Why Self Becomes Selves but Roof Stays Roofs
Selves is the plural of self. English changes f to ves in some words and not others, and the split follows history rather than logic.
Selves is the plural of *self*. The f-to-ves change is not a rule anyone chose: in Old English an f between vowels was voiced, so the plural naturally sounded like v. Words that entered English later — roof, chief, belief — never went through that stage, which is why they simply take an s. Native old words change; newcomers do not.
- Plural of self. *Our former selves.*
- In reflexives — ourselves, yourselves, themselves. *They blamed themselves.*
- Best selves — the best version of people. *Bring your best selves.*
- Self — the singular. *A sense of self.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | self | The self. |
| Plural | selves | Two selves. |
| Reflexive | ourselves | We did it ourselves. |
| Reflexive | yourselves | Help yourselves. |
| Reflexive | themselves | They enjoyed themselves. |
- We were different people then — younger selves.Ordinary plural.
- Please help yourselves to the food.Plural reflexive.
- The twins kept entirely to themselves.Fixed expression.
f to ves, and the exceptions
- Changes — self, leaf, wife, knife, life, shelf, thief, wolf, calf, half
- Does not change — roof, chief, belief, proof, cliff, reef
- Either way — hoof and hooves or hoofs; scarf and scarves or scarfs
- Why — the old native words voiced the f between vowels; later borrowings did not
- Odd one out — the verb is *shelve*, so shelf and shelves fit the pattern twice
Old English *self*, plural *selfe*; the voiced plural came from a sound change in which an f between vowels was pronounced as v, and later spellings recorded it.
Is it themselves or themself?
Themselves is standard for plural. Themself is increasingly used for a single person of unstated gender, and many style guides now accept it.
Why is it roofs and not rooves?
Roof entered English without the sound change that turned f into v between vowels, so it takes a plain s. Rooves appears occasionally but is not standard.