Learning Spanish pronouns is no simple feat, yet it remains one of the most effective ways to take your Spanish skills beyond the beginner level.
If you feel prepared to finally tackle these tricky pronouns, you likely already know basics like yo, tú, and nosotros. However, the diverse nature of Spanish pronouns expands far beyond these elementary forms. Conquering pronoun usage brings you significantly closer to sounding like a native Spanish speaker.
What follows is a comprehensive guide to Spanish pronouns, covering some of the most vital Spanish grammar for communication. Yes, the list is long, reflecting the complexity of this linguistic category. Do not lose heart! With committed practice, manipulating all these Spanish pronouns in a sentence will become second nature.
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition and simplify sentences. It can refer to people, objects, places, and even abstract ideas, making communication more efficient and less redundant. Pronouns adapt according to number, gender, and case to align with the nouns they replace, ensuring clarity and coherence in speech and writing.
Spanish pronouns are diverse and multifaceted, each serving a unique role in the language. Here are the main types:
1. Subject Pronouns: These refer to the people or things participating in an action, including the speaker (yo), the listener (tú, usted), and others (él, ella, nosotros, etc.). They vary based on perspective (first, second, third person) and number (singular, plural) and are part of the personal pronouns.
2. Possessive Pronouns: Indicate ownership or possession (mío, tuyo, suyo). They change form to agree with the gender and number of the noun they refer to.
3. Demonstrative Pronouns: Point out specific things or people and vary according to distance from the speaker (este, ese, aquel). They also agree in gender and number with the nouns they replace.
4. Relative Pronouns: Connect a dependent clause to a main clause, providing additional information about a noun without repeating it (que, quien, el cual). They can refer to people, places, things, and times.
5. Interrogative Pronouns: Used to ask questions about people or things (quién, qué, cuál). They are always accented in Spanish.
6. Exclamative pronouns: Express strong emotions or surprise in exclamatory sentences. Examples include "qué" (what) as in "¡Qué sorpresa!" (What a surprise!) and "cuánto" (how much/many) as in "¡Cuánto te he echado de menos!" (How much I've missed you!).
7. Reflexive Pronouns: Indicate that the subject of the verb is also the object (me, te, se). They are used with reflexive verbs to show that the action is performed on oneself.
8. Indirect Object Pronouns: Used to indicate to whom or for whom the action of the verb is performed (me, te, le). They are essential for constructing sentences that involve an action being done to someone or something else.
9. Prepositional Pronouns: Also known in Spanish as Tonic personal pronouns, they include reflexive forms used with the preposition "con" to indicate "with" oneself or others in a familiar or formal context. These include "conmigo" (with me), "contigo" (with you, informal), and "consigo" (with himself/herself/yourself formal/themselves).
10. Direct Object Pronouns: Replace the noun that directly receives the action of the verb (lo, la, los, las). They help avoid repetition and make sentences more concise.
11. Indefinite Pronouns: Are used to refer to nonspecific people or things, allowing for general statements or questions without specifying exact identities. For instance, "alguien" (someone) can be used in a sentence like "Alguien llamó a la puerta" (Someone knocked on the door) to indicate an unknown person.
12. Numeral pronouns: Represent a specific quantity or number without directly naming the noun. Examples include "uno" (one), "muchos" (many), and "algunos" (some), used to quantify or refer to an unspecified set of items or people.
Subject pronouns in Spanish are essential for indicating who is performing the action of a verb. Unlike English, where subject pronouns are almost always necessary for clarity, Spanish verbs conjugate uniquely for each subject pronoun, often making the pronoun optional. However, using subject pronouns can add emphasis or clarify who is being talked about, especially in situations where the verb form alone is ambiguous.
Pronoun | Gender | Formality | Example |
Yo (I) | Neutral | Neutral | Yo estudio español. (I study Spanish.) |
Tú (You) | Neutral | Informal | Tú comes carne? (Do you eat meat?) |
Usted (You) | Neutral | Formal | Usted come carne? (Do you eat meat?) |
Él (He) | Masculine | Neutral | Él corre rápido.(He runs fast.) |
Ella (She) | Feminine | Neutral | Ella canta bien. (She sings well.) |
Nosotros (We) | Masculine | Neutral | Nosotros vamos al cine.(We are going to the movies.) |
Nosotras (We) | Feminine | Neutral | Nosotras estudiamos juntas. (We study together.) |
Vosotros (You) | Masculine | Informal (used mainly in Spain) | ¿Vosotros tenéis hambre?(Are you guys hungry?) |
Vosotras (You) | Feminine | Informal (used mainly in Spain) | Vosotras sois muy inteligentes.(You girls are very smart.) |
Ellos (They) | Masculine | Neutral | Ellos juegan al fútbol.(They play soccer.) |
Ellas (They) | Feminine | Neutral | Ellas viajan a París. (They are traveling to Paris.) |
Ustedes (You) | Neutral | Neutral | ¿Ustedes van a la reunión mañana? (Are you going to the meeting tomorrow?) |
Possessive pronouns in Spanish are used to indicate ownership or possession of something. They replace a noun and its accompanying possessive adjective (e.g., "my book" becomes "mine") to avoid repetition and to express possession more succinctly. Unlike English, Spanish possessive pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace, not with the possessor.
