мы/они

Plural Subject Pronouns

Level 1Sounds Like my/oni

Мы (we) and они (they) are plural subject pronouns. Мы includes the speaker, while они refers to a group of people or objects.

How It Works

Russian plural pronouns are straightforward but have unique idiomatic uses:

  • Мы (We): Used when the speaker is part of the group. A very common Russian construction is мы с + [name/person in Instrumental case]. While English says 'My friend and I,' Russian prefers 'We with friend' (Мы с другом) to mean the two of us.
  • Они (They): This is the universal plural for the third person. Whether you are talking about three men, three women, or three books, you use они.

Grammar Rules:
1. Verb Agreement: Both pronouns require plural verb endings. In the present tense, this is usually -ют/-ут/-ят/-ат for 'они' and -ем/-им for 'мы'. In the past tense, both use the -ли suffix.
2. The 'н-' Rule: When 'они' is used after a preposition in other cases (like 'with them' or 'at their house'), it adds an 'н' to the start (e.g., с ними, у них). 'Мы' does not do this (с нами).
3. Animacy: Unlike some languages that have different words for 'they' (people) vs 'they' (things), Russian uses они for everything.

Examples (5)

  1. Мы работаем здесь.

    We work here.

    Word by Word: We work here.

    A simple sentence using 'мы' with the first-person plural verb ending.

  2. Где ключи? — Они на столе.

    Where are the keys? — They are on the table.

    Word by Word: Where keys? — They on table.

    This shows 'они' referring to inanimate objects (keys).

  3. Мы с братом идём в кино.

    My brother and I are going to the cinema.

    Word by Word: We with brother go to cinema.

    This demonstrates the idiomatic 'мы с' construction, meaning 'X and I'.

  4. Они живут в Москве.

    They live in Moscow.

    Word by Word: They live in Moscow.

    A standard use of 'они' referring to a group of people.

  5. Мы уже всё знаем.

    We already know everything.

    Word by Word: We already all know.

    Using 'мы' as the subject of a knowledge-based verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Translating 'My friend and I' literally as 'Я и мой друг'.

    Я и мой друг идём в парк.
    Мы с другом идём в парк.

    While 'Я и...' is grammatically possible, 'Мы с...' is the natural, idiomatic way Russians express 'X and I'.

  • Using 'Это' instead of 'Они' to refer back to plural objects.

    Где книги? Это там.
    Где книги? Они там.

    Use 'Это' for 'This is/That is' when identifying something for the first time. Use 'Они' when referring back to specific plural items already mentioned.

  • Forgetting the 'н-' after prepositions for 'они'.

    Я иду с ими.
    Я иду с ними.

    When 'они' changes case after a preposition, it must start with 'н'. 'С ими' is a common learner error.

How It Connects

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мы/ониLevel 1Plural Subject Pronouns

Learn This First

To understand the plural pronouns 'мы' (we) and 'они' (they), a learner needs to be familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet and the concept of the nominative case, which is used for the subject of a sentence.

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Words in This Pattern

они