How to Use Spanish Subject Pronouns Correctly

Knowing how to use certain Spanish subject pronouns correctly can be confusing for a variety of reasons, including the fact that two different Spanish subject pronouns can have the same English meaning. Review the following to understand how the various Spanish subject pronouns match up against one another.

  • versus usted

    Use to address one friend, relative, child, or pet. So to express You’re my best friend in Spanish, you’d say Tú eres mi mejor amigo.

    Use usted (abbreviated Ud.) to show respect to an older person or when speaking to a stranger or someone you don’t know well. Here’s one way to use Ud.: ¿Es Ud. español? (Are you Spanish?)

  • Vosotros (vosotras) versus ustedes

    Primarily used in Spain, vosotros and vosotras are informal plural subject pronouns that express you. Use these forms as you would tú, but remember to use vosotros only when speaking to multiple males or a mixed-gender group. Save vosotras for when you’re speaking to multiple females.

    Ustedes (abbreviated Uds.) is a plural subject pronoun that also expresses you. It’s used just like Ud., but when speaking to a group of people, and can be heard throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

  • Él versus ella

    Él refers to one male person (he); ella (she) refers to one female person: Él toca la guitarra mientras ella baila. (He plays the guitar while she dances.)

  • Ellos versus ellas

    Ellos (they) refers to multiple males or to a mixed-gender group, no matter the number of each gender present. Ellas refers to a group of females only. Here’s an example of using ellos to refer to a mixed-gender, plural subject: El niño y mil niñas (Ellos) escuchan. (The boy and 1,000 girls [They] listen.)

  • Nosotros (nosotras)

    When you’re talking about someone else and yourself at the same time, you must use the we (nosotros/nosotras) form of the verb. Nosotros refers to multiple males or to a combined group of males and females, no matter the number of each gender present. Nosotras refers to a group of females only: Jorge y yo (Nosotros) jugamos al tenis. (George and I [We] play tennis.)

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