How to Use “Eu”, “Tu”, “Ele” Correctly

Introduction

Understanding how to use subject pronouns correctly is fundamental to mastering Portuguese. The pronouns eu (I), tu (you informal), and ele (he) form the foundation of Portuguese sentence structure and communication. This comprehensive guide will explore these essential pronouns, their proper usage, regional variations, and practical applications to help you communicate naturally and confidently in Portuguese.

What Are Subject Pronouns in Portuguese?

Subject pronouns in Portuguese indicate who is performing the action in a sentence. They replace nouns to avoid repetition and make speech flow more naturally. The three pronouns we’ll focus on—eu, tu, and ele—represent first, second, and third person singular respectively.

Unlike English, Portuguese is a pro-drop language, meaning subject pronouns can often be omitted because verb conjugations already indicate who is performing the action. However, understanding when to use or omit these pronouns is crucial for sounding natural and being understood correctly.

Eu: The First Person Singular

Basic Usage of Eu

The pronoun eu means I in English and refers to the speaker. It’s the most straightforward of the three pronouns because it always refers to yourself when you’re speaking or writing.

Examples:
Eu estudo português todos os dias. (I study Portuguese every day.)
Eu moro no Brasil. (I live in Brazil.)
Eu gosto de café. (I like coffee.)

When to Include Eu

While Portuguese allows you to drop subject pronouns, there are specific situations where including eu is necessary or preferred:

For emphasis or contrast: When you want to stress that YOU specifically are doing something, include eu.
Eu trabalho aqui, mas ele trabalha em casa. (I work here, but he works at home.)

To avoid ambiguity: In complex sentences where the subject might be unclear.
Quando eu chego, ele sai. (When I arrive, he leaves.)

After certain prepositions: Some grammatical constructions require the pronoun.
Segundo eu, isso está errado. (According to me, this is wrong.)

When to Omit Eu

In casual conversation and when the verb conjugation makes the subject clear, native speakers often omit eu:

Falo português. (I speak Portuguese.)
Vou ao mercado. (I’m going to the market.)
Quero um café. (I want a coffee.)

The verb endings -o and -ou in these examples clearly indicate first person singular, making eu unnecessary.

Tu: The Informal Second Person Singular

Understanding Tu

The pronoun tu means you in the informal singular form. However, its usage varies dramatically across Portuguese-speaking regions, making it one of the most culturally interesting pronouns to study.

Regional Variations of Tu

In Portugal, tu is the standard informal way to address one person you know well—friends, family, children, or peers. The formal alternative is você or o senhor/a senhora.

Examples from Portugal:
Tu vais ao cinema hoje? (Are you going to the cinema today?)
Tu és muito simpático. (You are very kind.)
O que tu queres fazer? (What do you want to do?)

In Brazil, the situation is more complex. Most Brazilian regions use você instead of tu for both formal and informal contexts. However, some areas—particularly in the South (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina) and North (parts of Pará and Amazonas)—actively use tu.

Interestingly, many Brazilians who use tu combine it with você verb conjugations, creating a unique hybrid:
Tu vai ao mercado? (instead of Tu vais ao mercado?)
Tu gosta de música? (instead of Tu gostas de música?)

Conjugating Verbs with Tu

When using tu with standard conjugation (common in Portugal and formal Brazilian Portuguese), verbs take specific endings:

Present tense regular verbs:
-ar verbs: Tu falas (You speak)
-er verbs: Tu comes (You eat)
-ir verbs: Tu partes (You leave)

Common irregular verbs:
Tu és (You are) – from ser
Tu tens (You have) – from ter
Tu vais (You go) – from ir
Tu fazes (You do/make) – from fazer

Cultural Considerations with Tu

Understanding when to use tu involves cultural awareness. In Portugal, using tu with someone you don’t know well or with elders might be considered disrespectful. Always start with você or formal forms until invited to use tu.

In Brazilian regions where tu is common, it’s generally more casual and widely accepted among peers, though você remains the safer default for learners.

Ele: The Third Person Singular Masculine

Basic Usage of Ele

The pronoun ele means he or it (for masculine nouns) in English. It refers to a third person masculine singular subject—someone or something you’re talking about, not talking to.

Examples:
Ele trabalha em um hospital. (He works in a hospital.)
Ele está em casa. (He is at home.)
O livro? Ele está na mesa. (The book? It is on the table.)

