When should you say “their life” and when should you say “their lives”? The answer depends on what their refers to and whether you are talking about one shared life or multiple individual lives.
This small difference can change the meaning of a sentence. For example, “They changed their lives” normally means several people each changed their own lives.
But “They built their life together” can describe two people sharing one life as a couple.
So, is “their life” or “their lives” correct? Both are grammatically correct. The right choice depends on the number of lives you mean and the relationship between the people involved.
Quick Answer
Use “their life” when life refers to one person’s life or to one shared life belonging to multiple people.
Use “their lives” when lives refers to the individual lives of two or more people.
- She changed their life. → one person’s life
- They changed their lives. → each person’s individual life
- They built their life together. → one shared life
Their Life vs Their Lives: Comparison Table
| Point | Their life | Their lives |
|---|---|---|
| Basic meaning | One life | More than one life |
| Life form | Singular noun | Plural noun |
| Typical reference | One person or one shared life | Two or more individual lives |
| Example | They built their life together. | They changed their lives. |
| Grammar | Singular noun after possessive determiner | Plural noun after possessive determiner |
| Common context | Shared experiences, couples, one person’s life | Groups of people and their separate experiences |
| Meaning | One life considered as a unit | Individual lives considered separately |
| Formality | Both are neutral | Both are neutral |
| Common mistake | Using it when several separate lives are meant | Using it when one shared life is meant |
| US vs UK | Same basic rule | Same basic rule |
| Best question to ask | “Am I talking about one life?” | “Am I talking about several lives?” |
Quick rule: If you mean one life, use their life. If you mean multiple individual lives, use their lives.
What Does “Their Life” Mean?
“Their life” uses the singular noun life after the possessive determiner their.
It means that the sentence is referring to one life.
For example:
Everyone deserves to live their life freely.
Here, their is singular they referring to one person. Therefore, life is singular.
Another example:
They built their life around their family.
Here, they can refer to two or more people, but their life describes their life as one shared unit.
“Their life” can have two important uses
1. One person’s life
English commonly uses their for one person when the person’s gender is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally unspecified.
If someone wants to change their life, they need a clear goal.
In this sentence:
- someone = one person
- their = singular possessive determiner
- life = one life
Therefore, their life is correct.
This is known as singular they.
2. One shared life
Their life can also describe a life shared by multiple people.
The newly married couple began their life together.
The couple consists of two people, but their life together is treated as one shared experience.
Other examples include:
- They started their life together in London.
- The couple built their life around their children.
- The two partners wanted to protect their life together.
- They decided to simplify their life.
- The characters created a new life for themselves.
In these examples, the singular noun life emphasizes the shared experience.
What Does “Their Lives” Mean?
It normally means that two or more people have separate lives, even though those lives are being discussed together.
For example:
The students changed their lives through education.
The students have individual lives, so lives is appropriate.
Another example:
The sisters went in different directions with their lives.
Each sister has her own life. The plural lives makes that distinction clear.
Examples of “their lives”
- They risked their lives to save others.
- The workers returned to their lives after the project ended.
- The children changed their lives after moving abroad.
- The friends went on to lead successful lives.
- The athletes dedicated their lives to the sport.
In each case, the sentence refers to multiple individual lives.
Why Is “Their Life or Their Lives” Confusing?
The confusion comes from the word their.
The possessive determiner their can refer to:
- one person, through singular they
- two people
- a group of people
- something belonging to a group
Because their can refer to both singular and plural people, you cannot determine whether to use life or lives simply by looking at their.
Instead, look at the meaning of the noun.
Compare:
Everyone should enjoy their life.
One person is being discussed.
Now compare:
The employees should balance their work and their lives.
Several employees are being discussed, and each has an individual life.
The possessive word stays the same:
their
But the noun changes:
life → lives
Their Life or Their Lives: The Main Grammar Rule
The simplest rule is:
Use “their life” for one life.
They should be allowed to live their life.
Use “their lives” for multiple individual lives.
They should be allowed to live their lives.
Interestingly, both sentences can be grammatical.
The meaning changes slightly.
