Subject pronouns are the words used to replace the subject (the person or thing doing the action) in a sentence. They help avoid repeating nouns and clarify who is performing the action.
Spanish Subject Pronouns and English Equivalents
- yo (I)
- tú (you - singular informal)
- él (he)
- ella (she)
- usted (you - singular formal)
- nosotros / nosotras (we - masculine/feminine)
- vosotros / vosotras (you all - plural informal, used mainly in Spain)
- ellos / ellas (they - masculine/feminine)
- ustedes (you all - plural formal in Spain, plural for all contexts in Latin America)
How Subject Pronouns Work
- Replace the Subject Noun: Instead of saying “María habla,” you can say “Ella habla” (She speaks).
- Clarify Who is Doing the Action: Especially when verb endings are ambiguous.
- Emphasize or Contrast: Sometimes pronouns are used for emphasis, as in “Yo hablo, pero tú no” (I speak, but you don’t).
Subject Pronouns Do Not Always Appear
- Spanish verbs are conjugated differently for each subject pronoun.
- The correct verb ending often makes the subject clear.
- Pronouns are used mainly for emphasis, contrast, or clarity.
Examples:
- (Yo) hablo español. — I speak Spanish.
- (Tú) comes pan. — You eat bread.
- (Él) vive aquí. — He lives here.
- (Nosotros) estudiamos mucho. — We study a lot.
- (Ellas) son amigas. — They are friends.
When are subject pronouns usually included in a Spanish sentence?
For emphasis, contrast, or to avoid ambiguity.
Pronouns appear to emphasize (e.g., Yo hablo), contrast (Yo hablo, tú no), or clarify meaning when the subject isn’t clear from the verb ending.
Summary
- Spanish subject pronouns must agree in gender (ellos/ellas) and number.
- Use tú for informal “you,” and usted for formal “you.”
- In Latin America, ustedes is used for all plural “you” forms.
- Don’t confuse vosotros/as (Spain) with ustedes (Latin America).
Subject pronouns are simple, but they are a foundation for understanding Spanish grammar.
Which subject pronouns require the speaker to consider gender agreement in Spanish?
nosotros/nosotras, ellos/ellas, vosotros/vosotras
Gender-specific pronouns appear only in the plural forms: nosotros (m./mixed), nosotras (f.), ellos (m./mixed), ellas (f.), vosotros (m./mixed), vosotras (f.). Singular pronouns are gender-neutral except for él and ella.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
