First, second and third person
Who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and who or what are they talking about?
Meaning
A language can show who is speaking, who is being addressed, and who or what is being talked about. This keeps track of people's roles in the conversation. Languages use separate words, word endings, or context, and some do not mark these roles on verbs. Participants covers who and what is in the scene; this block shows their relation to the current speaker and listener.
How to spot it
Identify the current speaker and listener, then look for words or forms that distinguish them from the people or things being discussed.
In your native language
English uses personal pronouns, words such as I, you, and she that stand for people or things. I/we refer to the speaker, you to the listener, and words such as he, she, it, and they to whoever or whatever is being discussed. You is used for one person or several, with no separate formal form, and we does not show whether the listener is included.
We can help.
We includes the speaker; context shows whether it also includes the listener.
You look tired.
You can address one person or several people.
She works here.
She refers to someone being discussed, not to the speaker or listener.
In your learning language
Spanish verb endings usually show first, second, or third person and singular or plural. Subject pronouns such as yo, tú, and ella are often omitted unless they clarify or emphasize who is involved. Tú and regional vos are familiar singular forms of address, vosotros/vosotras is familiar plural in most of Spain, and ustedes is the general plural in most of the Americas; usted and ustedes address listeners but take third-person verb forms.
Yo cocino y tú pones la mesa.
I'll cook, and you set the table.
The pronouns make the division of tasks explicit, and the verbs have different person endings.
Ana trabaja por la tarde.
Ana works in the afternoon.
Trabaja is a third-person singular form.
¿Usted necesita una entrada?
Do you need a ticket?
Usted addresses the listener but takes the third-person form necesita.
Learners whose language requires subject pronouns may repeat them unnecessarily. Learners whose language has no familiar and formal forms of address may mix tú and usted or use the wrong verb form with them.