Los Pronombres --- Pronouns

What is a pronoun in English? A pronoun replaces a noun.

What are the different types?  Subject pronouns  Object pronouns  Possessive pronouns  A subjective pronoun replaces the noun in a subject  An object pronoun replaces the noun that is the object.  A possessive pronoun shows possession.

Today, we are only worried about Subject Pronouns… IIII  You  He  She  We  You  They

These are the ONLY pronouns in the English Language that can be used in the subject of a sentence. You cannot use any other pronoun as a subject (e.g., me, him, her, them)

Subject Pronouns in Spanish…  Yo – I  Tú – you (informal)  Usted – you (formal)  Él – he  Ella -- she  Nosotros – we  Nosotras – we (fem)  Vosotros – you all  Vosotras – you all (fem)  Ustedes – you all (formal)  Ellos – they (mixed)  Ellas – they (all girls)

Yo  Use “yo” when you want to say “I” in English  It is a first person singular subject pronoun.  Use it when you are talking ABOUT yourself!

Tú  Use “tú” when you want to say “you” in English.  “Tú” is the informal “you.”  It is the second person singular subject pronoun.  Use when you are talking TO a person ABOUT that person.  It is informal – friend, cousin, sibling, etc.

Usted  Use “usted” when you want to say “you.”  “Usted” is the formal you.  Use “usted” when you are talking TO a person ABOUT that person.  It is formal – use it with teachers, parents, grandparents, people you don’t know very well, etc.

Él  Use “él” when you want to say “he” in English.  “Él” is the third person singular subject pronoun.  Use “él” when you are talking to a person ABOUT some other male person.

Ella UUUUse “ella” when you want to say “she” in English. ““““Ella” is the third person singular subject pronoun. UUUUse “ella” when you are talking to a person ABOUT some other female person

Nosotros  Use “nosotros” when you want to say “we” in English.  It can be used for guys or a mixed gender group. (It cannot be just girls).  Use it when you are talking about yourself and at least one other person.  Ex: my friend and I. María, José, and I

Nosotras  Use “nosotras” when you want to say “we” in English.  It can ONLY be used for girls.  Use it when you are talking about yourself and at least one other girl.  Ex: my friend and I. María, Julia, and I (in both examples – the person saying the sentence is a girl).

Vosotros/Vosotras  Use “vosotros” when you want to say “y’all” in Spanish.  IT IS ONLY USED IN SPAIN – THEREFORE YOU WILL NOT USE IT IN THIS CLASS.  It is INFORMAL.  Use vosotros for all guys, or a mixed group. Use vosotras for only girls.  Use”vosotros” when you are in Spain talking to a group of people ABOUT that group!

Ustedes  Use “ustedes” when you want to say “you all” in English.  It is used in Latin America for all instances that you would say “you all.”  In Spain, it is only used when you want to be formal.  You will use THIS frequently in Spanish.  Use it when you are talking TO a group about THAT group.

Ellos UUUUse “ellos” when want to say “they” in English. EEEEllos is used to refer to a group of guys, or a mixed group (guys and girls). UUUUse “ellos” when you are talking to a person (or group) about A SEPARATE GROUP OF PEOPLE. EEEEX: talking to you – about Enrique and Carla.

Ellas  Use “ellas” when want to say “they” in English.  “Ellas” is ONLY used to refer to a group of girls.  Use “ellas” when you are talking to a person (or group) about A SEPARATE GROUP OF GIRLS.  EX: talking to you – about Marta and Carla.

Let’s Practice:

I Yo

Manuel Él

Carlos y Tú Ustedes

Carmen, Manuela, y yo NosotrosOr Nosotras (if “yo” is a girl, too)

El Señor Garcia Él

La Señorita González Ella

Los Señores Valézquez Ellos

Las Señoritas Sánchez Ellas

A Quick Lesson on “TO” and “ABOUT”  “TO” is when you are talking TO a person – looking at them having a conversation ABOUT that person that you are talking to.  “ABOUT” is when you are talking TO someone ABOUT someone else. It is “gossiping.” You are having a conversation with one person (or people) about someone else.

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