The objective of the present study was to construct and validate a short‐form version of the Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS). Two Dutch samples were used to construct and cross‐validate the factorial structure of a 12‐item Self‐Compassion Scale–Short Form (SCS–SF). The SCS‐SF was then validated in a third, English sample. The SCS–SF demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.86 in all samples) and a near‐perfect correlation with the long form SCS (r ≥ 0.97 all samples). Confirmatory factor analysis on the SCS–SF supported the same six‐factor structure as found in the long form, as well as a single higher‐order factor of self‐compassion. The SCS–SF thus represents a reliable and valid alternative to the long‐form SCS, especially when looking at overall self‐compassion scores. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message: • The 12‐item Self‐Compassion Scale–Short Form (SCS–SF) in Dutch and English offers an economical alternative to the long Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS) to measure self‐compassion. Although the original long form of the SCS is reduced to half, the SCS–SF is reliable and has the same factorial structure as the original scale.