Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| eles | /ˈe.lis/ (Brazil) /ˈe.liʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine |
| elas | /ˈɛ.lɐs/ (Brazil) /ˈɛ.lɐʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
feminine |
The word is a third-person plural pronoun. Unlike English, which uses a gender-neutral "they", you must select a form based on the gender of the subjects.
Which one should you use?
Portuguese requires you to choose between the masculine eles and feminine elas based on the gender of the group, whereas English uses the single gender-neutral term "they".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Brazilian regions, particularly in the North and Northeast, a colloquial variation involves using eles or elas preceded by the word os.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form eles is used when referring to a group of only males or a mixed-gender group of males and females. The feminine form elas is used only when the entire group being referred to consists of females.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈe.lis/ with two syllables. The stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- Even if a group of one thousand women is joined by a single man, the pronoun shifts from elas to eles.
- Both eles and elas trace their roots back to the Latin accusative forms illōs and illās, which were originally used as direct objects.
- In casual spoken Brazilian Portuguese, the pronoun eles is frequently dropped entirely if the context makes it clear who is being discussed.
Examples in context
- O que eles são?What are they?This sentence is useful for asking about the identity or nature of the group referred to by eles.Tatoeba #4372408 by ajdavidl, translation #3819939 by CK
- Eles já têm um.They already have one.This sentence is useful for stating possession regarding the group referred to by eles.Tatoeba #6011728 by bill, translation #4493692 by CK
- Sei o eles são.I know what they are.This sentence is useful for expressing knowledge about the group referred to by eles.Tatoeba #8057558 by MacGyver, translation #2376320 by CK
- Eles chegaram tarde hoje.They arrived late today.
- Eles são muito gentis.They are very kind.
- Eles estão estudando para o exame.They are studying for the exam.
- Eles/as vão ao cinema hoje.They are going to the movies today.
- Eles/elas sempre se divertem juntos.They always have fun together.
- Eles/elas disseram que virão amanhã.They said they will come tomorrow.
- Elas chegaram atrasadas para a festa.They arrived late to the party.
- Os meninos foram embora.The boys left.
- 5200 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Felipe are looking for their friends at a party.
- MarianaOnde estão os meninos?Where are the boys?
- FelipeEles estão no jardim.They are in the garden.
- MarianaEles estão sozinhos?Are they alone?
- FelipeNão, eles estão com outras pessoas.No, they are with other people.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “they” translations and entries eles, elas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elas, eles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
