INTRODUCTION OF SUBJECT PRONOUNS

INFINITIVE PORTION OF THE VERB

A verb is an action word. The main form of the verb is called the infinitive…it

includes the word “to”: To run To eat To swim To sit To sink To study

THE INFINITIVE FORM OF THE VERB

The infinitive is the pure form of a verb…The infinitive is like a lump of clay that can be molded to match the subject of the sentence it is used in:

I speak

You speak

He/she speaks

We speak

You-all* speak

They speak

THESE FORMS ARE CALLED CONJUGATIONS OF THE INFINITIVE “TO SPEAK”

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

The words “I” “you” “he” “she” “we” “you-all” and “they” are called SUBJECT PRONOUNS Yo……………….I Usted…………..you El………………..he Ella……………...she Nosotros………..we Ustedes…………you-all Ellos………………they

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Spanish subject pronouns are both similar to and different from their English counterparts:

Usted…………………..you

Tu……………………….you

In Spanish the word “you” has a formal way of saying it and an informal way:

“Usted” is more formal and is generally used to express respect, but “Tu” is more familiar and is used among friends, coworkers, relatives, or when addressing a child.

Usted………………………you formal

Tu……………………..........you informal (familiar)

GENDER-SPECIFICS FOR SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Let’s look at the word “nosotros”: this means “we” in the sense of a group containing at least one male.

If the group contains only females, the word “nosotras” is used

Nosotros……………………….we (masculine or mixed groups)

Nosotras……………………….we (feminine)

The same happens with “they”:

Ellos…………………………..they (masculine or mixed group)

Ellas…………………………...they (feminine)

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

In Spanish, when we are TALKING TO A GROUP, we use “you-all”:Ustedes…………………………….you-all

In Spanish, when we are TALKING ABOUT A GROUP, we use “they”:

Ellos/Ellas…………………….they

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Subject Pronouns in Spanish:SINGULAR

Yo……………………………I

Tu…………………………….you (familiar)

El……………………………..he

Ella…………………………...she

Usted…………………………you (formal)

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

PLURAL

NOSOTROS………………we (masculine or mixed gender)

NOSOTRAS……………….we (feminine)

ELLOS………………………they (masculine or mixed gender)

ELLAS……………………….they (feminine)

USTEDES…………………….you-all