Personal Pronouns

01

The Forms

Here are the subject pronouns used in European Spanish:

Singular

• yo (I)
• tú (you - informal)
• usted (you - formal)
• él (he)
• ella (she)

Plural

• nosotros / nosotras (we)
• vosotros / vosotras (you all - informal)
• ustedes (you all - formal)
• ellos / ellas (they)

02

Omission of Pronouns

In Spanish, the verb ending changes depending on who is doing the action. Because the verb itself carries the information about the subject, the pronoun is usually dropped. Using the pronoun when it is not necessary can sound unnatural or repetitive.

• Tengo un coche nuevo.

  I have a new car.

• ¿Vienes a la fiesta?

  Are you coming to the party?

You should generally only use the pronoun in two specific situations:

1. Emphasis or Contrast: When you want to highlight exactly who is doing the action, often in comparison to someone else.

• Yo limpio y tú cocinas.

  I clean and you cook.

• Ella es médica, pero él es profesor.

  She is a doctor, but he is a teacher.

2. Clarity: The third-person verb forms are shared by él, ella, and usted. If the context is not clear, the pronoun is added to specify who is being talked about.

• Ella tiene las llaves.

  She has the keys.

03

Gender in Plurals

Plural pronouns in Spanish distinguish between masculine and feminine genders.

• Masculine forms (nosotros, vosotros, ellos) are used for a group of men or a mixed group containing at least one male.
• Feminine forms (nosotras, vosotras, ellas) are used only when the entire group consists of females.

• Ellos son mis hermanos.

  They are my siblings. (Brothers or brothers and sisters)

• Nosotras vamos al cine.

  We are going to the cinema. (All female group)

04

Informal vs. Formal "You"

Spanish distinguishes between addressing someone casually or politely.

Singular: Tú vs. Usted

Use tú with friends, family, children, pets, and peers. Use usted with strangers, older people, authority figures, or in professional settings to show respect. Note that grammatically, usted uses the same verb forms as él and ella (3rd person).

• ¿Tú quieres agua?

  Do you want water? (to a friend)

• ¿Usted quiere agua?

  Do you want water? (to a client)

Plural: Vosotros vs. Ustedes

In European Spanish, this distinction extends to the plural forms.

• Use vosotros (or vosotras) to address a group of friends, family members, or peers. This is the standard informal plural in Spain.
• Use ustedes to address a group formally (e.g., an audience, a group of elderly people, or clients).

• Vosotros sois muy altos.

  You guys are very tall.

• Señores, ustedes pueden entrar ahora.

  Gentlemen, you may enter now.

Note: In most Latin American countries, vosotros is not used. Instead, ustedes is used for both formal and informal situations. However, in European Spanish, the distinction is mandatory.