Spanish Conversation · Level 30
88 words
Spanish word
elle
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈeʝe/
Meaning
- pronounthey
Example
Cuando hablo de esa persona, uso elle.
When I talk about that person, I use the pronoun they.
More examples
En la clase, varios estudiantes empezaron a usar elle de forma natural.
In class, several students began to use the pronoun they naturally.
Core concept
Singular nonbinary third-person pronoun.
Common phrases
usar elle en lugar de él o ella
use they instead of gendered pronouns
hacer saber que prefieres elle
let others know you prefer they
Similar words
él: Singular masculine third-person pronoun for a male person.
ella: Singular feminine third-person pronoun for a female person.
Definition in Spanish
Se emplea para nombrar a alguien sin especificar su sexo o para referirse a personas no binarias.
Word origin
Coined in the 21st century as an adaptation of existing Spanish pronoun patterns, elle replaces the gendered vowel with -e to function as a singular, gender-neutral reference.
Usage tips
- Spelled simply as elle (no accent), the pronoun is still unfamiliar to many speakers, so attention to social context helps avoid unintended offense.