“Live their life”
This can mean:
- one person should live their own life, or
- several people should live one shared life.
“Live their lives”
This usually means:
- several people should each live their own individual lives.
That distinction is important.
Singular “They” and “Their Life”
One of the most important reasons you will see their life is singular they.
English speakers often use they/them/their when referring to one person without specifying gender.
For example:
Someone left their phone on the table.
We say:
their phone
not:
their phones
because one person owns one phone.
The same principle applies to life:
Someone should live their life according to their own values.
Here:
- someone = one person
- their = singular possessive
- life = singular noun
More examples
- Everyone has the right to make their own choices in life.
- Nobody should feel that they have wasted their life.
- If a person wants to change their life, they can start today.
- Each student should think about their future.
- Anyone can rebuild their life after a setback.
Notice the pattern:
one person → their + singular noun
This is completely standard modern English.
When “Their Lives” Is Correct
Use their lives when their refers to multiple people and you are talking about their separate lives.
For example:
The brothers have completely different lives.
There are multiple brothers and multiple lives.
Another example:
The volunteers put their lives at risk.
Each volunteer has an individual life, so lives is natural.
Typical contexts for “their lives”
Personal development
They wanted to improve their lives.
Health
The changes helped them live healthier lives.
Danger
The firefighters risked their lives.
Relationships
The friends eventually went on with their lives.
History
The two leaders devoted their lives to public service.
Education
Education can transform people’s lives.
When “Their Life” Is More Natural
There are situations where several people can take their life because the idea is being treated as one shared experience.
This is especially common with couples.
Example
They wanted to build their life together.
The sentence does not mean that each person wanted to build a separate life.
It describes one life together.
Compare:
They built their life together.
= They created a shared life as a couple.
They built their lives separately.
= Each person created an individual life.
The difference is subtle but meaningful.
Their Life vs Their Lives in Relationships
Relationships provide some of the clearest examples.
Shared life
The couple enjoyed their life together.
Here, life represents their shared existence.
Individual lives
The two friends returned to their lives after the trip.
Here, each friend returned to their own separate life.
Compare these sentences
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| They began their life together. | They began a shared life. |
| They began their lives separately. | Each began an individual life. |
| They changed their life together. | They changed their shared way of living. |
| They changed their lives. | Each person’s life changed. |
| They planned their life together. | They planned their future as a unit. |
| They planned their lives. | Each person planned their own future. |
“Their Own Life” vs “Their Own Lives”
The word own makes the distinction even clearer.
“Their own life”
This can refer to one person’s individual life:
Everyone should be free to live their own life.
Here, everyone is grammatically singular in meaning, even though it takes their in modern English.
It can also occur in a context where one shared life is meant:
The couple wanted to create their own life away from their families.
“Their own lives”
This emphasizes separate individual lives:
The children eventually grew up and started living their own lives.
Each child has an individual life.
The two brothers chose to live their own lives.
The plural strongly emphasizes that their paths are separate.
Key Differences Between “Their Life” and “Their Lives”
The most useful differences are these:
- Life is singular.
- Lives is plural.
- Their life can refer to one person’s life.
- Their life can describe a shared life.
- Their lives normally refers to multiple individual lives.
- Singular they commonly takes their life.
- A group does not automatically require lives; meaning determines the noun.
- Context matters more than the word their.
Remember: The number of people does not always determine whether you use life or lives. The number of lives being discussed does.
Grammar: Life, Lives, Their, and Their Own
Is “life” singular?
Yes.
Life is the singular form.
a life
one life
their life
The plural is:
lives
The spelling changes from life to lives.
This is an irregular plural spelling pattern:
life → lives
Similar examples include:
- wife → wives
- knife → knives
- leaf → leaves
- wolf → wolves
However, not every word ending in -f follows this pattern.
Is “their” singular or plural?
Their can be used with both singular and plural antecedents.
Singular
Every student should bring their book.
Plural
The students should bring their books.
The possessive form remains their, while the noun tells us whether the possession is singular or plural.
Does “their” require a plural noun?
No.
