Disjunctive Pronouns in Spanish
This section explains Disjunctive Pronouns in Spanish. Disjunctive pronouns, also called prepositional pronouns, are used after prepositions to emphasise the subject or object, clarify who is being referred to, or to stand alone in sentences.
What Are Disjunctive Pronouns?
Disjunctive pronouns are used after prepositions like con (with), para (for), de (of), sin (without), por (by/through), etc.
Spanish Disjunctive Pronouns
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Me | Mí | Este regalo es para mí. → This gift is for me. |
| You (informal) | Ti | ¿Puedo ir contigo? → Can I go with you? |
| Him / Her / It / You (formal) | Él / Ella / Usted | La carta es de él. → The letter is from him. |
| Ourselves / Us | Nosotros / Nosotras | La profesora habló de nosotros. → The teacher talked about us. |
| You (plural, Spain) | Vosotros / Vosotras | El mensaje es para vosotros. → The message is for you (all). |
| Them / You (plural, Latin America & formal Spain) | Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | La comida es para ellos. → The food is for them. |
✅ Note: Mí has an accent to differentiate it from mi (my).
Using Disjunctive Pronouns with Prepositions
Disjunctive pronouns are used after prepositions such as:
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Para | For | Este regalo es para mí. → This gift is for me. |
| Con | With | ¿Puedo ir contigo? → Can I go with you? |
| De | Of / From | La casa es de ella. → The house is hers. |
| Sin | Without | No puedo vivir sin ti. → I can't live without you. |
| Por | By / Through | Lo hice por nosotros. → I did it for us. |
| Sobre | About / On | Estábamos hablando sobre ellos. → We were talking about them. |
✅ "Conmigo" and "Contigo" are exceptions! Instead of con mí and con ti, we use conmigo (with me) and contigo (with you).
Disjunctive Pronouns for Emphasis
Disjunctive pronouns can also be used for emphasis or clarification, often with subject pronouns.
Examples:
- Yo, yo no fui. → Me, I didn’t do it.
- Él no quiere venir, pero yo sí. → He doesn’t want to come, but I do.
- A mí me gusta el chocolate. → I like chocolate (emphasising "me").
- A ellos no les importa. → They don’t care.
✅ Use "A + disjunctive pronoun" for emphasis, especially with verbs like gustar.
Disjunctive Pronouns in Comparisons
When making comparisons, disjunctive pronouns are used after que (than).
Examples:
- Él es más alto que yo. → He is taller than me.
- Tengo más dinero que tú. → I have more money than you.
- Sabes más que nosotros. → You know more than us.
✅ Use disjunctive pronouns after "que" in comparisons.
Higher-Tier Structures Using Disjunctive Pronouns
After Prepositional Phrases
Some common expressions require disjunctive pronouns:
| Expression | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Según | According to | Según él, no es su culpa. → According to him, it’s not his fault. |
| Entre | Between | No hay secretos entre nosotros. → There are no secrets between us. |
| Excepto / Menos | Except | Todos vendrán excepto tú. → Everyone will come except you. |
✅ With "entre," "excepto," and "según," use subject pronouns like "yo" and "tú" instead of "mí" and "ti."
Expressing Possession
Instead of using su (his/her/their), disjunctive pronouns with de are clearer.
- Ese libro es de él. → That book is his.
- La decisión es de nosotros. → The decision is ours.
- Las llaves son de ellos. → The keys are theirs.
✅ Use "de + disjunctive pronoun" to clarify possession.
Reflexive vs. Disjunctive Pronouns
Compare Reflexive and Disjunctive Uses:
| Reflexive Pronoun | Disjunctive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| Me miro en el espejo. → I look at myself in the mirror. | Ese coche es para mí. → That car is for me. |
| Se habla a sí mismo. → He talks to himself. | Según él, es muy listo. → According to him, he is very clever. |
✅ Use reflexive pronouns when the subject does the action to themselves (e.g. me veo – I see myself).
✅Use disjunctive pronouns after prepositions (e.g. para mí – for me).
Practice Exercises
Translate into Spanish:
- This present is for me.
- I can't live without you.
- The letter is from him.
- Everyone is coming except you.
- I bought the tickets for them.
Fill in the blanks with the correct disjunctive pronoun:
- ¿Es este libro para ___ (me)?
- No puedo hacer esto sin ___ (you, informal).
- Según ___ (him), es una mala idea.
- Todos vendrán excepto ___ (her).
- ¿Puedo ir al cine contigo y ___ (them)?
Final Tips for Learning Spanish
✅ Use disjunctive pronouns after prepositions.
✅Remember "conmigo" and "contigo" as exceptions.
✅Use "de + pronoun" to clarify possession.
✅After "que" in comparisons, use disjunctive pronouns.
✅With "entre" and "según," use subject pronouns instead of "mí" and "ti."
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