/ðɛˈmsɛlvz/
themselves is pronounced /ðɛˈmsɛlvz/. Themselves is a reflexive pronoun used for emphasis or to refer back to the subject of a clause, typically meaning “they themselves.” It functions as a non-restrictive pronoun in clauses like They did it themselves, or as a dative/prepositional object in phrases like by themselves. Pronounced with two syllables, the stress falls on the second morpheme, and the final /z/ sound links to following words in fluent speech.
Say it backThemselves is a reflexive pronoun used for emphasis or to refer back to the subject of a clause, typically meaning “they themselves.” It functions as a non-restrictive pronoun in clauses like They did it themselves, or as a dative/prepositional object in phrases like by themselves. Pronounced with two syllables, the stress falls on the second morpheme, and the final /z/ sound links to following words in fluent speech.
- You often misplace the primary stress on the first syllable (THEMselves). Ensure the second syllable carries the stronger beat: /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/. - The initial /ð/ can be softened or omitted in very casual speech; practice keeping it distinct, like the /th/ in 'this' while integrating with the following /ɛm/. - The final /z/ is voiced; in rapid conversations, speakers may devoice it and blur into a /s/; maintain voicing for clarity, especially when the word ends a sentence before punctuation.
"They made the decision themselves, without any outside input."
"Themselves were surprised by the outcome despite their preparations."
"You can solve it yourselves if you follow the step-by-step guide."
Say /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/. Begin with a light dental fricative /ð/ as in 'this,' then the short /ɛ/ vowel in the first syllable. The primary stress sits on the second syllable: /ˈsɛl/; finally, /vz/ is a voiced cluster that links smoothly to the next word. Tip: keep the mouth rounded and relaxed for /ð/ and transition quickly into /s/ without delaying the /l/ or /v/.
Two frequent errors are misplacing stress on the first syllable (the-MLS) and turning /ð/ into /d/ or /z/ during rapid speech. Correct by keeping primary stress on the second syllable: /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/. Also avoid devoicing the final /z/; keep it voiced in connected speech and allow air to flow into the following word. Practicing the sequence /ð/ + /ɛm/ + /ˈsɛlvz/ helps maintain correct articulation.
In US, UK, and AU it starts with /ð/ and has /ɛ/ in the first vowel; the main differences are vowel quality and linking. US accents often have a slightly tenser /ɛ/ and may shorten the second syllable slightly in fast speech. UK accents may maintain crisper consonants and a slightly rounded /ɔ/ before /l/ in some regional variants. Australian speech often features a more open vowel quality in /e/ and a more lateral release in /l/. Despite these, the final /z/ sound remains voiced across all three.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm with secondary stress on the second syllable and the cluster /lv/ followed by /z/. The sequence /ˈsɛlv/ requires precise lip and tongue timing: keep the tongue contact light for /l/ while letting a voiced /v/ follow immediately, without inserting a vowel. The initial /ð/ can be challenging for non-native speakers because it’s a soft dental fricative that requires precise tongue placement between the teeth.
A distinctive feature is the linked voicing in rapid speech: /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/ often blends into a single fluent word with minimal vowel intrusion between /m/ and /s/. In fast phrases, you might hear assimilation that slightly reducing the /ɛ/ to a schwa in casual conversation, but careful articulation keeps it as /ɛm/ to maintain the expected rhythm and to avoid confusion with similar words like themselves vs them selves.
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US: Slightly hotter vowel sounds; keep /ɛ/ clear, final /z/ pronounced. UK: Slightly crisper consonants, more precise /ð/ and /s/; AU: vowel qualities lean toward /e/ in /ɛm/ and a generally slower tempo with clearer enunciation of /l/ and final /z/. IPA references: US /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/, UK /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/, AU /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/.
The word themselves comes from Old English period forms like hemselves, arising from the strong/weak pronoun system in early Germanic languages. It is a fused reflexive form combining the objective pronoun them with themselves as a emphatic/referential intensifier. The historical path shows Middle English uses of themself as a reflexive pronoun; the -elves suffix appears in various English pronouns of the period to signal emphasis or self-reference. The modern spelling and pronunciation consolidate to themselves, with the reduced vowel in the first syllable and an emphasis pattern that centers on the second syllable. First known written forms surface in Middle English corpora, with stable usage by Early Modern English as speakers sought to distinguish reflexive emphasis from attributive usage. The development reflects how English expanded its set of reflexive pronouns to accommodate plural subjects and emphatic constructions, maintaining compatibility with older forms while allowing more flexible syntactic positioning in sentences.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "themselves" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "themselves"
-ves sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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