Ele vs. Ela

Portuguese has grammatical gender, so third person pronouns must match the gender of the noun they replace. While ele is masculine, ela is its feminine counterpart:

O Pedro? Ele chegou cedo. (Pedro? He arrived early.)
A Maria? Ela chegou tarde. (Maria? She arrived late.)
O carro? Ele é novo. (The car? It is new.)
A casa? Ela é grande. (The house? It is big.)

Using Ele for Objects

Unlike English, which uses it for objects, Portuguese uses ele or ela based on the grammatical gender of the noun:

O telefone não funciona. Ele está quebrado. (The phone doesn’t work. It is broken.)
A mesa é bonita. Ela é de madeira. (The table is beautiful. It is made of wood.)

When to Omit Ele

Like eu, the pronoun ele can often be omitted when context makes the subject clear:

Chegou ontem. (He/She/It arrived yesterday.)
Trabalha muito. (He/She works a lot.)
Está chovendo. (It is raining.)

However, when you need to clarify who you’re talking about or emphasize the subject, include ele:

Eu estudo, mas ele joga videogame. (I study, but he plays video games.)
Ela cozinha e ele limpa. (She cooks and he cleans.)

Comparing Eu, Tu, and Ele in Context

Verb Conjugation Patterns

Understanding how verbs change with each pronoun is essential. Let’s examine the verb falar (to speak) in the present tense:

Eu falo português. (I speak Portuguese.)
Tu falas português. (You speak Portuguese.) – European Portuguese
Você fala português. (You speak Portuguese.) – Brazilian Portuguese
Ele fala português. (He speaks Portuguese.)

Notice that ele and você share the same conjugation, which is why Brazilians often prefer você—it simplifies the system.

Practical Conversations

Let’s see these pronouns working together in realistic dialogues:

Dialogue 1: Planning a meeting
Eu vou ao parque amanhã. Tu vais também? (I’m going to the park tomorrow. Are you going too?)
Não, eu não vou. Mas ele vai. (No, I’m not going. But he is going.)

Dialogue 2: Discussing preferences
Eu gosto de pizza, e tu? (I like pizza, and you?)
Eu prefiro massas. Ele gosta de hambúrguer. (I prefer pasta. He likes hamburgers.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learners frequently make these errors when using these pronouns:

Mixing tu with você conjugations inappropriately: In formal or written Portuguese, stick to standard rules. Tu vai is incorrect in formal contexts; use Tu vais or switch to Você vai.

Overusing pronouns: Native speakers omit pronouns when context is clear. Saying Eu como, eu bebo, eu durmo sounds unnatural. Better: Como, bebo, durmo or Como, bebo e durmo.

Forgetting gender agreement with ele: Always ensure ele refers to masculine nouns and ela to feminine nouns.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

Emphasis and Contrast

Subject pronouns become powerful tools for emphasis in Portuguese:

EU não disse isso, ele disse! (I didn’t say that, he did!)
Tu é que sabes. (YOU’re the one who knows.)
Ele sim entende. (HE truly understands.)

Colloquial Expressions

These pronouns appear in numerous everyday expressions:

Eu, hein? (Really? / You don’t say!) – Expressing surprise
E eu com isso? (What’s that got to do with me?) – Showing indifference
Ele que se cuide. (He better watch out.) – Warning
Tu te achas! (You think you’re so great!) – Criticism

Formal vs. Informal Contexts

The choice between using or omitting pronouns often depends on formality:

Formal writing: Tends to include pronouns more frequently for clarity.
Eu gostaria de informar que ele comparecerá à reunião. (I would like to inform that he will attend the meeting.)

Casual speech: Pronouns are often dropped.
Vou lá e falo com ele. (I’ll go there and talk to him.)

Regional Differences Across Portuguese-Speaking Countries

Portugal

In Portugal, tu is the standard informal pronoun. Portuguese speakers use it with friends, family, and peers. They maintain clear distinction between informal (tu) and formal (você, o senhor/a senhora) address.

Tu és de Lisboa? (Are you from Lisbon?) – Common in Portugal
Você é de Lisboa? – Would sound formal or distant

Brazil

Most of Brazil uses você as the default second-person pronoun for both formal and informal situations. The exceptions include:

Southern states: Rio Grande do Sul widely uses tu with você conjugations.
Tu vai ao jogo? (Are you going to the game?)

Northern regions: Parts of Pará and Amazonas also use tu with mixed conjugations.

