Subject Pronouns

Spanish: Los pronombres personales de sujeto

Level: A1 Beginner

Category: pronouns

Explanation

Subject pronouns indicate who performs the action of the verb. In Spanish they are: yo (I), tú (you informal), él (he), ella (she), usted (you formal), nosotros/nosotras (we), vosotros/vosotras (you plural informal), ellos/ellas (they) and ustedes (you plural). Each pronoun corresponds to a grammatical person and determines the form of the verb. A very important feature of Spanish is that subject pronouns are often omitted, because the verb ending already shows who is speaking. For example, we say "Hablo español" instead of "Yo hablo español". We use the pronoun only for emphasis or to avoid confusion. There is a key difference between "tú" and "usted". "Tú" is informal and is used with friends, family and people your own age. "Usted" is formal and is used with strangers, older people or in situations of respect, such as when you speak to a waiter or a receptionist. Although "usted" means "you", it uses the same verb form as "él/ella". In Spain "vosotros" is used for the informal plural "you", while in Latin America "ustedes" is used for all plural cases. The feminine pronouns (nosotras, vosotras, ellas) are used when the group is made up only of women.

Examples

• Yo quiero un café con leche, por favor. - I want a coffee with milk, please.
• ¿Tú tienes una reserva para esta noche? - Do you have a reservation for tonight?
• ¿Usted necesita ayuda con las maletas? - Do you need help with the suitcases?
• Ella trabaja en el mercado los sábados. - She works at the market on Saturdays.
• Él vende fruta muy fresca aquí. - He sells very fresh fruit here.