Learn Spanish Subject Pronouns

Learn Spanish Subject Pronouns

The verbs hablar (speak), comer (eat) and vivir (live) are "regular" or predictable in their endings. Here are their forms in the present indicative with the corresponding subject pronouns:

I yo hablo como vivo
you (familiar, singular) tú hablas comes vives
you (formal, singular) usted (Ud.) habla come vive
he él
she ella
we nosotros/as hablamos comemos vivimos
you (fam. in Spain, pl.) vosotros/as habláis coméis vivís
you (formal in Spain, pl.) ustedes hablan comen viven
they ellos
ellas

Subject pronoun usage

1. Since the verb endings contain clues as to the speaker, subject pronouns are only used when required for clarity or emphasis (although usted is often used as a courtesy). 1. Ya que las terminaciones verbales indican de quién se habla, los pronombres de sujeto se usan solamente para mayor claridad o énfasis (aunque "usted" se usa con frecuencia por cortesía).

2. When addressing friends, children, animals, and God, tú is used. The form usted (commonly abbreviated to Ud.), which uses third-person verb forms, is used for polite address to people you do not know well or wish to express respect for. Ustedes is used as plural for both forms in America, while in Spain the plural of tú is vosotros/vosotras.

Note that Spanish does not capitalize yo but uses a capital for the abbreviation Ud.