pron A2 Elementary Common

ourselves

ow-uh-SEHLVZ

Ourselves (pron) means used to refer back to the speaker and others as the same people affected by the action, or to emphasize that group. Example: “We treated ourselves to a nice dinner after the exam.”

pron

Used to refer back to the speaker and others as the same people affected by the action, or to emphasize that group.

"We treated ourselves to a nice dinner after the exam."

"We built the shed ourselves, without any help."

How to use ourselves

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe reflexive/emphatic form of "we" — used when the doer and the receiver of an action are the same group.

Common mistake

Don't use "ourselves" as a simple substitute for "we" or "us" — say "John and I went," not "John and ourselves went."

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Can you complete this real example?

We treated _____ to a nice dinner after the exam.

Etymology

Formed from "our" plus "-selves," matching the pattern of other reflexive pronouns like "themselves."

Synonyms

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usself weself

Rhymes for ourselves

elves themselves

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Frequently asked questions

What does “ourselves” mean?

The word “ourselves” means used to refer back to the speaker and others as the same people affected by the action, or to emphasize that group. In plain terms, the reflexive/emphatic form of "we" — used when the doer and the receiver of an action are the same group.

How do you pronounce “ourselves”?

“Ourselves” is pronounced ow-uh-SEHLVZ (/aʊɚˈsɛlvz/ in IPA).

How do you use “ourselves” in a sentence?

Here is “ourselves” used in a sentence: “We treated ourselves to a nice dinner after the exam.”

What is another word for “ourselves”?

Words with a similar meaning to “ourselves” include usself and weself.

What part of speech is “ourselves”?

“Ourselves” is a pronoun.

Is “ourselves” a common word?

“Ourselves” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

What is the difference between ourselves and ourself?

Ourselves is the standard reflexive pronoun for 'we', used when the subject and object are the same group: 'we taught ourselves.' Ourself is rare and non-standard, occasionally used by a single person speaking formally for a group, as with a royal or editorial 'we'. In almost all writing, ourselves is correct.

When do you use ourselves?

Use ourselves in two cases: reflexively, when 'we' act on ourselves — 'we blame ourselves' — and for emphasis, to stress the group — 'we built it ourselves.' Do not use it as a subject or in place of 'us' after a preposition; 'between you and us' is correct, not 'ourselves'.

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