In this post, we will focus specifically on subject pronouns, which are used to indicate who is performing the action in a sentence.
Firstly, let’s start by discussing what subject pronouns are. In Spanish, subject pronouns are used to replace the subject of a sentence, which is the person or thing that is performing the action.
Spanish subject pronouns are often omitted because the conjugation of the verb already indicates who the subject is.
| EN | I have money |
| ES | Yo tengo dinero |
| ES | Tengo dinero |
However, subject pronouns can still be used for emphasis, clarification, or to avoid confusion.
Use of the Personal Pronouns in English
There are six subject pronouns in Spanish:
| Spanish | English |
| Yo | I |
| Tú | You |
| Él | He |
| Ella | She |
| Usted | You |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | We |
| Ellos/ Ellas | They |
Let’s take a look at each of the subject pronouns in more detail:
- Yo: This subject pronoun means “I” in English. It is used to refer to the person who is speaking, or the writer if it is in written form.
- Tú: This subject pronoun means “you” in English, but it is only used when speaking to someone who is familiar, such as a friend or family member. If you are speaking to someone who you do not know well, it is more appropriate to use the formal “usted.”
- Él: This subject pronoun means “he” in English, and is used to refer to a male person.
- Ella: This subject pronoun means “she” in English, and is used to refer to a female person.
- Usted: This subject pronoun means “you” in English, but it is only used when speaking to someone who is formal, such as a stranger or a person in a position of authority.
- Nosotros/nosotras: This subject pronoun means “we” in English, and is used to refer to a group of people that includes at least one male (nosotros) or only females (nosotras).
Sentences with Personal Pronouns in Spanish
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a look at some examples of subject pronouns in action:
| ES | Yo hablo español. |
| EN | I speak Spanish. |
| ES | Tú eres muy inteligente. |
| EN | You are very intelligent |
| ES | Él trabaja en una oficina. |
| EN | He works in an office |
| ES | Ella estudia medicina. |
| EN | She studies medicine. |
| ES | Usted es muy amable |
| EN | You are very kind |
| ES | Nosotros vamos al cine. |
| EN | We are going to the cinema. |
In each of these examples, the subject pronoun is included to clarify who is performing the action. However, in some cases, the subject pronoun can be omitted and the sentence will still make sense.
| ES | Hablo español. |
| EN | I speak Spanish. |
| ES | Eres muy inteligente. |
| EN | You are very intelligent |
| ES | Vamos al cine. |
| EN | We are going to the cinema. |
In addition to the six main subject pronouns, there are also some additional subject pronouns that are used in certain situations. “Vosotros” and “Vosotras” (you) is used in Spain when speaking to a group
It’s important to note that in Latin America, “vosotros” and “vosotras” are not used, and “ustedes” is used to address both formal and informal groups. “ction.
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