Subject pronouns are what we use to refer to ourselves and other people and the things and ideas that surround us in the world. Subject pronouns can replace the names of people and nouns and tell us who is doing the action. That is, they are the subject of the sentence.

In Spanish, the subject pronoun system is richer than in English, adding in ways to express formality and regional variations, to the mix of pronouns we have available in English for gender and number. Rather than one word for "you," Spanish has several: tú, vos, usted, vosotros, ustedes, each carrying different social meaning depending on where you are and who you're talking to.

That gives us the following pronouns to work with in Spanish:

• yo for "I" — the first-person singular, used when referring to oneself
• tú, vos, and usted for "you" — second-person singular, used to talk directly to someone; the chart shows the different social contexts in which each is used
• él, ella, elle for "he/she/they" — third-person singular, used to refer to someone else
• nosotros, nosotras, nosotres for "we" — first-person plural, used to refer to a group that includes the speaker
• ustedes, vosotros, vosotras, vosotres for "you all" (the plural you) — second-person plural, used to talk to a group of people; again the chart shows the different social contexts in which each is used
• ellos, ellas, elles for "they" — third-person plural, used to refer to a group of people

This activity anchors the pronoun system by combining pronouns with the verb ser, meaning to be and used for identity, origin, and permanent characteristics. As you explore the chart and filters below, pay attention not just to the forms but to when and where each one is used.

Regional notes: The Spanish-speaking world is large and diverse. Pronoun usage varies significantly between Spain and Latin America, and even within Latin America. For example, where tú is often taught as the standard informal second-person singular form for the entire Spanish speaking world, the vos form is used throughout Latin America as a standard form. Information on where vos is used is varied and a times contradictory, emphasizing the importance of understanding the local context when making pronoun choices.

• In most contexts, vos is used instead of tú in Argentina, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
• Vos is used alongside tú in Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela.
• In informal speech, vos is also used in Costa Rica, though using the usted form for both informal and formal situations is also perfectly natural.
• Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru and Cuba are Latin American contexts where tú is currently considered standard, though that's not a hard and fast rule. For example, in southern Mexico, vos is also used.

Ustedes functions as the plural "you" for both formal and informal contexts throughout Latin America, while Spain reserves vosotros/vosotras/vosotres for informal plural address.

Gender-inclusive language: The pronouns elle and elles, along with nosotres and vosotres, are used by many Spanish speakers as gender-neutral alternatives that acknowledge non-binary identities. Their adoption varies widely. They are more common in informal contexts like social media and in educational settings. They are included here to reflect the full range of contemporary Spanish usage.