What does “them” mean?
- 1
pronounused as the object for people or things already mentioned
I called my parents and told them the news.
- 2
pronounused instead of “him or her” when the gender is unknown
If anyone calls, ask them to leave a message.
Them at a glance
- Part of speech
- pronoun
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /ðɛm/ · THEM
How to use “them” correctly
Use “them” after verbs and prepositions: “with them”, not “with they”.
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Word family
“them” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- anything pronounA1any thing; used in questions and negative sentences
- everything pronounA1all things, or all the things in a situation
- he pronounA1used to talk about a man, boy or male animal already mentioned
- her pronounA1used for a woman or girl as the object of a verb or preposition
- him pronounA1used for a man or boy as the object of a verb or preposition
- I pronounA1used by the speaker or writer to talk about themselves as the subject
- it pronounA1used for a thing, animal or situation already mentioned
- me pronounA1used by the speaker to refer to himself or herself as the object of a verb or preposition