Personal Pronoun HER — How to Talk About a Woman as the Receiver
Quick Answer
Use her when something happens to a woman or girl — when she is the receiver of an action. Note: “her” also works as a possessive (her bag); this lesson is about the object pronoun only.
Example: I saw her at the cafe. (I did the seeing. She received it.)
HER (OBJECT) in Action — See the Pattern
Read these three sentences. Look at how it works:
- I called her yesterday. (I am the doer. She is the receiver.)
- Give her the keys. (You give. She receives.)
- Sit next to her. (After the preposition “next to.”)
When to Use HER (OBJECT)
Her is the object pronoun for one woman or girl. It comes after the verb (call her, see her, help her) or after a preposition (with her, for her, to her). The same word also means “belonging to her” (her car) — but here we focus on the object meaning.
- After a verb (someone does something to her): “I saw her.”
- After a preposition: “Come with her.”
- Receiving things: “He gave her a book.”
- Being talked about: “They are looking at her.”
Easy way to remember: Her = receiver. After the verb. “She” does, “her” receives.
The Rule in One Line: Use her when one woman is the object — the one receiving the action.
Real-Life Examples With HER (OBJECT)
Here are examples you might say or hear in everyday life:
- Can you help her with the bags? (You help. She receives the help.)
- I gave her a present. (I am the giver. She receives.)
- Tom called her last night. (Tom = subject, her = object) (Tom is the caller. She is the receiver.)
- Are you talking to her? (After the preposition “to.”)
- I saw her at the supermarket yesterday. (I am the seer. She is the seen.)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.
Three Mistakes to Avoid With HER (OBJECT)
The biggest trap is mixing up the two jobs of “her.” When “her” comes before a noun (her bag, her phone), it is a possessive — it shows ownership. When “her” comes after a verb or preposition (call her, with her), it is the object pronoun — the receiver. Same word, two different jobs.
Using she as the receiver
✗ I called she yesterday.
✓ I called her yesterday.
Using hers before a noun
✗ Give hers the keys.
✓ Give her the keys.
Using him for a woman
✗ I gave him the flowers. (when she is a woman)
✓ I gave her the flowers.
How to remember: Her comes after the verb when she is receiving. “Call her,” “see her,” “give her,” “with her” — verb or preposition first, then “her.”
Common “her” sentences (object): call her, see her, help her, with her, for her, give her.
Test Yourself: HER (OBJECT)
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. I saw _______ at the cafe yesterday.
2. Can you help _______ with the bags?
3. He gave _______ a beautiful card.
4. I sat next to _______ on the bus.
5. They are looking at _______.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned her — the object pronoun for any woman or girl. Combined with she, you can talk about any female person, no matter who is doing what.
But what about things that are not people? Your phone, the rain, your dog, the bus? They are not he or she. There is one tiny word — just two letters — that handles every animal, every object, every weather, and every “thing” in the world.
Next lesson: Personal Pronoun IT — Subject and Object for Things and Animals
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
