With “By Himself”
By himself commonly means that someone did something alone.
- He lives by himself.
- He completed the assignment by himself.
- He built the table by himself.
This construction is especially useful in everyday English.
Examples of Correct Usage
Here are some quick examples:
Sentence:
Ali blamed himself for being late.
Why?
Ali is the subject, and himself refers back to Ali.
Sentence:
The director himself attended the event.
Why?
Himself emphasizes that the director personally attended.
Sentence:
He finished the work by himself.
Why?
By himself means he finished it without assistance.
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Common Mistakes With Himself and Hisself
Many errors happen because hisself looks familiar.
Mistake 1: “He Did It Hisself”
❌ He did it hisself.
In standard English, write:
✅ He did it himself.
Mistake 2: “He Hurt Hisself”
❌ He hurt hisself.
Standard English:
✅ He hurt himself.
Mistake 3: Using His Before Self
It is tempting to think:
his + self = hisself
But the standard reflexive form is:
him + self = himself
This is why himself is correct even though his is the possessive form of he.
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A Useful Case Study: Choosing the Right Form in Everyday Writing
Imagine a student named Daniel is writing an English assignment about learning a new skill. While drafting the paragraph, he writes: “Daniel taught hisself how to repair bicycles.” He has heard people use hisself in casual conversation, so the word feels natural to him.
Before submitting the assignment, Daniel checks the sentence and asks whether the word is appropriate for standard written English. The answer is no. The sentence should be changed to: “Daniel taught himself how to repair bicycles.”
The important lesson is not that Daniel’s original sentence is meaningless. A reader familiar with the form can understand it. The problem is register and standard usage. In an academic assignment, professional email, article, or formal document, the expected reflexive pronoun is himself.
Now imagine the same sentence appearing in a novel where an author is deliberately representing a character’s regional speech. In that situation, “He taught hisself” might be intentional. The writer is not necessarily trying to follow formal Standard English; they are trying to represent how a particular character speaks.
This distinction helps explain why hisself can appear in published or historical material while himself remains the correct choice for ordinary formal writing. American Heritage specifically notes dialectal use of hisself, while Cambridge presents himself as the standard reflexive pronoun.
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Data & Evidence: What Do Current Sources Show?
There is no authoritative 2025–2026 statistic showing a universal percentage of English speakers who use “hisself.” It would be misleading to invent a percentage simply to make the article look more data-driven.
Instead, the strongest evidence comes from current dictionary and language references:
- Cambridge Dictionary identifies himself as the reflexive form of he.
- American Heritage Dictionary records hisself but describes it as chiefly Southern and South Midland U.S. usage and explains its dialectal development.
- Dictionary.com labels hisself as nonstandard while giving himself as its meaning.
- Modern English writing guidance therefore favors himself when standard English is expected.
There is also an important historical point: hisself is not new. Etymonline traces the form to around c. 1400, demonstrating that its existence has a long history.
So the evidence-based conclusion is straightforward: “himself” is the standard form, while “hisself” survives mainly as a dialectal or nonstandard variant.
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When Should You Use Himself Instead of Hisself?
For most readers, this checklist makes the decision easy.
Use “Himself” When:
- Writing a school assignment
- Writing an academic paper
- Sending a professional email
- Creating website content
- Writing a business document
- Taking an English test
- Writing formal correspondence
- Speaking standard English
- Editing professional content
“Hisself” May Appear When:
- Representing a regional dialect
- Writing realistic character dialogue
- Quoting someone directly
- Studying historical English
- Discussing language variation
If you are unsure, choose himself.
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Himself vs Hisself: Quick Examples
Example 1
❌ He blamed hisself for the mistake.
✅ He blamed himself for the mistake.
Example 2
❌ Mark introduced hisself to everyone.
✅ Mark introduced himself to everyone.
Example 3
❌ He completed the project by hisself.
✅ He completed the project by himself.
Example 4
❌ The manager hisself called the customer.
✅ The manager himself called the customer.
Example 5
❌ James taught hisself French.
✅ James taught himself French.
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Why Does the Mistake Happen?
The confusion becomes easier to understand when you compare other reflexive pronouns.
Common Reflexive Pronouns
- I → myself
- You → yourself
- He → himself
- She → herself
- It → itself
- We → ourselves
- They → themselves
Notice that himself uses him, not his.
That is the key difference.
The Pattern Can Feel Irregular
English contains many historical patterns that are not perfectly predictable. This is one reason learners sometimes create forms that appear logically consistent.
Hisself follows an understandable pattern from the speaker’s perspective, but standard English settled on himself.
That is also why calling hisself simply “nonsense” is inaccurate. It has a documented history and continues to occur in dialectal speech.
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Is “Hisself” Ever Acceptable?
Yes, depending on what you are writing.
If your goal is standard English, use himself.
If your goal is to reproduce a particular dialect, hisself may be appropriate when used deliberately.
For example, a novelist might write dialogue such as:
“He fixed the old truck hisself.”
The spelling can signal the character’s speech pattern. But if you are writing:
“The engineer fixed the machine hisself.”
in a formal report, himself is the better choice.
