A subject pronoun is a little word that takes the place of someone's name — I, you, he, she, we, they. Ser means to be, and it's how you say what someone or something is and where they're from. Below: the pronouns, the six forms of ser, the rules that trip people up, and practice you can quiz yourself on.
the "gotchas" worth memorizing early
Spanish has four words for you. The big choice is casual vs. polite.
Heads up: in Latin America you can skip vosotros — just use ustedes for any group.
When English says "it is," Spanish just uses es by itself — no pronoun needed.
¿Qué es? — What is it?
Es una computadora. — It's a computer.
Also groups of all-male or mixed use -os (nosotros, ellos). All-female groups use -as (nosotras, ellas).
English says "a student." Spanish does not add un/una before a job.
✓ Valentina es estudiante.
✗ Valentina es una estudiante.
del = de + el. And Spanish has no 's — "Sara's backpack" becomes la mochila de Sara.
pronoun · how to say it · what it means
memorize these — every verb tense builds on this pattern
when you see one of these situations, reach for ser
Say who or what someone or something is.
Say someone's job — with no un/una.
Say where someone is from, using de.
Say whose something is, using de / del.
The pronouns, question words, and nouns from this lesson. Cover the right side and quiz yourself.
Tap any card to check your answer.
Say the right form for each pronoun, then tap to check.
Give the matching pronoun and form of ser for each subject, then tap to check both.
Casual or polite? Decide who you're talking to, then tap.
Identity, occupation, origin, or possession? Tap to check.
Translate the sentence in your head, then tap to check.