Cool MateHe vs Him
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He
High-frequency chunkA1pronoun
Him
High-frequency chunkA1pronoun
| He | Him | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/hi//iː//i//hiː/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hi//iː//i//hiː/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/hɪm//ɪm/"]/🇺🇸 /["/hɪm//ɪm/"]/ |
| Meaning | A word used to refer to a male person or animal. | Refers to a male person or animal. |
| Example | Everyone liked my father—he was the perfect gentleman. | When did you see him? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | High-frequency chunk |
| CEFR level | A1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | pronoun | pronoun |
| Collocations | he said, he can, he wants | give him, tell him, trust him, with him |
| Antonyms | she, they | her, she |
| Common mistakes | Using 'he' for a female person., Confusing 'he' with 'him' in objective cases. | 'Him' used as a subject instead of 'he'., Confused with 'his' when indicating possession., Omitting 'him' in sentences where it's necessary. |
| Usage notes | Used as a subject pronoun to refer to a male. Avoid using 'he' for females or when gender is unknown. | Use 'him' when referring to a male who is the object of a verb or preposition. Avoid using 'him' in formal writing as a subject; use 'he' instead. |
Frequently asked questions: He vs Him
What's the difference between He and Him?
He: A word used to refer to a male person or animal. Him: Refers to a male person or animal.
Are He and Him the same CEFR level?
He: A1, Him: A1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use He and Him interchangeably?
Not always. He and Him are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.