Spanish Pronouns: The Complete Guide to All Types of Spanish Pronouns and How to Use Them

Look, Spanish pronouns are one of those things that can make you feel like you're drowning in grammar rules. You've got subject pronouns, object pronouns, reflexive pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, relative pronouns, and a bunch of regional variations that make you wonder if everyone's just making it up as they go.

Here's the thing: most guides dump every pronoun rule on you at once and expect you to memorize charts. That doesn't work. What actually works is understanding why pronouns work the way they do in Spanish, and then seeing them in action enough times that they become automatic.

Pronouns are words that replace nouns—that's the basic idea. Instead of saying "María went to the store and María bought groceries," you use pronouns to replace nouns and say "María went to the store and she bought groceries." Spanish pronouns are used the same way, but with more complexity because they change based on gender, number, and function in the sentence.

So let's break down the different types of Spanish pronouns in a way that actually makes sense.

Why Pronouns in Spanish Feel So Different

If you're coming from English, Spanish pronouns throw you off because they do things English pronouns don't.

Spanish uses pronouns without a subject pronoun all the time. In English, you'd never say "Am tired" instead of "I am tired." But in Spanish, "Estoy cansado" is perfectly normal—no "yo" required. The verb ending already tells you who's doing the action, so the subject pronoun can be omitted.

Object pronouns come before the verb. English says "I see her." Spanish says "La veo"—literally "Her I see." Spanish uses a different word order that takes some getting used to.

There's a whole formality system. You're not just choosing between "you" and "you"—you're navigating tú vs. usted vs. vos vs. vosotros, and the rules change depending on which country you're in.

Let's tackle each type of pronouns in Spanish.

Spanish Subject Pronouns (And When to Actually Use Them)

Subject pronouns in Spanish indicate who is performing the action of the verb. The subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence—the person or thing doing something.

Here's the full list of Spanish subject pronouns:

The twist with subject pronouns in Spanish? You usually don't need them. Spanish verb conjugations already tell you who is performing the action, so adding the pronoun is often redundant. The subject performs the action, and the verb ending indicates who that subject is.

Use subject pronouns when:

Don't use them when:

Unlike English pronouns, which are basically required, Spanish subject pronouns are optional in most cases. This is actually one of the easier parts of Spanish once you stop overthinking it.

The Tú vs. Usted Thing

This trips up English speakers because modern English doesn't really have a formal "you" anymore. Spanish personal pronouns include this formality distinction.

Tú is informal. Use it with:

Usted is formal. Use it with:

But here's where it gets messy: these rules aren't universal among native Spanish speakers.

In Spain, people lean heavily toward tú in most situations now. In parts of Colombia, usted is actually used between romantic partners as a sign of intimacy. In some Central American countries, the whole system works differently because of voseo (more on that in a minute).

The safest approach? Start with usted when you're unsure, and follow the other person's lead. If they switch to tú, you switch too.

Spanish Object Pronouns: Where Things Get Tricky

This is where most learners get stuck. English uses the same pronoun forms for direct and indirect objects, but Spanish uses different pronouns for each function.

Spanish Direct Object Pronouns

Direct object pronouns in Spanish replace the noun that directly receives the action of the verb. The direct object is the thing or person affected by the action.

Examples of Spanish direct object pronouns:

The direct object pronoun replaces the noun that's directly receiving the verb's action. Once you identify what the direct object in a sentence is, you can swap it out with the corresponding direct object pronoun.

Spanish Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect object pronouns in Spanish replace the person receiving something or for whom something is done. The Spanish indirect object answers "to whom?" or "for whom?"

Notice: le and les don't distinguish gender and number the same way direct object pronouns do—they only change for plural. If you need to clarify gender, you add "a él," "a ella," etc.

Examples of indirect object pronouns in Spanish:

The indirect object pronoun replaces the noun that indirectly receives the action. When you're using verbs like dar (give), decir (tell), or enviar (send), you'll often need an indirect pronoun.

When Both Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Appear Together

Things get weird when you have both a direct AND indirect object pronoun in the same sentence. The rule: the indirect pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun.

But there's a catch. When le or les appears before lo/la/los/las, it changes to se. Why? Because "le lo" sounds terrible.

This feels awkward at first, but you'll hear it constantly in real Spanish, and it'll start clicking. Object or indirect object pronouns follow consistent patterns once you get enough exposure.

Pronoun Placement: Where Do Spanish Pronouns Come?

Pronoun placement in Spanish is different from English and takes practice. Here's where pronouns come in different situations:

Before conjugated verbs (pronouns come before the verb):

Attached to the end of infinitives (either position works):

Attached to the end of gerunds (either position works):

Attached to the end of affirmative commands:

Before negative commands:

The pattern is consistent once you see it enough times. Watching Spanish shows with subtitles helps here—you start noticing where pronouns are used and where Spanish speakers place these pronouns naturally. If you're looking for recommendations, we've got a guide to the best Spanish shows that's worth checking out.

Spanish Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns indicate that the subject performs the action on itself. Reflexive verbs are way more common in the Spanish language than English. Every reflexive verb requires a corresponding reflexive pronoun.

Spanish reflexive pronouns match their corresponding subject pronouns—me goes with yo, te goes with tú, and so on.

