An Easy Introduction to Spanish Subject Pronouns

Spanish subject pronouns are easy to learn. This is good news, because you have to use them a lot. 

There are 12 subject pronouns in Spanish in comparison to eight subject pronouns in English.

Let me clear all the doubts once for all. Read this article to learn how and where to use Spanish subject pronouns. You’ll be able to hear audio with the subject pronoun pronunciation to make sure you say them correctly.

I’ll also explain why it’s not always necessary to include a subject pronoun before the verb in Spanish and whether Spanish pronouns have gender. Finally, there will be time to practice and you can see how much you’ve learned with a multiple-choice quiz.

Subject Pronouns in Spanish

What is a subject pronoun? Let’s first define a pronoun and then focus on subject pronouns.

A pronoun is one of nine parts of speech. It is usually a short word that can replace a noun to avoid unnecessary repetition.

Ana es mi amiga. Ella y yo trabajamos juntas. 
Ana is my friend. She and I work together.

Instead of repeating Anna’s name again, we substitute the proper noun with ella (she). There are many types of pronouns in Spanish: 

• subject pronouns 
• direct object pronouns
• indirect object pronouns
• possessive pronouns 
• reflexive pronouns
• relative pronouns
• prepositional object pronouns
• indefinite pronouns
• demonstrative pronouns 

Today, you’ll become an expert on subject pronouns. A subject pronoun is a naming pronoun, it’s the one that replaces the subject. 

So, what are the 12 Spanish subject pronouns?

Spanish Subject Pronouns Chart

Example Sentences in Spanish

Yo vivo en Madrid.
I live in Madrid.

Tú amas la cocina mexicana.
You love Mexican cuisine.

Usted es mi amigo.
You are my friend.

Él no come carne.
He doesn’t eat meat.

Ella canta precioso.
She sings beautifully.

Nosotros sabemos español.
We know Spanish.

Nosotras somos amigas.
We are friends.

Ustedes no son de aquí.
You are not from here.

Ellos me ayudaron.
They helped me.

Ellas siempre van juntas.
They always go together.

Omission of Subject Pronouns in Spanish

In Spanish, it’s not always necessary to include the subject. However, it doesn’t mean that you’re free to decide whether to put it or not. 

When do you omit the subject pronoun? 

First, if the subject is obvious because of the conjugated verb. 

Cocino muy rico.
I cook very well.

Because of the verb ending, you know that it refers to the first person singular, and you won’t put the subject pronoun yo.

Second, when the third person forms él, ella, ellos, ellas, or ellas function as subject, they can only refer to people. If they refer to things, we usually have to omit them.

He leído tu libro. Es muy interesante. NOT Él es muy interesante.
I read your book. It is very interesting.

The Number of Subject Pronouns in Spanish

Different Spanish-speaking countries may use different pronouns for the “you” singular and plural form and they can opt for one or another depending on formality. The main differences run between Spain and Latin America. However, the use of subject pronouns may vary across Latin American countries, too. 

All the possible Spanish subject pronouns for singular “you” are tú, vos, usted.

All the possible Spanish subject pronouns for plural “you” are vosotros/vosotras and ustedes.

Tú

Tú (mind the accent mark!) refers to the second-person singular you. You’ll use it for informal treatment in Spain and in most Latin American countries, in contrast with usted. It implies that you are in close relation with the interlocutor. You may use it with family members, friends, and kids.

The plural form of tú also depends on the country. In Spain, the informal plural you is vosotros/vosotras and the formal one ustedes. In Latin América, it’s always ustedes, both for formal and informal treatment and it will use the same plural verb endings as the third-person plural ellos/ellas.

Check out How to Use Vosotros When You Talk to Spanish Speakers in Spain to work on your Peninsular Spanish verb conjugations.

Vos

Vos is also the second-person singular subject pronoun and you translate it into “you.” In Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, people use it for informal treatment as opposed to usted, which is reserved for formal use. 

In some areas, it coexists with tú. In this case, vos is informal, tú semi-formal, and usted formal.

The conjugation endings in the countries that use vos are different for second-person singular from other Spanish-speaking countries.  Can you spot them in these example sentences?

Vos tenés un amigo en mi.
You have a friend in me.

Vos sos mi hermano.
You’re my brother.

The plural form for vos is ustedes and there is no distinction between formal and informal ways of talking.

If you want to learn more about vos and how to use it with verbs, check out:

• Voseo (in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas)
• Learn to Use Voseo: Vos in Spanish

Usted

Usted is a formal “you” in all Spanish-speaking countries. You abbreviate it in writing to Ud., Vd., U., or V.

Although the pronoun usted always refers to the second-person speaker (you), for grammatical purposes, it functions as a third-person pronoun and uses the same verb endings es él/ella. Why? It comes from the expression vuestra merced (Your mercy) and therefore it behaves as the third-person subject.

Usted es mi amigo.
You are my friend.

To learn more about usted, see Usted (in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas).

That’s why the subject pronoun chart may look different in different Spanish-speaking countries.

Spanish Subject Pronouns Chart (Spain)

Spanish Subject Pronouns Chart (Most of Latin América)

Spanish Subject Pronouns Chart (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay)

That’s why the complete list of all subject pronouns have 13 options: yo, tú, vos, usted, él, ella, nosotros, nosotras, vosotros, vosotras, ustedes, ellos, and ellas.

Gender of Spanish Subject Pronouns

Do Spanish subject pronouns vary in gender? Not all of them. Yo, tú, vos, usted, ustedes don’t vary in gender; the others do.

Ella, nosotras, vosotras, ellas are feminine; él is masculine; and nosotros, vosotros, and ellos can refer to a masculine or mixed group of people. 

Example Sentences in Spanish

Nosotras somos las mejores alumnas en nuestro grupo.
We are the best students in our group.

Vosotras sois nuestras amigas.
You are our friends.

Ellas tuvieron a sus hijos el mismo día.
They had their children on the same day.

Él es Juan, mi mejor amigo.
This is Juan, my best friend.

Nosotros, hombres y mujeres honestos, pedimos salarios justos.
We, honest men and women, ask for fair wages.

Vosotros niños, no os estáis portando bien.
You kids, you’re not behaving.

Ustedes chicos, tienen que apurarse.
You kids, you have to hurry.

Mis papás están en el extranjero. Ellos se fueron de nuestro pueblo hace 5 años.
My parents are abroad. They left our village 5 years ago.

Subject Pronouns in Spanish Quiz

Let’s see how much you’ve learned. For each sentence, choose one of the subject pronouns given. Mind the verb endings and the words around to avoid mistakes.

Study Spanish Subject Pronouns

Congratulations! Put a check next to the Spanish subject pronouns topic. Make sure you read the other articles I added the links to go deeper in your knowledge.

Remember learning a language never stops. I know that sometimes it may be difficult to find motivation, but just think about all the benefits being bilingual brings. Your travels become easier, your cognition and decision-making abilities improve and you have a great chance for a pay rise. Yes!  According to a study conducted by The Economist, a person can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $125,000 extra just by knowing a foreign language alone.

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Olga Put

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.

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