pronoun

they/them

THAY-them

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They/them (pronoun) means a set of pronouns used to refer to a single person, especially one who is non-binary or whose gender is not known or not being specified. Often stated as a person's pronouns in introductions, email signatures and social media profiles. Example: “Alex uses they/them, so please say "they brought their laptop".”

pronoun

A set of pronouns used to refer to a single person, especially one who is non-binary or whose gender is not known or not being specified. Often stated as a person's pronouns in introductions, email signatures and social media profiles.

"Alex uses they/them, so please say "they brought their laptop"."

"My pronouns are they/them."

The ordinary third-person plural pronouns of English, "they" as the subject and "them" as the object.

"The students said they would email us, so I wrote back to them."

How to use they/them

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe words you use to talk about someone without calling them "he" or "she".

When to use it

Neutral and now standard in workplace, academic and media writing. Deliberately using the wrong pronouns for someone is widely read as an insult rather than a grammatical choice.

Memory tip

When "they" refers to one person, the verb still takes the plural form: "they are", never "they is".

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

he/him she/her xe/xem non-binary

Common pairings

they/them pronouns use they/them pronouns in bio singular they

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “they/them” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Alex uses _____, so please say "they brought their laptop".

Etymology

Comes from a common format used to specify gender-neutral pronouns in online profiles.

Synonyms

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singular they

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean when someone says their pronouns are they/them?

It means they want to be referred to with "they", "them", "their" and "theirs" rather than he/him or she/her. It is most often used by non-binary people, but some people use it simply because they prefer not to be gendered. Grammatically it works like a plural pronoun but refers to one person: "they are running late".

Is singular "they" grammatically correct?

Yes. Singular "they" has been used in English since the 1300s for a person of unknown or unspecified gender, as in "someone left their umbrella". Major style guides, including the AP Stylebook and Chicago, now also accept it for a named individual who uses it.

What is the difference between they/them and he/him or she/her?

They/them does not specify gender; he/him and she/her do. All three are simply the pronoun set a speaker uses when talking about the person, and the person themself decides which applies.

What is the meaning of they/them?

"they/them" (pronoun) means a set of pronouns used to refer to a single person, especially one who is non-binary or whose gender is not known or not being specified. Often stated as a person's pronouns in introductions, email signatures and social media profiles.