Hisself vs Himself: Which Form Is Correct?

Himself is the standard English form. Hisself is nonstandard in modern formal English, though it can appear in some dialects, speech, or informal writing to reflect how people actually talk. If you are writing for school, work, publishing, or most online content, himself is the correct choice. Hisself usually signals dialect, character voice, or casual speech rather than standard grammar. The meaning is close, but the grammar level is not. Use himself when you want clean, accepted English, and use hisself only when the style or voice clearly calls for it.

Table of Contents

What does “hisself” mean?

Hisself is a nonstandard reflexive pronoun form that some speakers use instead of himself. It usually means the same thing as himself, but it is not the preferred form in standard English.

The word often appears in speech, dialogue, or writing that tries to sound regional or informal. In those cases, it may be used to show a speaker’s voice rather than to follow standard grammar.

I often see this in fiction drafts and interview transcripts where the writer is trying to preserve the way someone spoke. The question is not only meaning, but tone and register.

TL;DR: Hisself means the same thing as himself in some speech patterns, but himself is the standard English form.

Is “hisself” correct in standard English?

No, hisself is not standard English. The accepted reflexive pronoun is himself.

That does not mean hisself is always wrong in every setting. It can be used on purpose in dialogue, regional writing, or character voice, where the goal is to reflect speech rather than standard edited grammar.

In copyediting, I treat hisself as a signal that the sentence may be imitating speech. In a news article, essay, business document, or website page, himself is the safer and more professional choice.

When should you use “himself”?

Use himself in standard writing whenever the pronoun refers back to a male subject. It is the correct reflexive form in sentences like “He taught himself to play guitar” or “The manager handled the issue himself.”

The form himself works in formal writing, academic work, business text, and everyday edited English. It is the version most readers expect because it follows standard pronoun rules.

If you are unsure which form to use, himself is the one to choose. That simple rule avoids error in nearly every situation.

Examples of “hisself” and “himself”

Examples make the difference easier to see. The meaning may be close, but the level of English is not the same.

Correct usage

“He fixed the shelf himself.” — standard reflexive pronoun in normal English.
“The boy taught himself to swim.” — clear and correct standard usage.
“She said he would do it himself.” — correct when the pronoun refers back to he.
“In the story, the character says he can do it hisself.” — possible in dialogue if the writer wants a dialect voice.
“The narrator used hisself to match the speaker’s regional speech.” — acceptable only as a style choice, not standard grammar.

Incorrect usage

Incorrect: He did it hisself in formal writing.
Correct: He did it himself in formal writing.
Why: himself is the standard reflexive form.
Incorrect: She helped hisself.
Correct: She helped himself.
Why: the pronoun must match the subject and standard form.
Incorrect: The report says he completed it hisself.
Correct: The report says he completed it himself.
Why: formal documents should use standard English.

Context variations

In casual speech, hisself may sound natural to some speakers. It can reflect a local dialect or family speech pattern.

In fiction, hisself can help build a character’s voice. Writers sometimes use it to show class, region, or speech habits without explaining them directly.

In school essays, articles, and business writing, himself is the correct form. Those settings need standard grammar, not spoken imitation.

Common mistakes with “hisself” and “himself”

The main mistake is thinking hisself is an accepted standard alternative to himself. It is not. The standard reflexive pronoun is himself.

TL;DR: Use himself for standard English. Reserve hisself for dialogue, dialect, or deliberate style.

Error Pattern	Incorrect	Correct
Nonstandard reflexive form	hisself	himself
Formal writing slip	the student checked hisself	the student checked himself
Edited prose error	he made hisself clear	he made himself clear
Business or school writing	the manager prepared it hisself	the manager prepared it himself

These mistakes often come from speech habits. A writer hears the form often enough that it feels normal, then carries it into a place where standard grammar is expected.

How do you remember the difference?

Think of himself as the form that belongs in clean, standard English. That is the form used in most books, articles, reports, and school papers.

Conclusion

Himself is the standard English reflexive pronoun, and hisself is nonstandard in formal writing. The difference is mostly about grammar level and register, not basic meaning.If you want your writing to sound correct and professional, choose himself. Use hisself only when you are deliberately writing speech, dialect, or character voice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hisself a real word?

It is a real form in the sense that people do use it, especially in speech or dialect. But it is not the standard reflexive pronoun in formal English.

What is the correct form: hisself or himself?

Himself is the correct standard form. That is the one to use in essays, articles, reports, and most edited writing.

Why do some people say hisself?

Some speakers use it because it matches the way they learned the word in speech. It can also be tied to regional or informal language patterns.

Can I use hisself in writing?

Yes, but only when you are deliberately showing speech, dialect, or a character’s voice. In standard writing, himself is better.

Is himself formal or informal?

It is standard English, so it works in both formal and informal writing. It is the safe default in almost every context.