ellos
“ellos” means “they” in Spanish (referring to a group of males or a mixed-gender group).
they
Also: them
📝 In Action
Ellos son mis hermanos.
A1They are my brothers.
Mis padres no están en casa. Ellos salieron a cenar.
A1My parents aren't home. They went out to dinner.
¿Dónde están los libros? Ellos están en la mesa.
A2Where are the books? They are on the table.
Ellos mismos construyeron la casa.
B1They built the house themselves.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ellos
Question 1 of 2
If you are talking about a group of friends named Ana, Sofía, and David, which pronoun means 'they'?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'illōs', which was the plural form of 'ille', meaning 'that one over there'. Over centuries, it evolved into the modern Spanish word for 'they'.
First recorded: Early Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Spanish use 'ellos' for a mixed group of men and women?
This is a traditional feature of Spanish grammar. The masculine form is used as the 'default' for mixed groups. While there are ongoing conversations about more inclusive language, using 'ellos' for any group containing at least one male is the standard, grammatically correct way to speak.
Do I always have to say 'ellos'?
No, and in fact, it's very common to drop it! The ending of the verb usually tells you who is doing the action. For example, you can say 'Ellos comen' or just 'Comen' and they both mean 'They eat'. Leaving it out sounds very natural once the context is clear.