Pronoun | Gender | Example |
Mío/Mía/Míos/Mías (Mine) | Mío and Míos for masculine nouns, Mía and Mías for feminine nouns | Este libro es mío.(This book is mine.) / Estas llaves son mías. (These keys are mine.) |
Tuyo/Tuya/Tuyos/Tuyas (Yours) | Tuyo and Tuyos for masculine nouns, Tuya and Tuyas for feminine nouns | Esa casa es tuya. (That house is yours.) / Esas flores son tuyas. (Those flowers are yours.) |
Suyo/Suya/Suyos/Suyas (Yours) | Suyo and Suyos for masculine nouns, Suya and Suyas for feminine nouns. Can be formal or informal depending on context | Este problema es suyo. (This problem is his/hers/yours/theirs.) / Estos documentos son suyos.(These documents are his/hers/yours/theirs.) |
Nuestro/Nuestra/Nuestros/Nuestras (Ours) | Nuestro and Nuestros for masculine nouns, Nuestra and Nuestras for feminine nouns | Nuestro equipo ganó el partido.(Our team won the game.) / Nuestras ideas fueron aceptadas.(Our ideas were accepted.) |
Vuestro/Vuestra/Vuestros/Vuestras (Yours) | Vuestro and Vuestros for masculine nouns, Vuestra and Vuestras for feminine nouns | Vuestra casa es muy grande.(Your house is very big.) / Vuestras respuestas son correctas.(Your answers are correct.) |
Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish are used to point out specific things or people in relation to the position and distance from the speaker. They replace nouns that have already been mentioned or are obvious from the context, and like other pronouns and adjectives in Spanish, they agree in gender and number with the nouns they replace.
Pronoun | Gender | Proximity | Example |
Este/Esta/Estos/Estas - This (singular), These (plural) | Este and Estos for masculine nouns, Esta and Estas for feminine nou | Close to the speaker | Este es mi coche. (This is my car.) / Estas son mis llaves.(These are my keys.) |
Ese/Esa/Esos/EsasThat (singular), Those (plural) | Ese and Esos for masculine nouns, Esa and Esas for feminine nouns | Close to the listener or at a moderate distance from the speaker | Ese es tu libro. (That is your book.) / Esas son sus flores. (Those are her flowers.) |
Aquel/Aquella/Aquellos/AquellasThat (singular, far away), Those (plural, far away) | Aquel and Aquellos for masculine nouns, Aquella and Aquellas for feminine nouns | Far from both the speaker and the listener | Aquel es el edificio más antiguo de la ciudad.(That is the oldest building in the city.) / Aquellas montañas son muy altas. (Those mountains are very high.) |
Interrogative pronouns in Spanish are essential tools for asking questions about people, places, things, or ideas. They help to inquire about identity, quantity, quality, reason, and more. Like other pronouns in Spanish, some interrogative pronouns must agree in gender and number with the nouns they refer to, but others are invariable.
