Personal Pronouns: First, Second, and Third Person
Quick Answer
English has twelve personal pronouns. Seven are subject pronouns (the doer): I, you, he, she, it, we, they. Five are object pronouns (the receiver): me, him, her, us, them. (“You” and “it” are the same for both jobs — that is why there are only 5 different object pronouns, not 7.)
Click any one below to learn it on its own page.
What Is a Personal Pronoun?
A personal pronoun is a small word you use instead of a name. Without pronouns, you would have to repeat the name every time:
- Without pronouns: “Maria is happy. Maria is from Spain. Maria works in a school.”
- With pronouns: “Maria is happy. She is from Spain. She works in a school.”
The choice depends on two questions: Who is doing it? (subject) or Who is receiving it? (object).
Subject Pronouns: The Doers
A subject pronoun goes before the verb. It is the one doing the action.
| Pronoun | Person | Example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | the speaker | I work in a school. | Learn I |
| you | the listener | You are kind. | Learn YOU |
| he | one man / boy | He works in a hospital. | Learn HE |
| she | one woman / girl | She is my sister. | Learn SHE |
| it | thing / animal / weather / time | It is raining. | Learn IT |
| we | speaker + others | We are friends. | Learn WE |
| they | two or more others | They live next door. | Learn THEY |
Object Pronouns: The Receivers
An object pronoun goes after the verb (or after a preposition). It is the one receiving the action.
| Pronoun | Replaces subject | Example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| me | I | She called me. | Learn ME |
| you | you (same form) | I called you. | Learn YOU |
| him | he | I saw him. | Learn HIM |
| her | she | I saw her. | Learn HER |
| it | it (same form) | I love it. | Learn IT |
| us | we | She invited us. | Learn US |
| them | they | I saw them. | Learn THEM |
The Rule in One Line: Subject pronouns go before the verb (the doer). Object pronouns go after the verb (the receiver).
How to Learn These
Learn them as pairs: I/me, you/you, he/him, she/her, it/it, we/us, they/them. One a day. Each lesson is short and ends with a quiz so the word sticks.
Test Yourself: Personal Pronouns
Three quick questions to see what you remember. Click Check after each one.
1. _______ live in London.
2. She gave _______ a present.
3. I saw _______ at the cafe.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You now have a map of every personal pronoun in English: seven subjects and five different objects.
The first lesson is the simplest one — I, the subject pronoun for yourself.
Next lesson: Personal Pronoun I — How to Talk About Yourself
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.