This is a common misunderstanding.
You can correctly say:
Someone forgot their wallet.
Their refers to one person, while wallet is singular.
Likewise:
Someone needs to change their life.
Here, their life is correct.
Does “They Changed Their Life” Mean One Person?
It can.
Consider:
They changed their life.
This may mean:
One person changed their life, using singular they.
For example:
After receiving the diagnosis, Jordan decided they needed to change their life.
Here, they refers to Jordan, one person.
But they changed their lives would normally suggest that they refers to multiple people.
Context determines the meaning.
Does “They Changed Their Lives” Always Mean Multiple People?
Usually, yes.
They changed their lives after moving abroad.
The natural interpretation is that several people each changed their individual lives.
But context is always important in English.
For example, a writer could theoretically use plural wording in a special context where several distinct lives are being discussed. The important point is that lives is the plural noun.
20+ Real-Life Examples
Here are examples showing how the choice works in everyday and professional English.
Everyday Conversation
- Everyone deserves to live their life in their own way.
- They decided to build their life together.
- The children are old enough to make their own choices about their lives.
- Nobody should feel guilty about wanting to change their life.
- The two friends went back to their normal lives.
Text Messages
- Just focus on your goals and live your life.
- They’ve completely changed their lives since college.
- I hope they enjoy their life together.
School and Education
- Education can change a student’s life.
- The graduates are beginning new lives after university.
- Each student should think about how their education will affect their life.
- The teachers inspired their students to improve their lives.
Business
- The company created products designed to make people’s lives easier.
- The partners built their life around the business.
- Employees should have enough flexibility to balance work with their lives.
Professional Writing
- The two researchers devoted their lives to studying the disease.
- The couple decided to simplify their life after retirement.
- Every employee should be able to maintain their life outside work.
Academic Writing
- Social conditions can influence the lives of individuals.
- A person’s environment can shape their life choices.
- The study examines how migration affects people’s lives.
Social Media
- Stop comparing your life with everyone else’s.
- They are finally enjoying their lives after years of hard work.
- Build your life around what matters to you.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Assuming “their” always needs “lives”
Incorrect reasoning:
Their is plural, so I must use lives.
That is not true.
Correct
Everyone should enjoy their life.
Everyone refers to people individually, and life is singular.
Mistake 2: Using “life” when separate lives are clearly meant
The three brothers went back to their life.
This can sound unnatural if you mean that each brother returned to his own individual life.
Better
The three brothers went back to their lives.
Now the plural clearly shows that each person has a separate life.
Mistake 3: Using “lives” for a shared life
The couple wanted to build their lives together.
This sentence is not necessarily wrong, but it emphasizes their individual lives rather than treating their existence as one shared life.
If the intended meaning is one shared future, this is often more natural:
The couple wanted to build their life together.
Mistake 4: Confusing “their life” with “there life”
The possessive form is:
their life
Not:
there life
Remember:
- their = possession
- there = place
- they’re = they are
Examples
They changed their life.
The book is over there.
They’re planning a trip.
Mistake 5: Writing “their lifes”
The plural of life is lives, not lifes.
❌ their lifes
✅ their lives
“Life” vs “Lives”: Why Does the Spelling Change?
The plural of life is lives.
The final f changes to v in the plural:
life → lives
This is an established English spelling pattern.
Pronunciation also changes slightly:
- life /laɪf/
- lives /laɪvz/
Notice that the vowel sound remains similar, but the final consonant changes.
Pronunciation
Life
life → /laɪf/
Rhymes approximately with:
- knife
- wife
- strife
Lives
When lives is the plural of life, it is pronounced:
/laɪvz/
For example:
They saved many lives.
Be careful because lives can also be the third-person singular form of the verb live, pronounced differently:
She lives in London.
Here, lives is pronounced approximately /lɪvz/.
So:
- lives = plural of life → /laɪvz/
- lives = verb live → /lɪvz/
Context tells you which word is intended.
Is “Their Life” More Formal Than “Their Lives”?
No.
Neither expression is inherently more formal.
