Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns identify who performs an action and guide verb conjugations. This guide goes over each pronoun so you can recognize and use them in Spanish.

Pronouns

Spanish subject pronouns name the speaker, listener, or others, and each pronoun aligns with specific verb endings. Get familiar with them to follow and give examples clearly.

Spanish Word(s)	English Word(s)
yo	I
tú	you (informal)
usted	you (formal)
él	he
ella	she
nosotros / nosotras	we (masculine/feminine)
vosotros / vosotras	you all (informal, Spain) (masculine/feminine)
ustedes	you all (formal or Latin America)
ellos	they (masculine)
ellas	they (feminine)

Spanish Example	English Translation
☝️ Yo estudio en la cafetería.	I study in the café.
👉 Tú conoces a la barista.	You know the barista.
👈 Él pidió un espresso.	He ordered an espresso.
🖐️ Ella lee mientras bebe té.	She reads while drinking tea.
✋ Usted llegó temprano.	You (formal) arrived early.
🤚 Nosotros reservamos una mesa.	We reserved a table.
🙌 Nosotras decoramos la terraza.	We decorated the terrace.
👏 Vosotros preparasteis los sándwiches.	You all prepared the sandwiches.
🙏 Vosotras sirvisteis la limonada.	You all served the lemonade.
👍 Ellos limpiaron las mesas.	They cleaned the tables.
👎 Ellas organizaron las sillas.	They arranged the chairs.
✌️ Ustedes cerraron la caja.	You all closed the register.

Usage

Subject pronouns are often omitted in Spanish because verb endings indicate the subject, but pronouns are used for emphasis, clarity, or contrast. Think about whether the listener needs the extra emphasis when deciding to include a pronoun.

Examples

Spanish Example	English Translation
☕ Yo quiero un café con leche.	I want a coffee with milk.
🍰 Ella me trajo una porción de tarta.	She brought me a slice of cake.
📝 Nosotros hicimos la lista de pedidos.	We made the order list.
📢 Tú, por favor, atiende la mesa cinco.	You, please attend table five.
🚪 Ellos están cerrando el local.	They are closing the place.

Special Cases

In questions and replies, pronouns help make the subject clear, and in bilingual contexts, choosing between tú and usted signals the level of formality. Dialect and setting also affect whether vosotros or ustedes is used.

Spanish Example	English Translation	Note
☝️ Yo voy al mercado.	I am going to the market.	Subject pronoun used for emphasis.
Voy al mercado.	I am going to the market.	Subject pronoun omitted (common in Spanish).
👥 Nosotros sí preparamos todo a tiempo.	We did prepare everything on time.	Emphatic sí with pronoun.
Preparamos todo a tiempo.	We prepared everything on time.	Neutral statement without pronoun.

Summary

Subject pronouns name who does an action and align with verb forms, though they can be left out when the meaning is clear from the conjugation. Learn the pronouns and practice spotting when they add useful emphasis or clarity.

Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025