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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn Spanish subject pronouns like yo (I), tú (you informal), él/ella (he/she), and ustedes (you formal plural), focusing on gender and number agreement for everyday communication.
  1. Pronouns agree with the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the subject.
  2. Use masculine pronouns for a group of all men or mixed.
  3. Use tú / vosotros for informal situations.
  4. Use "usted" / "ustedes" for formal situations.
Persona (Person)Singular (Singular)Plural (Plural)
Primera (First)Yo (I)Nosotros (we) / Nosotras (We (feminine))
Segunda (Second)Tú (You)Vosotros (You (plural)) / Vosotras (You (feminine plural))
Tercera (Third)Él (He) / Ella (She) / Usted (You)Ellos (They) / Ellas (They (feminine)) / Ustedes (You)

Exceptions!

  1. In some Latin American countries, the use of "usted" is more frequent and it is used both in formal contexts and in many informal contexts.

Exercise 1: Los pronombres personales

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Nosotras, Ella, Yo, Vosotros, Él, Tú, Ellos, Nosotros

1.
... es mi amiga.
(She is my friend.)
2.
... eres mi amigo.
(You are my friend.)
3.
... es simpático.
(He is nice.)
4.
... son hermanos.
(They are brothers.)
5.
... hablo español.
(I speak Spanish.)
6.
... hablamos español.
(We speak Spanish.)
7.
... somos amigas.
(We are friends.)
8.
... sois estudiantes.
(You are students.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Hola, ¿_____ estás?

(Hello, _____ are you?)

2. _____ Pedro, un placer.

(_____ Pedro, nice to meet you.)

3. ¿_____ tal? Muy bien, gracias.

(_____ are you? Very well, thanks.)

4. _____ damos la mano para saludar.

(_____ shake hands to greet.)

5. Ella _____ en clase ahora.

(She _____ in class now.)

6. ¡_____ luego! Nos vemos pronto.

(_____ later! See you soon.)

Introduction to Spanish Personal Subject Pronouns

This lesson covers the essential Spanish personal subject pronouns, which indicate who performs the action in a sentence. Understanding these pronouns is fundamental for building sentences and expressing yourself clearly in Spanish.

Table of Personal Subject Pronouns

PersonSingularPlural
FirstYoNosotros / Nosotras
SecondTúVosotros / Vosotras
ThirdÉl / Ella / UstedEllos / Ellas / Ustedes

Key Points About Usage

  • Spanish pronouns agree with the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the subject.
  • Use masculine pronouns (e.g., nosotros, vosotros, ellos) for groups of men or mixed gender groups.
  • Tú and vosotros are used in informal settings when addressing individuals or groups.
  • Usted and ustedes are the formal equivalents used to show respect or formality.
  • In many Latin American countries, usted is commonly used even in informal contexts.

Examples of Pronouns in Common Expressions

  • Yo soy Pedro. (I am Pedro.)
  • Tú estás bien. (You are well.)
  • Nosotros damos la mano para saludar. (We shake hands to greet.)
  • Ella está en clase ahora. (She is in class now.)
  • ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)

Comparing Spanish to English Pronouns

Unlike English, Spanish subject pronouns reflect gender and number more explicitly. For example, the English "we" is gender-neutral, but Spanish distinguishes between nosotros (masculine or mixed groups) and nosotras (feminine groups). Also, Spanish differentiates between formal and informal 'you', which English does not.

Useful related Spanish phrases with English equivalents:

  • Hola, ¿cómo estás? — Hello, how are you?
  • Nosotros somos estudiantes. — We are students.
  • Usted es muy amable. — You are very kind. (formal)

This lesson prepares you to identify and use the correct Spanish pronouns in daily conversations and writing, an essential step in your language learning journey.

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