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Ever felt like you're playing a guessing game with the word "you" in Spanish? You're not alone! While English keeps it simple with one "you," Spanish has a whole team of words for it. But don't worry, understanding subject pronouns is your first big step toward sounding natural and confident in Spanish.
Subject pronouns are the words that tell us who is doing the action in a sentence. Think: I run, you read, they learn. They replace a person's name (the subject).
In this guide, we'll break down every Spanish subject pronoun, show you exactly when and how to use them, and even explain the magic of why you can often drop them entirely!
The Spanish Subject Pronoun Lineup
Let's meet the key players. We can group them into singular (referring to one person) and plural (referring to more than one person).
Singular Pronouns
| Spanish Pronoun | English Translation | Refers To... |
|---|---|---|
| YoI | I | The person speaking |
| Túyou (informal) | You (informal) | The person you're speaking to (a friend, family) |
| Ustedyou (formal) | You (formal) | The person you're speaking to (a boss, elder) |
| ÉlHe | He / It | A male person or masculine object |
| EllaShe | She / It | A female person or feminine object |
Plural Pronouns
| Spanish Pronoun | English Translation | Refers To... |
|---|---|---|
| NosotrosWe (masculine/mixed) | We | A group including the speaker (all male or mixed) |
| NosotrasWe (feminine) | We | A group of all females including the speaker |
| VosotrosYou all (informal) | You all (informal) | A group you're speaking to (Spain only) |
| VosotrasYou all (feminine, informal) | You all (informal) | An all-female group you're speaking to (Spain only) |
| UstedesYou all (formal/standard) | You all (formal/LatAm) | Any group you're speaking to |
| EllosThey (masculine/mixed) | They | A group of people (all male or mixed) |
| EllasThey (feminine) | They | A group of all females |
A Quick Note on 'It'
You might have noticed 'It' listed for él and ella. While technically correct, in Spanish, you almost never use él or ella for inanimate objects. You just use the verb. For example, to say "It is big," you'd just say "Es grande," not "Él es grande."
Deep Dive: The 'You'niverse of Spanish
The most challenging part for English speakers is mastering the different forms of "you." Let's make it simple.
Tú vs. Usted: The Formality Dance
Choosing between tú and usted is all about your relationship with the person you're talking to.
- Tú (Informal): Use this with people you're familiar with. Think friends, family members, kids, pets, or anyone you'd call by their first name.
- Usted (Formal): Use this to show respect. Think of your boss, an elderly person, a police officer, a new client, or anyone you'd address as Mr./Mrs./Dr.
Check out how the formality changes the entire vibe of a question:
Drag the handle to compare
When in Doubt, Be Formal!
If you're ever unsure which one to use, it's always safer to start with usted. It's a sign of respect, and the other person will let you know if you can switch to the more casual tú.
Vosotros vs. Ustedes: The Great Divide
This one is less about formality and more about geography.
- Vosotros/Vosotras (Informal "You All"): This is your go-to for talking to a group of friends in Spain. It's the plural version of
tú. - Ustedes ("You All"): This is used everywhere else! In Latin America,
ustedesis used for all groups, whether you're talking to your best friends or a room full of CEOs. In Spain,ustedesis reserved for formal situations (the plural ofusted).
Pick a Lane!
If you're learning Spanish for travel in Mexico, Colombia, or Argentina, you can pretty much ignore vosotros for now. If you're heading to Spain, it's essential! InkLingo lets you choose your learning dialect so you're always practicing the right one.
Test your knowledge on formality!
You are meeting your new boss, Señora Garcia, for the first time. How would you ask, 'How are you?'
Third Person Pointers: Él, Ella, Ellos, Ellas
These are more straightforward, but there are a couple of crucial details. Once you've mastered these, you'll be ready to tackle other types, like direct object pronouns.
That Tiny, Mighty Accent
The accent on él is not optional! It's what distinguishes it from el, which means "the." This is a fundamental concept covered in our guide to noun gender and articles.
Accent Alert!
- Él come pizza. = He eats pizza.
- El perro come pizza. = The dog eats pizza. Mixing these up can completely change your sentence's meaning!
The "Default Masculine" Rule
When referring to a group of people (they), you use ellas only if the group is 100% female. If there's even one male in a group of a million females, the pronoun switches to the masculine ellos.
- Maria y Sofia -> Ellas son altas. (They are tall.)
- Maria, Sofia y David -> Ellos son altos. (They are tall.)
The Art of Dropping Pronouns
Now for the coolest part. In Spanish, you often don't even need to say the subject pronoun! Why? Because the verb ending tells you who is doing the action.
Look at the verb hablar (to speak):
- hablo -> I speak
- hablas -> you (tú) speak
- habla -> he/she/you (usted) speaks
Since the ending o can only go with yo, saying yo hablo is often redundant. Most of the time, a native speaker will just say Hablo. You can learn more about these endings in our guide to regular -ar verbs.
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So, when do you use them?
- For Emphasis: "Yo quiero ir, pero él no quiere." (I want to go, but he doesn't.)
- For Clarity: If the context is ambiguous. "Él es mi hermano." (He is my brother.)
- To Answer "Who?": ¿Quién tiene la llave? - Yo. (Who has the key? - I do.)
Let's Practice!
Time to put it all together.
Quiz Time!
You are talking about your friends, Pablo and Mateo. Which pronoun would you use to say 'They'?
Unscramble the Sentence
Drag the words into the correct order to form a sentence.
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Key Takeaways
Whew, we covered a lot! Here's a quick recap:
- Subject pronouns replace the noun that performs the verb's action (I, you, he, she, etc.).
- The Spanish "you" depends on formality (
túvs.usted) and region (vosotrosvs.ustedes). - Pay attention to gender!
Nosotros/NosotrasandEllos/Ellaschange based on the group's makeup. - Don't forget the accent on
él(he) to distinguish it fromel(the). - It's natural to drop subject pronouns in Spanish because the verb ending already gives you the information.
Mastering subject pronouns is a huge leap forward in your Spanish journey. Keep practicing, listen to how native speakers use them in our A1-level short stories, and you'll be swapping tús and usteds like a pro in no time!