African Portuguese-Speaking Countries

Countries like Mozambique and Angola show influence from both European Portuguese and their own linguistic developments. Tu usage varies by region and educational background, with urban areas often following European patterns more closely.

Practical Exercises and Application

Building Natural Sentences

Practice constructing sentences that feel natural to native speakers:

Describing routines:
Acordo cedo, tomo café e vou trabalhar. (I wake up early, have coffee, and go to work.) – Pronouns omitted naturally
Eu acordo cedo, mas ele acorda tarde. (I wake up early, but he wakes up late.) – Pronouns included for contrast

Expressing opinions:
Acho que está certo. (I think it’s correct.)
Ele acha que está errado. (He thinks it’s wrong.)

Understanding Through Context

Reading and listening to authentic Portuguese helps internalize pronoun usage. Pay attention to when native speakers include or omit pronouns in:

Songs: Eu sei que vou te amar – I know I will love you
Movies: Characters often drop pronouns in rapid dialogue
News: Formal contexts include more pronouns
Social media: Very casual, many pronouns omitted

Tips for Mastery

To truly master these pronouns, follow these strategies:

Listen actively: Watch Portuguese content and notice pronoun patterns. Does the speaker include or omit them? When and why?

Practice with context: Don’t just memorize conjugations. Practice full sentences in realistic situations.

Match your learning to your goals: If you’re learning Brazilian Portuguese for travel, focus on você. If studying European Portuguese or Portuguese literature, master tu conjugations.

Record yourself: Practice speaking and listen back. Do you sound natural or are you overusing pronouns?

Get feedback: Work with native speakers who can tell you when your pronoun usage sounds unnatural.

Common Questions About Eu, Tu, and Ele

Should I Learn Tu or Você?

This depends entirely on your learning goals. If you’re focusing on Brazilian Portuguese, prioritize você as it’s more widely used and accepted. If you’re studying European Portuguese or planning to live in Portugal, tu is essential for natural communication.

Many learners benefit from at least understanding both systems, even if they actively use only one. This passive knowledge helps with comprehension when traveling or consuming media from different regions.

Why Do Brazilians Sometimes Use Tu with Você Conjugations?

This phenomenon, common in southern Brazil, developed naturally as você became dominant but tu remained in casual speech. The você conjugation is simpler and matches third person, making it easier to use. While prescriptive grammarians might call this incorrect, it’s completely natural and accepted in regions where it occurs.

How Do I Know When to Include or Omit Pronouns?

Start by including pronouns as a learner—it’s never wrong, just occasionally redundant. As you progress, begin omitting them in simple sentences where the verb ending makes the subject obvious. Include them when emphasizing, contrasting, or when clarity requires it. Listening to native speakers extensively will develop your intuition for this.

The Broader Context: Other Subject Pronouns

While this article focuses on eu, tu, and ele, understanding how they fit into the complete pronoun system provides valuable context:

Nós (we) – First person plural
Nós falamos português. (We speak Portuguese.)

Vós (you plural) – Second person plural, archaic
Rarely used in modern Portuguese except in religious or very formal contexts

Vocês (you plural) – Used in both Brazil and Portugal
Vocês vão ao cinema? (Are you all going to the cinema?)

Eles/Elas (they) – Third person plural
Eles trabalham juntos. (They work together.)

These pronouns follow similar usage patterns regarding when to include or omit them. The principles you learn for eu, tu, and ele apply throughout the system.

Cultural Insights and Social Dynamics

Formality and Respect

Pronoun choice in Portuguese carries social meaning beyond grammar. Using tu when você or o senhor/a senhora would be appropriate can seem disrespectful, while being too formal with friends can create distance.

In Brazilian business contexts, people often start with você and first names, quickly creating informal atmosphere. In Portugal, professional environments might maintain você or formal pronouns longer, especially with superiors.

The Evolution of Tu and Você

Understanding the history helps explain current usage. Você originated from Vossa Mercê (Your Mercy), a respectful form that gradually became informal in Brazil while remaining somewhat formal in Portugal. This divergence explains why the same word carries different social weights across regions.

Conclusion

Mastering eu, tu, and ele opens the door to natural Portuguese communication. While eu remains straightforward across all varieties, understanding tu and você regional variations enriches your linguistic and cultural knowledge. Remember that ele requires gender awareness and that all three pronouns can often be omitted once you develop fluency. Practice actively, listen extensively, and embrace regional differences as you develop your Portuguese skills.