Subject pronouns in Spanish
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Sign up for freeSubject pronouns (pronombres personales de sujeto) identify who or what is perfoming the action indicated by the verb.
Since the verb ending already tells who the subject is, subject pronouns in Spanish are generally omitted.
Examples:
- (Yo) tengo un perro. (I have a dog.)
- (Nosotros) trabajamos en Colanguage. (We work for Colanguage.)
Lesson outline
Hide- 1.Subject pronoun singular forms
- 2.Subject pronoun plural forms
- 3.Uses of the subject pronouns
- 3.1.4 ways to say you in Spanish (tú, vosotros, Usted, Ustedes)
- 3.1.1.Tú
- 3.1.2.Vosotros
- 3.1.3.Usted
- 3.1.4.Ustedes
- 4.Exercises
- 4.1.Spanish subject pronoun practice quiz
- 4.2.Spanish subject pronouns - Fill in the blanks
Subject pronoun singular forms
| Singular subject pronoun | English translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | I | Yo tengo 26 años. (I am 26 years old.) |
| Tú | You | Tú eres muy simpático. (You are very nice.) |
| Él | He | Él trabaja en una empresa de transportes. (He works for a transportation company.) |
| Ella | She | Ella es mi prima. (She is my cousin.) |
| Usted | You (formal) | Usted es la culpable, Doña Paloma. (You are guilty, Mrs Paloma.) |
Tú carries the accent mark to distinguish itself from the possessive adjective tu.
Example:
¿Tú sales esta noche? (Are you going out tonight?) VS Tu novio es muy simpático. (Your boyfriend is very nice.)
Él carries the accent mark to distinguish itself from the definite article el.
Example:
Él tiene 24 años. (He is 24 years old.) VS El perro de Juan se llama Valentín. (The dog of Juan is called Valentín.)
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Subject pronoun plural forms
Unlike the singular forms, plural subject pronouns have a masculine and a feminine form.
| Masculine | Feminine | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nosotros | Nosotras | We | |
| Plural subject pronouns | Vosotros | Vosotras | You |
| Ellos | Ellas | They | |
| Ustedes | Ustedes | You (formal) |
Examples:
- Nosotros somos de Valencia. (We are from Valencia.)
- Vosotras vivís en Bruselas. (You live in Brussels.)
- Ellos hablan muy bien el español. (They speak Spanish very well.)
- Ustedes deben estar equivocados. (You must be mistaken.)
Uses of the subject pronouns
Since the verb ending already tells who the subject is, subject pronouns in Spanish are generally omitted.
Anyway, subject pronouns are used in the following cases:
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| emphasizing the subject | Él es lo que es inteligente. (He is the intelligent one.) |
| answering a question referring to the subject | Quién quiere un trozo de tarta? Yo. (Who wants a piece of cake? I do.) |
| making comparisons | Fernando es más guapo que yo. (Fernando is more handsome than I.) |
before: como a / hasta / mismo / también / tampoco | - Yo mismo no me lo creo. (I myself cannot believe it.) - Ella tampoco quiere irse a Amberes hoy. (She does not want to go to Antwerp today as well.) |
| when using Usted or Ustedes | Es Usted muy bienvenido. (You are very welcome.) |
Spanish has no equivalent way to express the English subject pronoun it in impersonal expressions.
Examples:
- ¡Es importante! (It is important!)
- Hace viento y llueve a cántaros. (It is windy and it is pouring down.)
4 ways to say you in Spanish (tú, vosotros, Usted, Ustedes)
| Formal you | Informal you | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | tú | Usted |
| Plural | vosotros/vosotras | Ustedes |
1. Tú
The singular form of you in Spanish is tú.
It is the familiar way to address a friend, a member of your family and anyone you would treat with familiarity.
Example:
Tú eres lo más importante para mi. (You are the most important thing to me.)
2. Vosotros
The plural form of you in Spanish is vosotros.
It is only adopted in Spain and it has the same uses as tú.
Example:
Vosotros habláis muy mal el inglés. (You speak English very badly.)
3. Usted
Usted is the singular form used to show respect throughout the Hispanic world.
It is often shortened to Ud. and it needs the capital letter.
Example:
Quizá Usted pueda ayudarme. (Perhaps you could help me.)
4. Ustedes
Ustedes is the plural form used to show respect throughout the Hispanic world.
It is often shortened to Uds. and it needs the capital letter.
Example:
Ustedes pueden decirme qué pasa? (Could you please tell me what is going on?)
Most Spanish speakers from Latin America use Ustedes to express vosotros, so they use it in a familiar way.
Example:
Ustedes cómo se llaman? (What is your name?)
Usted and ustedes In many areas of the Spanish-speaking world, it is more common to address a listener informally. Anyway, they are still used for the following purposes:
Example: Sra. Romero, qué tal está Usted? (Miss Romero, how are you?)
Example: Puede Usted decirme su nombre? (Could you please tell me your name?) |