The difference is therefore not only about meaning. It is also about register, audience, and purpose.
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Mini Quiz: Himself or Hisself
Quiz 1: Pick the Correct Word
Which word is the standard English form?
A. Hisself
B. Himself
C. Hiself
D. Himselfs
Answer: B. Himself
Quiz 2: Fill the Sentence
“He blamed _____ for the mistake.”
A. hisself
B. himself
C. his self
D. him self
Answer: B. himself
Quiz 3: Quick Grammar Check
Which sentence is correct in standard English?
A. He hurt hisself.
B. He hurt himself.
C. He hurt his self.
D. He hurt him self.
Answer: B. He hurt himself.
Quiz 4: What Does It Mean?
What type of pronoun is himself?
A. Reflexive pronoun
B. Possessive noun
C. Demonstrative pronoun
D. Interrogative pronoun
Answer: A. Reflexive pronoun
Quiz 5: Complete the Thought
“Ali taught _____ how to cook.”
A. hisself
B. himself
C. his self
D. himselves
Answer: B. himself
Quiz 6: Spot the Standard Form
Which form should you normally use in formal writing?
A. Hisself
B. Himself
C. Hisselve
D. Himselfs
Answer: B. Himself
Quiz 7: By ___
“He completed the project by _____.”
A. hisself
B. himself
C. his self
D. himself
Answer: B. himself
Quiz 8: Meaning Matters
“He fixed the car himself.” What does himself emphasize?
A. He personally did it.
B. He bought the car.
C. He sold the car.
D. He watched someone else.
Answer: A. He personally did it.
Quiz 9: Choose the Better Sentence
Which sentence follows standard English?
A. James introduced hisself.
B. James introduced himself.
C. James introduced his self.
D. James introduced him self.
Answer: B. James introduced himself.
Quiz 10: Remember the Pattern
Which pattern is correct?
A. He → his → hisself
B. He → him → himself
C. He → her → herself
D. He → them → themselves
Answer: B. He → him → himself
Quiz 11: Standard or Nonstandard?
How is hisself generally described in dictionaries?
A. Standard formal English
B. Dialectal or nonstandard
C. A plural pronoun
D. A verb
Answer: B. Dialectal or nonstandard
Quiz 12: Find the Correct Option
Which sentence is best for a professional email?
A. He completed it hisself.
B. He completed it himself.
C. He completed it his self.
D. He completed it him self.
Answer: B. He completed it himself.
Quiz 13: Little Grammar Challenge
“The manager _____ called me.”
A. hisself
B. himself
C. his self
D. himselves
Answer: B. himself
Quiz 14: Hisself in Context
Where might you intentionally see hisself?
A. Formal reports
B. Academic exams
C. Regional or dialectal speech
D. Business contracts
Answer: C. Regional or dialectal speech
Quiz 15: Final Quick Test
Which sentence is correct in standard English?
A. He did the work by hisself.
B. He did the work by himself.
C. He did the work by his self.
D. He did the work by him self.
Answer: B. He did the work by himself
FAQs
Q. Is “Himself” or “Hisself” Correct?
A: Himself is the correct standard-English form. Hisself is generally classified as dialectal or nonstandard.
Q. Is “Hisself” a Real Word?
A: Yes. Dictionaries document hisself, but its status is different from standard English himself. American Heritage describes it as chiefly dialectal, while Dictionary.com marks it nonstandard.
Q. Why Do Some People Say “Hisself”?
A: Some speakers use hisself as a dialectal reflexive form. American Heritage explains that it can result from regularizing the pattern of reflexive pronouns.
Q. Can I Use “Hisself” in Formal Writing?
A: Generally, no. For formal, academic, professional, and standard written English, use himself.
Q. Is “Hisself” the British Version of “Himself”?
A: No. It should not simply be treated as a British or American alternative. It is generally associated with dialectal or nonstandard usage, including varieties in both Britain and the United States.
Q. What Is the Easy Way to Remember Himself?
A: Remember:
He → him → himself
For example:
He hurt himself.
Not:
He hurt hisself.
Final Verdict:
When choosing between himself or hisself, the answer is clear: use himself in standard English.
Himself is the standard reflexive pronoun used after verbs, for emphasis, and in expressions such as by himself. Hisself is a documented but generally nonstandard or dialectal form that may appear in regional speech, historical material, or intentionally written dialogue.
So, whenever you are writing an essay, email, article, application, report, or professional message, choose himself.
Quick rule to remember:
He → him → himself
If you found yourself wondering about himself or hisself, save this simple rule and you will be much less likely to make the mistake again.
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Hi, I’m Bilal Khalid, the founder of Gramixo. I’m passionate about helping people improve their English through clear, practical, and easy-to-follow grammar content. By combining my experience in SEO with a focus on creating helpful educational resources, I publish guides that simplify Grammar rules, explain common mistakes, and improve writing skills. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or an English learner, my goal is to make learning grammar easier, more enjoyable, and genuinely useful in everyday life.
