Spanish Pronouns

Pronouns are forms that replace (or hold the place of) nouns. They allow the speaker/writer to maintain reference without repeating the noun. Pronouns can be definite (refer to a specific noun) or indefinite (no specific referent). We will take a more detailed look at each of the following pronoun types:

Function-Related Pronouns: These pronouns change form according to the function of the noun they replace. Function-related pronouns always "definite" (refer to definite things). English pronouns only distinguish subjects (he/him) from objects (in general). Spanish pronouns distinguish subjects and several kinds of object [él = 'he' (subject), lo = 'him' (direct object), le = 'to/for him (indirect object) etc.].

Reflexive Pronouns Reflexive pronouns are a special set of function-related pronouns. The basc function of the refelxive pronoun is to the subject is acting on itself as an object [Sara se cortó. = 'Sarah cut herself.']. However, the third person reflexive pronoun se is a form that disguises a number of different phenomena.

General Pronouns: These pronouns have the same form regardless of their function in a sentence. They are "indefinite" in reference, and may be "negative" or "interrogative" as well. A few examples are: algo = 'something', nada = 'nothing', alguien = someone, nadie = 'nobody', ¿quién? = who?.

Derived Pronouns: These are pronouns formed from other parts of speech. .For example, Spanish demonstrative and possessive pronouns are derived from demonstrative and possessive adjective phrases [Quiero este libro. = 'I want this book'  Quiero éste. = 'I want this one.' // El carro mío es nuevo. 'My car is new.'  El mío es nuevo. = 'Mine is new.'].

You can see that English pronominalizes phrases by replacing the noun with the pronoun 'one'; Spanish does so by deleting the noun. Another example [la casa grande = 'the big house'  la grande = 'the big one'].

The Indefinite "lo": This is an indefinite pronoun that has a number of functions. ]. It refers to concepts or situations that cannot be named with a specific noun. It makes indefinite pronoun expressions out of adjectives [lo importante = 'the important thing']. Lo can replace anything that follows ser or estar [¿Estás enfermo? = 'Are you sick?'  Sí, lo estoy. = "Yes, I am (it?).'