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pron A1 Beginner Very common

they

THAY
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They (pron) means used to refer to a group of people or things already mentioned. Example: “The students finished their exams; they left the hall quietly.”

pron
1
Used to refer to a group of people or things already mentioned.
"The students finished their exams; they left the hall quietly."
"The neighbours are lovely, and they always say hello to us."
"I bought some apples, but they were not very sweet."
2
Used to refer to a single person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or non-binary.
"Someone left their phone here — they must be nearby."
"My colleague uses they/them pronouns."
"The new manager is friendly, and they explained everything clearly to me."
3
People in general, or unspecified people (excluding the speaker).
"They always say you should never go shopping when you are hungry."
"They are building a new supermarket on the edge of town, apparently."
"They say it's going to rain later."

How to use they

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe word for a group of people/things, and also the standard gender-neutral pronoun for one person.

Memory tip

The singular "they" has been used in English since at least the 1300s — it isn't a modern invention, even though its use for non-binary people is more recent.

Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
they say they/them pronouns
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Word forms

Singular
themself
Third person singular
theys
Past tense
theyed
Noun form
theirs
Test yourself on “they” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The students finished their exams; _____ left the hall quietly.

Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old Norse their, the plural of a demonstrative meaning "those"; it replaced native forms that had become confused with "he".

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for they

key hey bey dey ley grey joey whey obey prey abbey money
See all rhymes for they →

Frequently asked questions

What does “they” mean?
The word “they” means used to refer to a group of people or things already mentioned. In plain terms, the word for a group of people/things, and also the standard gender-neutral pronoun for one person.
How do you pronounce “they”?
“They” is pronounced THAY (/ˈðeɪ̯/ in IPA).
How do you use “they” in a sentence?
Here is “they” used in a sentence: “The students finished their exams; they left the hall quietly.”
What part of speech is “they”?
“They” is a pronoun.
Where does the word “they” come from?
The word “they” comes from Middle English. Borrowed into Middle English from Old Norse their, the plural of a demonstrative meaning "those"; it replaced native forms that had become confused with "he".
Is “they” a common word?
“They” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “they” have?
“They” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: used to refer to a group of people or things already mentioned.
Can "they" refer to just one person?
Yes. Singular "they" is used for a person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or non-binary, as in "Someone left their umbrella; they can collect it later." Major dictionaries and style guides accept this use.
Do you say "they is" or "they are" for one person?
Even when "they" refers to a single person, it takes plural verb forms: "they are," "they were," "they have." This mirrors "you," which also takes plural verbs whether it refers to one person or many.
What is the difference between "they", "them", and "their"?
"They" is the subject form ("they arrived"), "them" is the object form ("I called them"), and "their" is the possessive ("their house"). All three can refer to a group or, in modern usage, to a single person of unspecified gender.
What is the difference between "they're", "their", and "there"?
"They're" is a contraction of "they are," "their" shows possession, and "there" refers to a place or introduces a clause such as "there is." A quick check: if you can expand the word to "they are," the correct spelling is "they're".

Example sentences

Real-world examples showing they in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

Scientists say the world is in uncharted waters, and they aren't sure what will happen next.
From USA Today · Jul 25, 2026

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