What are the seven subject pronouns in English?

The seven subject pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. Each one names the person or thing doing the action in a sentence.

Is "you" singular or plural?

Both. "You" works when you speak to one person and when you speak to a group. The word does not change form.

Use "it" for things, ideas, and animals, and for talking about the weather or time, as in "It is cold today."

Why is "I" always capitalized?

In English, the subject pronoun "I" is always written with a capital letter, no matter where it appears. Writing "i" in lowercase is a common mistake to avoid.

Can I drop the subject in an English sentence?

No. Every English sentence needs a subject. Say "It is raining," not "Is raining," and "I am tired," not "Am tired."

Pronouns

English Subject Pronouns: I, You, He, She, It, We, They

Level A1 Pronouns

Key idea

Subject pronouns tell us who or what is doing the action in a sentence, and English has seven of them: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. Use them at the start of a sentence, right before the verb, as in "I am a student." or "They live here." Remember that "you" works for both one person and many people, and "it" stands in for things and animals, as in "It is cold today." One golden rule: every English sentence needs a subject, and the word "I" is always capitalized.

Examples

I am a student. the speaker is a student
It is cold today. describing the weather
They live here. more than one person lives here

The full lesson

Everything in the video, in text.

I · you · he · she · it · we · they

seven little words every sentence needs

Is raining. Am tired. In English, that's wrong — every single sentence needs a subject.
👤
Every English sentence needs a subject.

Many languages let you drop the subject. English never does — you always need a word naming who acts.
The seven subject pronouns
Singular
I
you
he / she / it
Plural
we
you
they
There are exactly seven, split by number. Singular: I, you, he, she, it. Plural: we, you, they.
I am a student.
'I' is always capitalised

Start with yourself. I — and in English it's always written with a capital letter. I am a student.
You are my friend.
'you' = one person here

You is the person you're speaking to. You are my friend.
You are all welcome.
'you' = many here — same word

And the very same you works for a whole group — one or many. You are all welcome.
She is a doctor.
he = a man · she = a woman

For other people: he for a man, she for a woman. She is a doctor.
It is on the table.
'it' = things & animals

It covers things and animals — anything you wouldn't call he or she. It is on the table.
It is cold today.
'it' fills the empty subject

And here's the clever one. English uses it even when it points to nothing — like the weather. The subject slot still has to be filled. It is cold today.
We live here.
'we' includes you

We is you and at least one other person — yourself included. We live here.
They live here.
'they' = others, not you

And they is a group that doesn't include you. They live here.
✗ Is raining. no subject

✓ It is raining. subject required

English always needs a stated subject.

Here's the big trap. Other languages just say Is raining. English has to say It is raining — always give the verb a subject.
✗ i am tired. lowercase i

✓ I am tired. always capital I

The pronoun 'I' is always capitalised.

And in writing, the word I is always a capital letter — never lowercase, even in the middle of a sentence.
Remember
- I, you, he, she, it, we, they
- 'you' = one or many · 'it' = things & weather
- Every sentence needs a subject
So: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. You is one or many, it even covers the weather, and every sentence needs a subject.

Examples

I · you · he · she · it · we · they

Related lessons