Use "I" when the pronoun is the subject of a verb (the person doing the action) and "me" when it is the object (the person on the receiving end, or the word after a preposition). Inside a pair like "you and I" or "you and me," the fastest way to choose is to drop the other person and see which word still sounds right: "You and I are late" (→ "I am late") but "She thanked you and me" (→ "She thanked me"). And "between you and me" is always correct — "between you and I" is one of the most common mistakes in English.
English changes the shape of a pronoun depending on the job it does in a sentence. "I" and "me" refer to the same person, but they are not interchangeable.
"I" is only ever a subject; "me" is only ever an object. On their own, almost nobody gets this wrong — you would never say "Me am tired" or "She saw I." The confusion appears only when a second person joins the pronoun, as in "you and I" or "my brother and me." Suddenly the ear stops trusting itself.
This is the single most reliable trick, and it never fails. When two people share a role — "you and I," "Sarah and me," "my colleagues and I" — mentally remove the other person along with the word "and." Whatever pronoun still sounds natural on its own is the correct one.
Because "I" and "me" keep the same form whether they stand alone or sit in a pair, the test is always trustworthy.
As the subject, use "I":
As the object, use "me":
After a preposition (between, for, with, to, from…), always use "me":
Here is a second quick test that doubles as a sanity check. Replace the whole phrase with "we" or "us." If "we" fits, the phrase is a subject, so use "I"; if "us" fits, it is an object, so use "me."
"Between" is a preposition, so it must take object pronouns: "between you and me." "Between you and I" is a hypercorrection — because people are scolded as children for saying "me and Jim went," they learn to fear "me" and over-apply "and I," even where it is incorrect. The same error hides in "for you and I," "with him and I," and "to my boss and I." Every one of them should be "me."
Traditional grammar says the verb "to be" should be followed by a subject pronoun, giving "It is I" and "This is she." In real, modern English almost nobody talks that way, and "It's me," "It's her," and "This is him" are completely standard and correct. "It is I" is not wrong, but it sounds stiff and old-fashioned. Say "It's me" without a shred of guilt.
This one is genuinely debated, so ignore anyone who tells you only one form is allowed. If "than" is treated as a conjunction, the full thought is "He's taller than I (am)," which makes "than I" the formal, traditional choice. If "than" is treated as a preposition, "than me" is natural and widely accepted, especially in speech. Both are defensible. Occasionally the case even changes the meaning: "She likes the dog more than I" means more than I like it, while "She likes the dog more than me" means more than she likes me. The same logic applies to "as … as."
When people are unsure, they often reach for "myself" — "Please email John or myself." That is incorrect. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun; use it only when "I" is already the subject ("I taught myself") or for emphasis ("I built it myself"). Otherwise, pick "me" or "I": "Please email John or me." ✓
By convention, you name the other person first: "my wife and me," "you and I" — not "me and my wife." This is politeness rather than a grammatical rule, but teachers, examiners and editors notice it, so it is worth the habit.
This is one topic where British and American English fully agree. The subject/object rule, the "between you and me" correction, the everyday acceptance of "It's me," and the "than I / than me" split are identical on both sides of the Atlantic. The real variation is not regional but a matter of register: "Me and my mates went out" is common in casual speech everywhere and nonstandard in writing everywhere. When in doubt, write "My friends and I."
Cover the other person and the word "and," then trust your ear. "Sarah and ___ won the prize" — would you say "I won" or "me won"? "I." So: "Sarah and I won the prize." "They chose Sarah and ___" — "They chose me." So: "They chose Sarah and me." If you can also swap in "we" (use I) or "us" (use me), you have checked your answer twice.
Both are correct, depending on the job the phrase does. Use "you and I" as the subject, the ones acting: "You and I should talk." Use "you and me" as the object, including after a preposition: "She called you and me," "between you and me." To decide, drop "you and" and say whichever sounds right alone, "I" or "me."
No. "Between" is a preposition, and prepositions are always followed by object pronouns, so the correct form is "between you and me." "Between you and I" is a well-known hypercorrection: people over-apply the polite-sounding "you and I," but here it is a genuine error. The same goes for "for you and I" and "with you and I."
Both, depending on position. As the subject, use "I": "My wife and I love Italy." As the object or after a preposition, use "me": "Send the invoice to my wife and me," "a photo of my wife and me." A very common mistake is "Thanks for inviting my wife and I" — it should be "me." Drop "my wife and" to check.
Say "It's me." Strict traditional grammar prefers a subject pronoun after "to be" ("It is I"), but that now sounds archaic and stilted. In modern standard English, both British and American, "It's me," "It's her," and "This is him" are completely correct and normal. Reserve "It is I" for deliberately formal or old-fashioned effect.
In careful writing, yes. "Me" is an object pronoun, so it cannot be the subject of a verb; it should be "My friend and I went." You can hear the error by dropping the friend: "Me went" is clearly wrong, "I went" is right. In casual speech "me and my friend" is very common, but avoid it in formal or written contexts.