Pronoun | Gender/Number | Use | Example |
¿Qué? What? | Invariable | Used to ask about things or ideas. | ¿Qué quieres comer? (What do you want to eat?) |
¿Quién?/¿Quiénes?Who? | Invariable in gender, variable in number | Used to ask about people. | ¿Quién viene esta noche? (Who is coming tonight?) /¿Quiénes son ellos? (Who are they?) |
¿Cuál?/¿Cuáles? Which, What | Invariable in gender, variable in number | Used to ask for a selection or specific information among a set of options. | ¿Cuál es tu libro favorito? (What is your favorite book?)/ ¿Cuáles son tus colores preferidos? (What are your favorite colors?) |
¿Dónde? Where? | Invariable | Used to ask about location or place. | ¿Dónde está la estación? (Where is the station?) |
¿Cuándo? When? | Invariable | Used to ask about time or occasion. | ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?) |
Cuánto/ Cuan (masculine singular), Cuánta (feminine singular), Cuántos (masculine plural), Cuántas (feminine plural)How much, How many | Variable in both gender and number | Used to ask about quantity or amount. | ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?" (How much does this cost?) / ¿Cuántas manzanas compraste? (How many apples did you buy?) |
¿Cómo? How? | Invariable | Used to ask about manner, condition, or quality. | ¿Cómo estás?" (How are you?) / ¿Cómo se hace esto? (How is this done?) |
¿Por qué? Why? | Invariable | Used to ask for reasons or causes. | ¿Por qué llegaste tarde? (Why did you arrive late?) |
For further information you can visit the website of La Real Academia de la Lengua Española RAE (The Royal Academy of the Spanish Language)
Exclamative pronouns in Spanish are powerful linguistic tools used to express astonishment, excitement, or other strong emotions. These pronouns emphasize the intensity or degree of a reaction towards something or someone.
Qué (What/How)
Used to express surprise, admiration, or disbelief about the quality or quantity of something.
Example: ¡Qué hermoso es este lugar! (What a beautiful place this is!)
Cuánto/a/os/as (How much/How many)
Used to express surprise or admiration about the quantity or extent of something. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to.
Example: "¡Cuántas estrellas hay en el cielo!" (How many stars are in the sky!)
Quién (Who)
Used to express surprise or disbelief about the identity of a person.
Example: ¡Quién lo hubiera dicho! (Who would have thought!)
Cómo (How)
Used to express astonishment or admiration about the manner or way something is done.
Example: ¡Cómo corre ese atleta! (How fast that athlete runs!)
Reflexive pronouns in Spanish are used with reflexive verbs to indicate that the subject of the verb is performing the action on themselves. This concept is essential for expressing daily routines, emotional states, and actions where the subject and object are the same.
Pronoun | Corresponding Subject Pronoun | Example |
Me (Myself) | Yo (I) | Yo me lavo las manos.(I wash my hands.) |
Te (Yourself) | Tú (You, singular informal), Usted (You, singular formal) | Tú te cepillas los dientes. (You brush your teeth.) |
Se (Himself, Herself, Yourself -formal-, Themselves, Yourselves) | Él (He), Ella (She), Usted (You, formal singular), Ellos (They, masculine), Ellas (They, feminine), Ustedes (You, plural) | Él se afeita cada mañana. (He shaves every morning.) / Ellas se peinan. (They comb their hair.) |
Nos (Ourselves) | Nosotros/Nosotras (We) | Nosotros nos preparamos para salir. (We get ready to go out.) |
Os | Vosotros/Vosotras (You, plural informal, mainly used in Spain) | Vosotros os ponéis los zapatos. (You put on your shoes.) |
Indirect object pronouns in Spanish are used to indicate to whom or for whom an action is performed. They play a crucial role in sentences where the action is being done for someone else or something is being given or said to someone.
Pronoun | Corresponding Subject Pronoun | Example |
Me (to/for) Me | Yo (I) | Mi amigo me envió una carta. (My friend sent me a letter.) |
Te (to/for) You | Tú (You, singular informal), Usted (You, singular formal) | Te compré un regalo.(I bought you a gift.) |
Le (to/for) Him, (to/for) Her, (to/for) You (formal) | Él (He), Ella (She), Usted (You, formal singular) | Le dije la verdad. (I told him/her/you the truth.) |
Nos (to/for) Us | Nosotros/Nosotras (We) | El profesor nos explicó la lección. (The teacher explained the lesson to us.) |
Os (to/for) You all | Vosotros/Vosotras (You, plural informal, mainly used in Spain) | Os escribí un correo. (I wrote you all an email.) |
Les (to/for) Them, (to/for) You all | Ellos (They, masculine), Ellas (They, feminine), Ustedes (You, plural) | Les mandé una invitación." (I sent them/you all an invitation.) |
Prepositional pronouns in Spanish are used after prepositions to refer to people and are essential for constructing sentences that indicate relationships or directions involving actions. These pronouns must match the subject in terms of person and number, and some change form when used after prepositions.
1. Yo (I) becomes Mí (me) after prepositions.
- Example: Para mí, es importante. (For me, it's important.)
2. Tú (You, singular informal) becomes Ti (you) after prepositions.
- Example: Es para ti. (It's for you.)
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, singular formal), Nosotros/Nosotras (We, masculine/feminine), Vosotros/Vosotras (You, plural informal, masculine/feminine), Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, plural formal, masculine/feminine) remain unchanged after prepositions.
