# HSK 1 Personal Pronouns Guide: 我, 你, 您, 他, 她, 它, 们, 大家 | HSKReady Canonical: https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-1-pronouns-ad3084b07b Language: en Content ID: web-grammar-hsk-1-pronouns-ad3084b07b HSK levels: 1 Updated: 2026-10-23T04:55:24.958Z Scope: published website educational content; full vocabulary, question bank and mock exams remain in the app. Learn the core HSK 1 personal pronouns (人称代词), including singular and plural forms with 们, polite 您, written differences between 他, 她, and 它, and how to use 大家. Grammar [HSK 1 · Word classes › Pronouns › Personal pronouns](https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-1#hsk-1-g009) # HSK 1 Personal Pronouns: 我, 你, 您, 他, 她, 它, 大家 and 们 Plurals Chinese personal pronouns do not change form between subject and object positions. In the HSK 1 outline, you learn singular forms (我, 你, 您, 他, 她, 它), regular plural forms made with 们 (我们, 你们, 他们, 她们, 它们), and the collective pronoun 大家. singular pronoun (我 / 你 / 他 / 她 / 它) 们 Example sentence 我认识你。 Wǒ rènshi nǐ. I know you. Both 我 and 你 keep their standard forms whether used as subject or object. A common mistake × 老师们，您好们！ Lǎoshīmen, nín hǎomen! Hello, teachers! (intended) Incorrect: 们 cannot be added after the whole greeting 您好. To greet a respected group, use 老师们，大家好！ Corrected example: 老师们，大家好！ **Read the full explanation and examples** ## Core Singular Pronouns and Case Stability In the HSK 1 grammar outline, personal pronouns (人称代词) cover the core singular words 我 (I, me), 你 (you), 您 (you, polite), 他 (he, him), 她 (she, her), and 它 (it), along with their plural counterparts and 大家 (everyone). Unlike English pronouns, which change between subject and object positions (such as I versus me, or he versus him), Chinese personal pronouns keep the exact same character and pronunciation regardless of whether they act as the subject or the object of a verb. subject pronoun verb object pronoun 我认识你。 Wǒ rènshi nǐ. I know you. Both 我 and 你 keep their standard forms whether used as subject or object. For the second person, Chinese distinguishes between everyday 你 and respectful 您. You use 你 with friends, classmates, family members of your own generation, and children. You use 您 to show respect to teachers, elders, clients, or strangers in formal situations. 老师，您好！ Lǎoshī, nín hǎo! Hello, Teacher! Use 您 instead of 你 to address a teacher or elder politely. ## Written Distinctions in the Third Person: 他, 她, and 它 In spoken Mandarin, the third-person singular pronouns 他, 她, and 它 sound identical: all three are pronounced tā in the first tone. However, in writing, you must choose the character that matches the referent. This is a visual distinction that only appears in written text. - 他 refers to a male person, and is also used for a person whose gender is unspecified or unknown. - 她 refers specifically to a female person. - 它 refers to an animal, a plant, or an inanimate object. 他是哥哥，她是妹妹，它是小狗。 Tā shì gēge, tā shì mèimei, tā shì xiǎo gǒu. He is the older brother, she is the younger sister, and it is a puppy. All three third-person pronouns are pronounced tā, but their written characters distinguish male human, female human, and animal. ## Forming Plurals with 们 Add 们 to 我, 你, 他, 她, or 它 to form 我们, 你们, 他们, 她们, and 它们. The suffix marks plurality without specifying the number. With pronouns, the group is identified from context; “unspecified number” does not mean an indefinite referent. singular pronoun (我 / 你 / 他 / 她 / 它) 们 我们是学生，她们是老师。 Wǒmen shì xuésheng, tāmen shì lǎoshī. We are students, and they (female) are teachers. Adding 们 to 我 and 她 forms the plural pronouns 我们 and 她们. When choosing between 他们, 她们, and 它们 in writing, pay close attention to who is in the group. Use 她们 only when every member of the group is female. If a group contains both men and women, even one man among many women, standard written Chinese uses 他们. For groups of animals or objects, use 它们. 这些是我的猫，它们很可爱。 Zhèxiē shì wǒ de māo, tāmen hěn kě'ài. These are my cats; they are very cute. Use 它们 in writing when referring to a plural group of animals or inanimate objects. ## Using 大家 for Everyone and Inclusive Groups The pronoun 大家 means everyone or everybody within a shared context, such as a classroom, an office, or an audience. Unlike 你们 or 他们, which point exclusively to the second or third person, 大家 refers collectively to the people present or involved. It never takes the suffix 们 because it is already plural in meaning. 大家好，我们开始上课。 Dàjiā hǎo, wǒmen kāishǐ shàngkè. Hello everyone, let's start class. 大家 addresses the whole group naturally, and 我们 includes the speaker and listeners together. Contrast: Use 你们 when speaking to a group as an outsider looking at them (you all). Use 大家 when addressing a crowd warmly (everyone) or talking about what the whole group does together. ## Polite Group Address and the Position of 们 For beginner group greetings, use 大家 or a respectful title, such as 老师们，大家好. Do not assume that every polite form takes 们. You may encounter 您们 in real usage, with differing judgments about its suitability; it is not the default model taught here. In particular, never attach 们 after the whole greeting 您好. × 老师们，您好们！ Lǎoshīmen, nín hǎomen! Hello, teachers! (intended) Incorrect: 们 cannot be added after the whole greeting 您好. To greet a respected group, use 老师们，大家好！ Corrected example: 老师们，大家好！ 老师们，大家好！ Lǎoshīmen, dàjiā hǎo! Hello, teachers! A clear group greeting: 大家好 addresses everyone, while 老师们 provides the respectful group title. To specify a group’s number, a useful pattern is Pronoun + Number + Classifier, as in 我们三个人. Do not put a number and classifier directly before the pronoun in this basic pattern. 们 itself says that the reference is plural, not how many members it contains. ## Frequently asked questions **Can listeners hear the difference between 他, 她, and 它 in spoken Chinese?** No. In spoken Mandarin, 他, 她, and 它 are all pronounced tā with a high flat first tone. Listeners understand who or what you mean from the surrounding conversation, while readers see the distinction in the characters. **Which pronoun do I write for a group that includes both men and women?** Write 他们. The pronoun 她们 is reserved strictly for groups consisting entirely of females. **Can I add 们 to 大家 to say everyone?** No. 大家 already means everyone as a collective group, so adding 们 is redundant and ungrammatical. **Source**[hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com · PDF page 386](https://hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com/3.0/%E6%96%B0%E7%89%88HSK%E8%80%83%E8%AF%95%E5%A4%A7%E7%BA%B21219.pdf#page=386) ## Continue in the app Full mock exams are available in HSKReady. [![Download on the App Store](https://hskready.app/download-on-app-store-black.svg)Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6791916440?l=en)[![Get it on Google Play](https://hskready.app/get-it-on-google-play.svg)Get it on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.curiolab.hskready&hl=en) [HSKReady App](https://hskready.app/en/app)