plural object pronoun
It refers to two or more people, animals, or things that have already been mentioned or are easy to understand when they come after a verb or preposition.
I gave them the tickets for the show.
I saw them at the store yesterday.
American English
How to pronounce them
pronounA1Very common word
THM
/ðm̩/
One syllable.
Form of they
Them usually comes after a verb or preposition.
It refers to two or more people, animals, or things that have already been mentioned or are easy to understand when they come after a verb or preposition.
What to listen for
Them is pronounced /ðɛm/ when said alone or emphasized. In natural connected speech, it often becomes /əm/ (“’em”) or /ðm̩/, with almost no vowel.
Full form/ðɛm/
Reduced form/əm/
In natural speech/ðm̩/
Meanings & examples
singular object pronoun
It refers to one person whose gender is unknown, unimportant, or not identified as only male or female when that person comes after a verb or preposition.
Taylor said the plan was fine, so I thanked them.
Jordan is in a meeting, so I will send them a message.
Good to know
Them can refer to one person, not only to several people.
object pronoun for people in general
It refers to people in general or to an unnamed group when they come after a verb or preposition.
I do not know who they are, but I can hear them outside.
People trust them because they help everyone.
Related words & forms
themobject formtheirpossessive form before a nountheirspossessive form used alonethemselvesreflexive form
Use they for the person or people doing the action. Use them after a verb or preposition, their before a noun, and theirs alone.