Subject Pronouns in Spanish

This section explains Subject Pronouns in Spanish. Subject pronouns are words that replace the subject of a sentence (the person or thing doing the action). In Spanish, subject pronouns are:

Key Notes

✅ Tú vs. Usted – Tú is informal (used with friends and family). Usted is formal (used in polite situations, e.g. with teachers, elderly people, or strangers).

✅ Vosotros/Vosotras – Only used in Spain for "you all" (informal). Vosotras is only for a group of females, while vosotros is used for males or mixed-gender groups.

✅ Ellos/Ellas – Ellos refers to a group of men or a mixed-gender group. Ellas is only for a group of females.

✅ In Spanish, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject. For example:

• (Yo) tengo un perro. (I have a dog.)
• (Nosotros) estudiamos español. (We study Spanish.)
  The subject pronoun is only included for emphasis or clarity.

Foundation Tier: Examples in Simple Present Tense

Here are sentences using each subject pronoun with regular present tense verbs.

Singular Pronouns:

• Yo estudio matemáticas. → I study mathematics.
• Tú hablas español muy bien. → You speak Spanish very well.
• Él juega al baloncesto los sábados. → He plays basketball on Saturdays.
• Ella escucha música en su habitación. → She listens to music in her room.
• Usted trabaja en un banco. → You (formal) work in a bank.

Plural Pronouns:

• Nosotros vivimos en Londres. → We live in London.
• Vosotros coméis en un restaurante italiano. → You all (informal, Spain) eat in an Italian restaurant.
• Ellos van al colegio juntos. → They go to school together.
• Ellas cantan en un coro. → They (feminine) sing in a choir.
• Ustedes toman café cada mañana. → You all (formal) drink coffee every morning.

Higher Tier: Examples with Different Tenses

Preterite Tense (Past Simple)

• Yo fui al cine anoche. → I went to the cinema last night.
• Tú compraste una chaqueta nueva. → You bought a new jacket.
• Él llegó tarde a la reunión. → He arrived late to the meeting.
• Nosotros viajamos a España en verano. → We travelled to Spain in the summer.
• Ellos estudiaron para el examen. → They studied for the exam.

Future Tense

• Yo visitaré a mi abuela el sábado. → I will visit my grandmother on Saturday.
• Vosotros ganaréis el partido. → You all (informal, Spain) will win the match.
• Ellas irán a la universidad el próximo año. → They (feminine) will go to university next year.
• Usted recibirá una carta mañana. → You (formal) will receive a letter tomorrow.
• Nosotros aprenderemos a tocar la guitarra. → We will learn to play the guitar.

Conditional Tense (Would, Could, Should)

• Yo compraría ese coche si tuviera más dinero. → I would buy that car if I had more money.
• Tú viajarías por el mundo si pudieras. → You would travel the world if you could.
• Él comería pizza todos los días si fuera posible. → He would eat pizza every day if it were possible.
• Nosotros estudiaríamos más, pero estamos cansados. → We would study more, but we are tired.
• Ellos vivirían en el campo si fuera más barato. → They would live in the countryside if it were cheaper.

Present Subjunctive (Higher Tier)

• Quiero que tú me ayudes. → I want you to help me.
• Es importante que ella haga sus deberes. → It is important that she does her homework.
• Dudo que nosotros lleguemos a tiempo. → I doubt that we will arrive on time.
• Espero que ustedes disfruten la comida. → I hope that you all (formal) enjoy the food.
• No creo que ellos sepan la respuesta. → I don’t think they know the answer.

Practice Questions

1. Translate:
   • She studies French.
   • We will visit Madrid next year.
   • They (feminine) lived in a big house.
   • You (formal) would like to travel to Italy.
   • I want you (informal) to listen.
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct subject pronoun:
   • ___ hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
   • ___ vive en Barcelona. (He/She lives in Barcelona.)
   • ___ aprendemos historia. (We learn history.)
   • ___ sois mis mejores amigos. (You all are my best friends.)
   • ___ van al supermercado. (They go to the supermarket.)

Final Tips for Learning Spanish

✅ Remember that Spanish verbs already indicate the subject, so pronouns are often omitted unless needed for clarity or emphasis.
✅Be careful with formal vs informal forms – usted and ustedes are used for politeness, while tú and vosotros are informal.
✅Practise different tenses – subject pronouns are useful in all tenses, so revise how they are used in past, present, future, and conditional sentences.