Both can appear in:
- everyday conversation
- business writing
- academic writing
- journalism
- professional communication
- literature
The choice is based on meaning and grammar, not formality.
Is One More Common in American or British English?
The basic distinction is the same in both American English and British English.
American and British speakers both use:
- their life
- their lives
The difference is not primarily regional.
For example:
Everyone should live their life.
and:
Everyone should live their lives.
The first is especially straightforward when everyone is understood as one person at a time.
Regional English does not fundamentally change the singular/plural rule.
“Their Life” or “Their Lives” in Professional Writing
Professional writers should focus on the intended meaning.
Use “their life” for an individual
Each employee should have enough flexibility to manage their personal life.
Use “their lives” for multiple individual people
Flexible working arrangements can improve employees’ lives.
Use “their life” for a shared existence
The founders built their life around the company.
The important question is not whether one version sounds more professional.
Ask:
Am I describing one life, or several individual lives?
A Simple Decision Test
When you’re unsure whether to write their life or their lives, follow these steps.
Step 1: Identify who “their” refers to.
Is it:
- one person?
- a couple?
- a group?
Step 2: Ask what you mean by “life.”
Do you mean:
- one person’s life?
- one shared life?
- several individual lives?
Step 3: Choose the noun.
If the answer is one:
their life
If the answer is several:
their lives
Step 4: Read the sentence naturally.
Compare:
They built their life together.
versus:
They built their lives separately.
The context makes the difference obvious.
Memory Tricks
Here are some easy ways to remember the rule.
Trick 1: Count the lives, not the people
Don’t ask:
“How many people are there?”
Ask:
“How many separate lives am I talking about?”
One → life
More than one → lives
Trick 2: Shared = Life
When several people share one life or experience, think:
Together → their life
Example:
They built their life together.
Trick 3: Separate = Lives
When people have individual paths, think:
Separate → their lives
Example:
They went their separate ways and started new lives.
Trick 4: Singular they = Singular life
When they refers to one person:
They → their → life
Example:
Someone should live their life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “their life” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Their life” is grammatically correct when life refers to one person or one shared life. For example, “Everyone should live their life” is standard modern English.
Is “their lives” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Their lives” is correct when you are referring to multiple individual lives. For example, “The workers returned to their lives after the project” refers to the separate lives of multiple workers.
Which is correct: “live their life” or “live their lives”?
Both can be correct. “Live their life” can refer to one person or a shared life, while “live their lives” normally refers to multiple people living their individual lives.
Should I say “everyone should live their life” or “their lives”?
“Everyone should live their life” is especially logical because everyone refers to people individually. However, “everyone should live their lives” is also used, particularly when the writer is thinking of the members of the group individually.
Is “their life” singular or plural?
Life is singular. The word their does not make the noun plural. Therefore, their life means one life.
Is “their lives” plural?
Yes. Lives is the plural form of life. It normally means two or more individual lives.
Why do people say “their life” when talking about two people?
Because two people can be considered to have one shared life, especially in a relationship. For example, “They built their life together” treats their shared existence as one unit.
Is “their life” or “their lives” better?
Neither is universally better. Their life is appropriate for one life or a shared life; their lives is appropriate for multiple individual lives.
What is the plural of “life”?
The plural of life is lives, not lifes.
one life → two lives
Final Verdict
Both “their life” and “their lives” are correct. The choice depends on meaning.
Use their life when you mean:
- one person’s life
- one shared life
- a life treated as a single unit
Examples:
Everyone deserves to live their life.
They built their life together.
Use their lives when you mean:
- multiple individual lives
- separate experiences or paths
- the lives of several people considered individually
Examples:
They changed their lives through education.
The firefighters risked their lives.
The easiest rule to remember
One life = their life.
Several individual lives = their lives.
So if you’re deciding between “their life or their lives,” don’t simply count the people. Look at the meaning of life in the sentence. That’s what determines the correct form.
Evan Bennett is a language enthusiast who writes simple, clear guides about word meanings, slang, phrases, and everyday expressions.
He helps readers understand modern language quickly with easy explanations and useful examples.