Definition and meaning of English word "they"
they
/ðeɪ/
Meaning
PronounA group of entities previously mentioned.
How to use
The pronoun 'they' is commonly used to refer to a group of entities previously mentioned in a sentence. For example, 'My friends and I went to the movies, and they really enjoyed the film.' Note that 'they' can be used as a singular or plural pronoun, but it's essential to use the correct form to avoid ambiguity. A common mistake is using 'they' as a singular pronoun when referring to a single entity, such as 'The teacher gave them homework.' In this case, 'them' is the correct object pronoun to use.
🇬🇧 English
they
Example
They are here.
I see them.
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- they say— It is said that
- they think— It is believed that
- they believe— It is believed that
- they know— It is known that
- they don't know— It is not known that
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This concept in other languages
Frequency rank: #136 in English
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the English word "they" mean?▼
The English word "they" means "they" in English.
How do you pronounce the English word "they"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "they" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "they"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "They are here." (which translates as "they").
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