Subject pronounsSubject pronouns

In this presentation, In this presentation, wewe’’re going to look at re going to look at the form and use of the form and use of the the subject pronouns subject pronouns in Spanish.in Spanish.

LetLet’’s get started!s get started!

Compare these two sentences:Compare these two sentences: JorgeJorge es mexicano. es mexicano. ÉlÉl es mexicano. es mexicano.

In the first sentence, we In the first sentence, we namename the person who is Mexican.the person who is Mexican.

In the second sentence, we In the second sentence, we replace replace the personthe person’’s name with s name with the word the word él.él.

And your point is…?And your point is…?

A A pronounpronoun is a word that is a word that replaces a replaces a noun: Jorge = noun: Jorge = él.él.

Examples of pronouns in Examples of pronouns in English are: English are: ““I, you, he, she, I, you, he, she, it, we, they.it, we, they.””

Some pronouns have different Some pronouns have different forms to talk about the same forms to talk about the same person: person: ““I, me, my, mine, I, me, my, mine, myself.myself.”” For right now, we For right now, we are going to look at one of are going to look at one of these forms, but wethese forms, but we’’ll get to ll get to the other forms soon.the other forms soon.

Los pronombresLos pronombres Here are the subject pronouns in Here are the subject pronouns in

Spanish:Spanish:– I = yoI = yo

– you = tyou = tú (informal)ú (informal)

– you = usted (Ud.) (formal)you = usted (Ud.) (formal)

– he = élhe = él

– she = ellashe = ella

– we = nosotros, nosotraswe = nosotros, nosotras

– you = vosotros, vosotras (informal)you = vosotros, vosotras (informal)

– you = ustedes (Uds.) (formal)you = ustedes (Uds.) (formal)

– they = ellos, ellasthey = ellos, ellas

YoYo

This means This means ““II”” and is and is used in the same way used in the same way as in English.as in English.– Yo soy americano.Yo soy americano.

– Yo soy estudiante.Yo soy estudiante.

Note that it is Note that it is notnot capitalized unless it capitalized unless it starts a sentence:starts a sentence:– Mi amigo y yo…Mi amigo y yo…

Él y ellaÉl y ella

These pronouns are used These pronouns are used in the same way as their in the same way as their English counterparts:English counterparts:– Jorge y Ana son mexicanos. Jorge y Ana son mexicanos.

Él es de Guadalajara y ella Él es de Guadalajara y ella es de Acapulco.es de Acapulco.

DonDon’’t forget to put the t forget to put the accent mark on accent mark on ““élél”” (although you rarely see (although you rarely see an accent on a capital an accent on a capital letter).letter).

Ellos y ellasEllos y ellas In English, we have one word to In English, we have one word to

express the idea of express the idea of ““they,they,”” but in but in Spanish, we distinguish between Spanish, we distinguish between ““theythey”” for masculine and feminine: for masculine and feminine:– Jorge y Juan son mexicanos. Jorge y Juan son mexicanos. EllosEllos son son

de Guadalajara.de Guadalajara.– Ana y Gloria son mexicanas. Ana y Gloria son mexicanas. EllasEllas son son

de Acapulco.de Acapulco. If the group is mixed (masculine If the group is mixed (masculine

andand feminine), use the masculine feminine), use the masculine pronoun:pronoun:– Jorge y Ana son mexicanos. Jorge y Ana son mexicanos. EllosEllos son son

estudiantes en la universidad.estudiantes en la universidad.

Nosotros y nosotrasNosotros y nosotras

Likewise, in English we have one word to talk Likewise, in English we have one word to talk about about ““we,we,”” but in Spanish, we distinguish but in Spanish, we distinguish between between ““wewe”” masculine and feminine: masculine and feminine:– Juan: Juan: ““Mi hermano y yo somos de Argentina. Mi hermano y yo somos de Argentina.

NosotrosNosotros vivimos en Buenos Aires. vivimos en Buenos Aires.””– Juana: Juana: ““Mi hermana y yo somos de Bolivia. Mi hermana y yo somos de Bolivia.

NosotrasNosotras vivimos en La Paz. vivimos en La Paz.”” As is the case with As is the case with ““ellos, ellas,ellos, ellas,”” use the use the

masculine pronoun if it refers to a mixed group:masculine pronoun if it refers to a mixed group:– Juan: Juan: ““Mi hermano, mi novia, y yo somos de Mi hermano, mi novia, y yo somos de

Argentina. Argentina. NosotrosNosotros vivimos en Buenos vivimos en Buenos Aires.Aires.””

– Juana: Juana: ““Mi hermana, mis padres, y yo somos Mi hermana, mis padres, y yo somos de Bolivia. de Bolivia. NosotrosNosotros vivimos en La Paz. vivimos en La Paz.

Hey, you!Hey, you!

