Pronouns

Master all types of pronouns in English: personal, possessive, object, reflexive, and demonstrative. Essential for speaking fluently.

Level A2-B1-B2-C1-C2⏱️ 50 min📋 Requires: Verb to be, Basic understanding of nouns
Topic Progress0%

What are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that replace nouns to avoid repeating the same words. They are essential for speaking naturally and fluently in English.

📋 Quick Reference

1Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
2Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
3Object: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
4Reflexive: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
5Demonstrative: this, that, these, those

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns replace the people or things we are talking about.

Personal Pronouns
PersonSingularPluralMeaning
1st personIweI / We
2nd personyouyouYou
3rd personhe/she/ittheyHe/She/It / They
🇪🇸 Spanish:

Yo soy estudiante

🇬🇧 English:

I am a student

📝 Translation:

I am a student

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Ella es doctora

🇬🇧 English:

She is a doctor

📝 Translation:

She is a doctor

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Nosotros vivimos aquí

🇬🇧 English:

We live here

📝 Translation:

We live here

💡
Note: In English there is no difference between informal "tú" and formal "usted" — both are "you". Context and tone indicate the level of formality.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns show who something belongs to. There are two types: possessive determiners and possessive pronouns.

Possessive Determiners (go before the noun)
PersonSingularPlural
1st personmyour
2nd personyouryour
3rd personhis/her/itstheir
Possessive Pronouns (replace the noun)
PersonSingularPlural
1st personmineours
2nd personyoursyours
3rd personhis/hers/itstheirs
🇪🇸 Spanish:

Mi libro es azul

🇬🇧 English:

My book is blue

📝 Translation:

My book is blue

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Este libro es mío

🇬🇧 English:

This book is mine

📝 Translation:

This book is mine

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Su casa es grande

🇬🇧 English:

Her house is big

📝 Translation:

Her house is big

⚠️
Watch out! Do not confuse "its" (possessive) with "it's" (contraction of "it is"). "Its" does not take an apostrophe when it is possessive.

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used when the person or thing receives the action.

Object Pronouns
PersonSingularPlural
1st personmeus
2nd personyouyou
3rd personhim/her/itthem
🇪🇸 Spanish:

Ella me ve

🇬🇧 English:

She sees me

📝 Translation:

She sees me

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Yo los conozco

🇬🇧 English:

I know them

📝 Translation:

I know them

🇪🇸 Spanish:

El libro me gusta

🇬🇧 English:

I like the book

📝 Translation:

I like the book

✅
Tip: Object pronouns go after the verb or after prepositions.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object are the same person or thing.

Reflexive Pronouns
PersonSingularPlural
1st personmyselfourselves
2nd personyourselfyourselves
3rd personhimself/herself/itselfthemselves
🇪🇸 Spanish:

Yo me lavo las manos

🇬🇧 English:

I wash my hands

📝 Translation:

I wash my hands

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Ella se peina

🇬🇧 English:

She combs her hair

📝 Translation:

She combs her hair

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Nosotros nos divertimos

🇬🇧 English:

We enjoy ourselves

📝 Translation:

We enjoy ourselves

💡
Common use: Reflexive pronouns are also used for emphasis: "I myself did it".

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point to or indicate specific people or things.

Demonstrative Pronouns
DistanceSingularPluralMeaning
NearthistheseThis / These
FarthatthoseThat / Those
🇪🇸 Spanish:

Este es mi libro

🇬🇧 English:

This is my book

📝 Translation:

This is my book

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Esos son mis zapatos

🇬🇧 English:

Those are my shoes

📝 Translation:

Those are my shoes

🇪🇸 Spanish:

¿Qué es esto?

🇬🇧 English:

What is this?

📝 Translation:

What is this?

⚠️
Difference: "This/these" for things nearby, "that/those" for things farther away. They are also used for time: "this week", "that year".

Common Mistakes

❌
Error: "Me and him are friends" ❌
Correct: "He and I are friends" ✅
As subject we use personal pronouns, not object pronouns
❌
Error: "This book is her" ❌
Correct: "This book is hers" ✅
After "is" we use a possessive pronoun, not a determiner
❌
Error: "I hurt me" ❌
Correct: "I hurt myself" ✅
For reflexive actions we use reflexive pronouns
❌
Error: "Its a beautiful day" ❌
Correct: "It's a beautiful day" ✅
"It's" = "it is", "its" = possessive

Important Rules

1. Order of politeness

When we talk about ourselves and another person, we always put the other person first.

Examples:
  • You and I are friends
  • He and she are married

2. Pronouns after prepositions

After prepositions we always use object pronouns.

Examples:
  • This is for you
  • Come with me

3. Possessive pronouns vs determiners

Determiners go before the noun; pronouns replace the noun.

Examples:
  • My book vs This is mine
  • Her car vs The car is hers
← Back to Theory