Direct object pronouns in Spanish are used to replace a noun that directly receives the action of the verb, simplifying sentences and avoiding repetition. They are crucial for making conversation flow more smoothly and for adding clarity and efficiency to communication.
Pronoun | Example |
Me (Me) | Él me vio en el parque. (He saw me in the park.) |
Te You (singular, informal) | Te llamé anoche. (I called you last night.) |
Lo/La Him It (for masculine nouns); Her, It (for feminine nouns) | Lo encontré muy interesante. (I found it very interesting.) / La vi en la ciudad. (I saw her in the city.) |
Nos (Us) | El profesor nos evaluó ayer. (The teacher evaluated us yesterday.) |
Os You (plural, informal, mainly used in Spain) | Os escuché hablar de eso. (I heard you talking about that.) |
Los/Las Them; You (plural, formal or informal) | Los invité a mi fiesta.(I invited them to my party.) / Las compré ayer. (I bought them yesterday.) |
These pronouns are versatile words that refer to unspecified elements, enabling speakers to convey information without needing to identify specific details. These pronouns can relate to people, things, or quantities, and their usage is widespread in everyday communication.
Pronoun | Example |
Alguien (ahl-gee-EHN) - Someone | ¿Hay alguien aquí? (Is there someone here?) |
Algo (AHL-goh) - Something | Quiero decirte algo.(I want to tell you something.) |
Nadie (NAH-dyeh) - Nobody | No hay nadie en casa. (There is nobody at home.) |
Nada (NAH-dah) - Nothing | No quiero nada. (I want nothing.) |
Cualquiera (kwahl-kyeh-rah) - Anyone or Any | Puede ganar cualquiera. (Anyone can win.) |
Todos (TOH-dohs) - Everyone | Todos están invitados. (Everyone is invited.) |
Numeral pronouns in Spanish are used to indicate quantity or order without explicitly mentioning the noun they refer to. These pronouns can be cardinal (indicating quantity), ordinal (indicating order), or partitive (indicating a part of a whole).
Numeral pronoun | Description | Example |
Cardinal Numeral Pronouns | Refer to a specific number of items or people | Tengo tres, ¿y tú cuántos tienes? (I have three, how many do you have?) |
Ordinal Numeral Pronouns | Indicate the position or order of something in a sequence. | Él fue el primero en llegar. (He was the first to arrive.) |
Partitive Numeral Pronouns (Fractions and Quantities) | Used to talk about parts of a whole or unspecified quantities. | Quiero más, pero solo un poco. (I want more, but only a little.) |
Indefinite Numeral Pronouns | Refer to an indefinite number or amount. | Algunos vendrán mañana. (Some will come tomorrow.) |
Collective Numeral Pronouns | Refer to a group or collection of items or people as a whole | La mayoría está de acuerdo." (The majority agrees.) |
In summary, mastering Spanish pronouns is crucial for effective communication in the language. Each type, from personal to possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, exclamative, reflexive, direct and indirect object pronouns, numeral, prepositional, plays a vital role in sentence structure and clarity.
Understanding their correct usage is key to constructing clear, concise sentences and engaging in fluent Spanish conversations. As learners familiarize themselves with the various pronouns and their applications, they'll find their Spanish communication skills greatly enhanced.
What are the different types of Spanish pronouns?
Spanish pronouns include personal, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, reflexive, direct object, and indirect object pronouns. Each type serves a unique function in communication, from indicating the subject of a sentence to expressing ownership or the object of an action.
How do Spanish possessive pronouns work?
Spanish possessive pronouns indicate ownership and must agree in gender and number with the nouns they refer to. They replace a noun and its possessive adjective to show possession, such as "mío" for "mine" and "tuya" for "yours (feminine)."
When do I use 'ser' and 'estar' with Spanish pronouns?
"Ser" and "estar" are both Spanish verbs for "to be," used with pronouns based on the context. "Ser" is used for permanent or defining attributes (e.g., "Yo soy profesor"), while "estar" is for temporary states or locations (e.g., "Ella está cansada").
Can Spanish direct and indirect object pronouns be used together?
Yes, direct and indirect object pronouns can be used together in Spanish to streamline sentences. The indirect object pronoun comes first, followed by the direct object pronoun (e.g., "Te lo doy" meaning "I give it to you").
What is the difference between 'tú' and 'usted' in Spanish pronouns?
"Tú" and "usted" both mean "you" in English, but "tú" is informal, used with friends, family, or peers, while "usted" is formal, used in respectful contexts or with strangers. The choice between the two affects verb conjugations and the level of formality in a conversation.