In English, we use the word In English, we use the word ““youyou”” to talk to: to talk to:– One personOne person– Many peopleMany people– A person much older than we areA person much older than we are– A person much younger than we A person much younger than we

areare– A person about the same age as we A person about the same age as we

areare– A person with a higher social or A person with a higher social or

economic rank (president, judge, economic rank (president, judge, mayor, boss, priest, lawyer, mayor, boss, priest, lawyer, professor…)professor…)

– A person with a lower social or A person with a lower social or economic rank)economic rank)

TTú & ustedú & usted

In Spanish, things arenIn Spanish, things aren’’t quite t quite that simple. There are that simple. There are several ways to express the several ways to express the concept of concept of ““youyou””::– ttú:ú: one person of about the one person of about the

same age (or younger) that you same age (or younger) that you know quite well.know quite well.

– ustedusted (abbreviated Ud.): one (abbreviated Ud.): one person who is older than you, person who is older than you, who has a higher social or who has a higher social or economic rank, and/or is economic rank, and/or is someone you have just met.someone you have just met.

Wait! ThereWait! There’’s more!s more!

When we want to talk to more When we want to talk to more than one person (than one person (““all of youall of you”” or or ““yy’’allall””), we can use:), we can use:– ustedesustedes (abbreviated Uds.): this (abbreviated Uds.): this

is used in most cases, regardless is used in most cases, regardless of whether the group you are of whether the group you are addressing consists of addressing consists of ““ttúú”” or or ““usted.usted.””

– vosotros/vosotrasvosotros/vosotras: this is used : this is used only in Spain and only when only in Spain and only when everyone in the group is everyone in the group is ““ttú.ú.””

ThatThat’’s confusing!s confusing!

Not really! HereNot really! Here’’s a s a summary:summary:

SingularSingular– Informal: tInformal: túú

– Formal: ustedFormal: usted

PluralPlural– Informal: vosotros/vosotras Informal: vosotros/vosotras

(*Spain)(*Spain)

– Formal/informal: ustedes Formal/informal: ustedes (*Latin America)(*Latin America)

One more point!One more point!

In English, we always have to In English, we always have to use a subject pronoun. Look at use a subject pronoun. Look at these sentences:these sentences:– Went to the store.Went to the store.– Speaks German.Speaks German.– Like classical music.Like classical music.

Without the subject pronoun, Without the subject pronoun, we donwe don’’t know t know whowho we are we are talking about. The verb doesntalking about. The verb doesn’’t t give us enough information: give us enough information: ““likelike”” can refer to can refer to I, you, we,I, you, we, or or theythey..

Spanish is different!Spanish is different!

Look at these sentences in Spanish:Look at these sentences in Spanish:– Soy de Chicago.Soy de Chicago.– Eres estudiante.Eres estudiante.– Es mexicana.Es mexicana.– Somos atletas.Somos atletas.– Son hermanos.Son hermanos.

The verb does give us enough information: The verb does give us enough information: ““soysoy”” matches matches ““yo,yo,”” ““ereseres”” refers to refers to ““ttú,ú,”” ““eses”” goes with goes with ““él/ella/Ud.,él/ella/Ud.,”” ““somossomos”” matches matches ““nosotros,nosotros,”” and and ““sonson”” is paired with is paired with ““ellos, ellos, ellas, Uds.ellas, Uds.””

As such, Spanish sentences As such, Spanish sentences frequentlyfrequently drop drop the subject pronoun in writing and speech; the subject pronoun in writing and speech; they are not needed to clarify who we are they are not needed to clarify who we are talking about.talking about.

LetLet’’s practice!s practice!

Rewrite each sentence with an Rewrite each sentence with an appropriate subject pronoun.appropriate subject pronoun.

_____ estudio espa_____ estudio español.ñol. _____ eres estudiante._____ eres estudiante. Juan es mi amigo. _____ es de Chile.Juan es mi amigo. _____ es de Chile. Marta es muy inteligente. _____ estudia Marta es muy inteligente. _____ estudia

ffísica y química.ísica y química. Mis hermanos y yo somos atletas. Mis hermanos y yo somos atletas.

_______ jugamos al v_______ jugamos al vólibol y al fútbol.ólibol y al fútbol. Mis hermanos juegan al béisbol también Mis hermanos juegan al béisbol también [also][also]. ______ son muy atléticos.. ______ son muy atléticos.

How did you do?How did you do?

YoYo estudio espa estudio español.ñol. TTúú eres estudiante. eres estudiante. Juan es mi amigo. (Juan es mi amigo. (ÉlÉl)) es de Chile. es de Chile. Marta es muy inteligente. (Marta es muy inteligente. (EllaElla) )

estudia festudia física y química.ísica y química. Mis hermanos y yo somos atletas. Mis hermanos y yo somos atletas.

((NosotrosNosotros) jugamos al v) jugamos al vólibol y al ólibol y al fútbol.fútbol.

Mis hermanos juegan al béisbol Mis hermanos juegan al béisbol también también [also][also]. (. (EllosEllos) son muy ) son muy atléticos.atléticos.

ThatThat’’s a wrap!s a wrap!

WeWe’’ve seen the subject ve seen the subject pronoun pronoun formsforms and and usesuses. Keep an eye and . Keep an eye and an ear open for them an ear open for them as you proceed in your as you proceed in your Spanish classes.Spanish classes.