Daily routine = reflexive city:

Important quirk with Spanish nouns: Spanish uses definite articles (el, la, los, las) with body parts when a reflexive pronoun makes ownership clear. NOT possessive adjectives like English.

This feels unnatural at first, but it's actually more efficient once you get it.

Reciprocal meaning ("each other"):

Spanish reflexive pronouns are also used with pronominal verbs—verbs that require the reflexive form to maintain their meaning, like quejarse (to complain) or arrepentirse (to regret).

Spanish Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Spanish show ownership. Spanish possessive pronouns come in two forms: short forms (adjectives that go before the noun) and long forms (pronouns that replace the noun entirely).

Short Forms (Possessive Adjectives)

Long Forms (Spanish Possessive Pronouns)

Example Contrast:

Possessive pronouns are used to replace nouns when ownership has already been established. They must agree in gender and number with the thing being possessed, not the possessor.

Spanish Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish point to specific things based on distance from the speaker. Spanish demonstrative pronouns are similar to demonstrative adjectives, but pronouns replace the noun entirely.

Neuter forms (esto, eso, aquello): These are used when you don't know what something is or when referring to abstract ideas:

Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish follow the same gender and number rules as other Spanish pronouns—they match what they're referring to.

Spanish Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns in Spanish connect clauses and allow you to avoid repetition by referring back to something already mentioned. Spanish relative pronouns are used to link ideas together.

Key Rule: Unlike English, you can NEVER omit relative pronouns in Spanish. In English, you might say "The book I read" (no "that"). In Spanish, "El libro leí" is wrong. You need the que.

Main Spanish Relative Pronouns

Que = that, which, who, whom (the most versatile relative pronoun)

This relative pronoun is used for people and things alike. It doesn't change for gender and number.

Quien/Quienes = who/whom (only for people)

El que / La que / Los que / Las que = the one who/that

Lo que / Lo cual = what/which (neuter)

Donde = where (relative adverb often grouped with relative pronouns)

For most everyday speaking, que covers 80% of what you need. Relative pronouns are generally straightforward once you master que.

Spanish Prepositional Pronouns

Spanish prepositional pronouns (also called prepositional object pronouns) are used after a preposition like para, con, de, or sin.

Special forms with "con":

Examples of Spanish prepositional pronouns:

Note: mí has an accent to distinguish it from mi (my). Spanish uses these different forms specifically after prepositions.

Spanish Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns in Spanish refer to non-specific people or things. Spanish indefinite pronouns include:

Examples:

Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified nouns—you're talking about "someone" or "something" without naming exactly who or what.

Regional Variations You Should Know About

Voseo

In Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, people don't use tú at all. They use vos. This is standard usage among Spanish speakers in those regions—not slang.

If you plan to spend time in Argentina or watch Argentine content, you'll encounter this constantly. The Spanish subjunctive works the same way whether you're using tú or vos forms.

Vosotros vs. Ustedes

Spain uses vosotros for informal plural "you all" and reserves ustedes for formal situations.

Latin America? They just use ustedes for everything.

If you're learning Latin American Spanish, you can basically ignore vosotros conjugations for active use.

Leísmo

In central Spain, you'll hear people use le where "standard" Spanish would use lo for masculine people.

Standard: ¿Has visto a Juan? → Sí, lo vi. Leísmo: ¿Has visto a Juan? → Sí, le vi.

Both mean "Yes, I saw him." This is accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy for masculine people.

Overview of Spanish Pronouns: Quick Reference

Here's an overview of Spanish pronouns and the nine types of Spanish pronouns we've covered:

Spanish pronouns are incredibly versatile once you understand how each type of pronoun functions.

How to Actually Practice Spanish Pronouns

Look, you can memorize these charts all day and still freeze up when you try to speak. That's because pronouns are one of those things that require massive input before they feel natural.

Here's what works to learn Spanish pronouns effectively:

1. Notice pronouns in context. When you're watching Spanish content, pay attention to where pronouns land in sentences. Start catching the patterns without consciously thinking about rules.

2. Practice with real sentences, not drills. Instead of recitation, try using pronouns to describe your actual day: "Me desperté temprano. Me duché. Me vestí." This is how pronouns are used in real life.

3. Accept that you'll make mistakes. Native Spanish speakers will understand you even if your pronoun placement is off. Clarity matters more than perfection.

4. Get enough exposure that it becomes automatic. This is the real key. You need to hear and read these pronouns in actual use thousands of times before they click.

If you're serious about building that intuition, immersion learning helps more than anything else. Watching shows, reading articles, engaging with content where different types of pronouns appear naturally—that's how your brain starts absorbing the patterns.

If you're still working on Spanish fundamentals, check out our guide to getting started in Spanish for a roadmap.

Migaku is built for exactly this kind of learning. The browser extension lets you look up any word instantly while you're watching Netflix or browsing Spanish content, and you can add sentences with pronouns directly to your flashcard deck. So instead of studying pronoun charts, you're learning them from actual sentences you've encountered—which makes them stick way better.

Spanish pronouns are incredibly important for fluency, and there's no shortcut around getting massive exposure. But Migaku makes that exposure more efficient by letting you capture and review real examples. The mobile app syncs everything, so you can practice Spanish pronouns anywhere with sentences you actually care about.

There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

Learn Spanish With Migaku