Lospronombres (the pronouns in spanish) constitute a class of words whose function is to replace or represent a noun, an adjective or even a sentence. Depending on their grammatical classification, they may be invariable or vary in gender and number. They can also indicate the degree of formality or informality that the speaker performs in his linguistic production.
As a grammatical class, the pronouns have the following classification:
personal pronouns (personal),
reflexive pronouns (reflective),
possessive pronouns (possessive),
demonstrative pronouns (statements),
indefinite pronouns (undefined),
relative pronouns (relatives),
interrogative and exclamatory pronouns (interrogative and exclamatory).
Due to the extent of its functions and presence in Spanish, learning about this class is one of the main steps to deepening your knowledge of this language. So keep reading and ¡échale ganas to learn!
See too:Losnouns — nouns in spanish
Topics of this article
- 1 - What are the types of pronouns in Spanish?
- 2 - The personal pronouns
- 3 - The reflexive pronouns
- 4 - The possessive pronouns
- 5 - The demonstrative pronouns
- 6 - The indefinite pronouns
- 7 - The relative pronouns
- 8 - Interrogative and exclamatory pronouns
- 9 - Solved exercises on pronouns
What are the types of pronouns in Spanish?
See below a table with all the pronouns and understand how they rank that way in the sequence.
personal pronouns | ||
subject pronouns |
Portuguese |
|
yo |
I |
|
you/you |
you |
|
he/she/usted |
he/she/it |
|
us |
us |
|
you |
you/you |
|
ellos/ellas/ustedes |
they/they/you |
|
complement pronouns | ||
unstressed |
me |
me |
you |
you |
|
lo, la, le, if |
the, the, you |
|
us |
us |
|
you |
the, the, them |
|
them, las, les, se |
the, the, them |
|
tonics |
me, I can |
me, with |
you, with you |
you, with you |
|
si, con, él, ella, usted |
si, with, he, she, you, sir, madam |
|
nosotros, nosotras |
us |
|
yours, yours |
you |
|
Si, with, ellos, ellas, ustedes |
si, with, they, they, you |
|
reflexive pronouns | ||
me |
me |
|
you |
you |
|
if |
if |
|
us |
us |
|
you |
if |
|
if |
if |
|
possessive pronouns | ||
unstressed |
mi(s) |
my(s), my(s) |
you (s) |
yours, yours, yours, yours |
|
your(s) |
your(s), his(s), his(s), hers(s) |
|
our |
our |
|
senior(s) |
yours, yours, yours |
|
your(s) |
your(s), your(s), yours, his(s), her(s) |
|
tonics |
child(ren) |
my(s), my(s) |
tuyo/a |
yours, yours, yours, yours |
|
suyo/a |
your(s), his(s), his(s), hers(s) |
|
our |
our |
|
senior(s) |
yours, yours, yours |
|
suyo/a |
your(s), your(s), yours, his(s), her(s) |
|
demonstrative pronouns | ||
male |
this (estos) – this (esos) – that (those) |
this(s) – these(s) – those(s) |
female |
this (these) – that (these) – that one (these) |
this(s) – these(s) – those(s) |
neutral |
this – that – that |
this – that – that |
indefinite pronouns | ||
Variables |
someone |
some) |
nobody |
none |
|
too much |
a lot |
|
a lot |
a lot |
|
few |
little(s) |
|
all |
all |
|
so much |
so much |
|
other(s) |
other(s) |
|
one(s) |
one(s) |
|
several |
several |
|
enough (s) |
enough (s) |
|
whatever/whatever |
any/any |
|
quien/quienesquiera |
who |
|
invariables |
someone |
somebody |
nadie |
nobody |
|
something |
something |
|
anything |
anything |
|
but of |
too much |
|
each |
each |
|
relative pronouns | ||
who(s) |
who |
|
which one(s) |
which one(s) |
|
cuyo (s), cuya (s) |
whose |
|
how much(s), how much(s) |
as to) |
|
interrogative and exclamatory pronouns | ||
invariables |
what |
what |
when |
when |
|
as |
as |
|
where |
where |
|
Variables |
what |
which |
who/is |
who |
|
how much |
as to) |
Personal pronouns
personal pronouns are those who fulfill subject or complement of a sentence.
I call myself Fabrizio.
(My name is Fabricio.)
The second person personal pronouns (you, you, yourselves) It is usted indicate the degree of formality that the speaker dedicates to the person with whom he speaks. the pronouns you,you It is you (the latter frequently used in Spain) are used informally, that is, when the speaker wants to indicate intimacy or closeness with the speaker. On the other hand, the pronoun usted indicates formality, distance and respect (by social status or age) for the person you are talking to.
Are you Miguel's sister?
(Are you Miguel's sister?)
¿Es usted la madre de Miguel?
(Are you Miguel's mother?)
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The reflexive pronouns
reflexive pronouns are those who indicate that the action is practiced and received by the subject himself. For this reason, follow the reflexive or pronominal verbs.
Susana showers twice a day.
(Susan takes a bath twice a day.)
The possessive pronouns
possessive pronouns — next toadjectives possessive (possessive adjectives) — are called possessive determinants (possessive determiners) and have the function of indicating ownership or belonging.
Where are your books?
(Where are your books?)
This notebook is not mine.
(This notebook is not mine.)
This is Miguel. His uncle married my sister.
(This is Miguel. His uncle married my sister.)
The demonstrative pronouns
demonstrative pronouns he has function of identifying people and objects in space. It is a deictic category, that is, its meaning depends on the position that the speaker or listener occupies in time or space. They are also used as textual articulators, resuming or anticipating other terms.
That boy is new at school.
(That boy is new at school.)
This is the library.
(This is the library.)
The indefinite pronouns
indefinite pronouns are those who refer to the third person of speech in a vague or generalized way.
There was no one at home.
(There was no one at home.)
She tells me that there was no problem.
(He told me there was no problem.)
relative pronouns
relative pronouns refer to an object, person or being already mentioned earlier in the speech, which is called the antecedent.
Esta es la chica whose mommy is my teacher.
(This is a girl whose mother is my teacher.)
Interrogative and exclamatory pronouns
Some of Pinterrogative and exclamatory pronouns coincide with thepronouns relative, the difference being that, when indicating a question or exclamation, they must be accentuated.
How much does it cost?
(How much does it cost?)
I don't know where your house is.
(I don't know where your house is.)
What a beautiful day!
(What a beautiful day!)
Read too:ThereThecentuation — the accent in spanish
Solved exercises on the pronouns
question 1
Choose the appropriate pronoun for each sentence: usted, mí, su, ella, yo.
A) Ayer __________ went to the mall.
B) _______ es una chica stupendous.
C) Can you get my sister to ________?
D) Is this ________ el señor González?
E) That one is the history teacher. The director is ______ husband.
Resolution:
A) yo
B) she
C) my
d) usted
E) su
question 2
(UFMS) Rellene los espacios subrayados con un pronombre personal o posesivo. Note the concordance. The text below is the poem XXI of the Rimas book, by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
“What is poetry? dices mientras clubs en mi pupil _____ blue pupil.
What is poetry? Y _____ me lo questions?
Poetry… you are _____.”
A) tus, usted, tu.
B) su, usted, ella.
C) you, you, you.
D) tu, vos, usted.
Resolution:
Alternative C
The verb dicesis conjugated to the second person singular you (you), which indicates that throughout the text, the author will address the person with whom he is speaking informally.
By Renata Martins Gornattes
Spanish teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
GORNATTES, Renata Martins. "Los pronouns"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/espanhol/los-pronombres.htm. Accessed on June 5, 2023.
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