Them vs They

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

	Them	They
Meaning	A word used to refer to people or things that are not you or I.	A word used to refer to a group of people or to someone whose gender is not specified.
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	pronoun	pronoun
Usage notes	Used to refer to a group of people or things. It's informal in some contexts. Avoid using it as a singular pronoun.	Use 'they' when referring to multiple people. It can also be used as a singular pronoun when a person's gender is unknown. Avoid using in very formal writing where gender-specific pronouns might be preferred.

Frequently asked questions: Them vs They

What's the difference between "Them" and "They"?

"Them" means: A word used to refer to people or things that are not you or I. "They" means: A word used to refer to a group of people or to someone whose gender is not specified.

When should I use "Them" and "They"?

They can all be used in everyday English.

Are "Them" and "They" the same CEFR level?

"Them" is at A1, "They" is at A1 on the CEFR scale.