Prepositional Pronouns

Pronombres tónicos

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Spanish prepositional pronouns are used after prepositions, logically enough, often in order to emphasize the noun they replace, and are thus a sort of subcategory of the disjunctive or stressed pronouns found in other languages.

Characteristics of prepositional pronouns

1. Used after prepositions
2. Must agree with the word they replace in number and gender

Spanish prepositional pronouns

mí	me		nosotros	us
ti	you		vosotros	you
él	him, it		ellos	them
ella	her, it		ellas	them
Ud.	you		Uds.	you
ello	it
sí	oneself

Most of the above probably look familiar, since the third person singular and all of the plurals are identical to Spanish subject pronouns. The new pronouns are mí, ti, and ello. Mí and ti are pretty easy – they are simply the prepositional form of the first and second singular pronoun.

Por ejemplo…

Tengo un regalo para ti.		I have a present for you.
¿Vienes con nosotros?		Are you coming with us?
A mí, no me gusta el pescado.		(Me,) I don’t like fish.
Estoy al lado de ellas.		I’m next to them.
Quiero ir con él.		I want to go with him.

As you can see, it’s pretty simple – you just use the prepositional pronoun to replace a noun after a preposition.

Neuter tonic pronoun

Ello is the neuter tonic pronoun, used when talking about something non-specific or abstract (it). Remember that when talking about something specific, even if it means "it" in English, the pronoun you use in Spanish depends on the noun’s gender – learn more.

Por ejemplo…

No estoy listo para ello.		I’m not ready for this.
Tengo frío, y por ello no puedo ayudarte.		I’m cold, and that’s why I can’t help you.

Lesson on ello

 Notes

1. Con + mí, ti, and sí contract into the new words conmigo, contigo, and consigo:

Voy contigo.		I’m going with you.
¿Vienes conmigo?		Are you coming with me?

2. In certain situations, subject pronouns are used instead of prepositional pronouns:

• After the prepositions como (like), entre (between), excepto (except), incluso (including), menos (except), salvo (except), and según (according to).
    
• When paired with another pronoun:

para tú y yo		for you and me
por ella o yo		by her or me

 Prepositional Pronouns Quiz

Think you’ve got it? Test yourself on Spanish prepositional pronouns:

• En la caseta de la “Feria de Abril” de Sevilla
   

 Related lessons

• Contractions
• Prepositions
• Reflexive prepositional pronouns
• Subject pronouns
   

 En français

• Pronoms disjoints
   

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