they
gb/ðˈeɪ/ us/ðˈeɪ/
A1
Anglais
~ 100
Sens
0 sens
pronoun
A1
relation
1
third person plural pronoun
A word you use instead of names when talking about two or more people, animals, or things.
Schéma d’usage :
[They] + [verb]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'they' with 'he' or 'she' when referring to singular people.
Synonymes
those people (More explicit phrase referring to specific people)
Antonymes
we (Refers to the speaker and others, not other people)
Collocations
they are
|they have
|they say
|they were
Thèmes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- They are going to the park.
- I saw John and Mary yesterday; they looked happy.
- The teachers said they will finish grading by Friday.
- They live in the house across the street.
- I asked my friends if they wanted to join us.
Exemples pédagogiques
- They are my friends.
- They like pizza.
- They play football.
- They have a dog.
- They go to school.
pronoun
B1
relation
2
singular gender-neutral pronoun
A word you use instead of 'he' or 'she' when you don't know if the person is male or female, or they don't use those words.
Schéma d’usage :
[They] + [verb]
Erreur fréquente :
Some learners think 'they' can only be used for plural subjects and avoid using it for one person.
Synonymes
he or she (More formal and explicitly binary alternative)
Collocations
they said
|they told me
|if they want
Thèmes
daily life
|communication
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- If anyone calls, tell them they can leave a message.
- Alex said they would arrive at 7 p.m.
- Every student should bring their own lunch; they can eat in the cafeteria.
- Sam is my coworker. They started last week.
- Ask the next customer if they need help.
Exemples pédagogiques
- If someone comes, tell them they can wait.
- This is my friend. They are from Canada.
- Ask the teacher if they can help you.
- Tell the driver where they should stop.
- If a person is sick, they should stay home.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
they
API
GB/ðˈeɪ/
US/ðˈeɪ/
Syllabes et accentuation
they (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (they)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: they
- Plural: theys
Famille de mots
Forms
theys
noun
Core family
Advanced or less common
themself
pronoun B2
Expressions
they say
1/ðˈeɪ sˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
introduces common belief/report
People say this when talking about something many people believe or say.
Exemples
- They say laughter is the best medicine.
- They say this restaurant has the best pizza in town.
they/them pronouns
1/θˈaɪθəm pɹˈoʊnaʊnz/
fixed phrase
pronouns for gender-neutral reference
Words like 'they' and 'them' used for one person who is nonbinary or when gender is not known.
Exemples
- Jordan uses they/them pronouns at work.
- Please respect people’s chosen they/them pronouns.