# them

/ˈðɛm/ (US) · /ðˈɛm/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Pronoun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/them
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

the group of people, animals, or things you are talking about. You use this word when they are the ones receiving an action.

For teachers: the third-person plural object pronoun. Used as the direct or indirect object of a verb or the object of a preposition to refer to two or more people or things previously mentioned.

## Examples

- I saw my friends and waved to them.
- If you find the keys on the table, please bring them to me in the kitchen.
- The manager interviewed several candidates yesterday and plans to contact them regarding the final decision by the end of the week.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I gave it to they." but "I gave it to them." — Learners sometimes use the subject pronoun 'they' after a preposition instead of the object pronoun 'them'.

## Usage notes

- Acts as the object form of 'they'; also increasingly used as a gender-neutral singular object pronoun.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.