Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns function just like they do in English. They usually come before the verb. For example, Eu falo means "I speak." However, Portuguese has a cool trick. The verb ending often tells you who the subject is. This means you can sometimes skip the pronoun entirely. It is like a secret code between you and the listener. If you say Sou brasileiro, people know you mean Eu. But for now, let's focus on the pronouns themselves. They are divided by number (singular or plural). They are also divided by person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). Portuguese also cares about gender. We have different words for "they" depending on the group's gender. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means go, but check the gender first!

1. 1To master these, you need to learn the list. It is a short list, so don't worry. Here is how you build your subject foundation:
2. 2First Person Singular: Use eu for "I." It is always lowercase unless it starts a sentence.
3. 3Second Person Singular: Use você for "you." In some regions, people use tu. As a beginner, stick with você to be safe.
4. 4Third Person Singular: Use ele for "he" and ela for "she."
5. 5First Person Plural: Use nós for "we." There is also a casual version: a gente.
6. 6Second Person Plural: Use vocês for "you all."
7. 7Third Person Plural: Use eles for a group of men or a mixed group. Use elas for a group of only women.

Use subject pronouns when you want to be very clear. If you are starting a new topic, use the pronoun. "Who is that? Ele é meu irmão." Use them when you want to emphasize the person. If someone asks "Who ate the cake?", you might point to yourself and say Eu!. In a job interview, you use eu to talk about your skills. When ordering food, you might say Eu quero um café. It helps the waiter focus on you. Also, use them when the verb form is the same for different people. For example, the verb form for você, ele, and ela is often identical. Adding the pronoun prevents confusion. You wouldn't want to tell your boss ela is late when you meant você!

Portuguese is a "pro-drop" language. This means you can often drop the pronoun. If the context is clear, leave it out. Native speakers do this all the time to sound faster. If you are already talking about your friend Pedro, you don't need to keep saying ele. Just use the verb. For example: Pedro é alto. É simpático também. (Pedro is tall. [He] is nice too). Dropping the pronoun makes you sound more like a local. It feels less formal and more fluid. If you use the pronoun in every single sentence, you might sound a bit like a textbook. Even native speakers mess this up when they are tired, so don't stress. Just listen to the rhythm of the language.

One big mistake is using ele or ela only for people. In Portuguese, everything has a gender. A table is ela. A book is ele. If you are talking about a car, you use ele. Another mistake is the tu vs você battle. In Portugal, tu is very common for friends. In Brazil, it depends on the city. If you mix them up, don't worry. People will still understand you. Also, watch out for a gente. It means "we," but it uses the singular verb form. It is like saying "the group is" instead of "we are." It feels weird at first, but you will hear it everywhere. Think of it as a shortcut for your brain.

In English, you must use a subject pronoun. You cannot just say "Am hungry." You have to say "I am hungry." Portuguese is much more flexible. In Spanish, the system is very similar to Portuguese. However, Portuguese você is used much more widely than Spanish usted in many regions. Compared to French, Portuguese allows for more dropped subjects. English speakers often find it hard to stop saying eu at the start of every sentence. It is a habit you will break with practice. Think of the pronoun as a spotlight. In English, the spotlight is always on. In Portuguese, we only turn it on when we need to show something specific.