What Is The Difference Between They And Them?

1. “They” (Subject Pronoun)

• Function: “They” is used as the subject of a sentence, which means it refers to the people or things performing an action.
• Examples:
  • They are going to the movies.
    (Here, “they” is the subject performing the action of going to the movies.)
  • They finished the project on time.
    (In this sentence, “they” is the subject who completed the project.)
• Usage:
  “They” is the equivalent of other subject pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “it,” but it can be used for multiple people (plural), or when referring to a singular person whose gender is unknown or unspecified, or when a person prefers “they” as their pronoun (non-binary or gender-neutral usage).

2. “Them” (Object Pronoun)

• Function: “Them” is used as the object of a verb or a preposition. It refers to the people or things receiving the action or being affected by it.
• Examples:
  • I saw them at the party.
    (Here, “them” is the object of the verb “saw.” The action of seeing is directed toward them.)
  • She gave them the book.
    (In this case, “them” is the object of the verb “gave,” and the action of giving is being done to them.)
  • He walked with them to the station.
    (Here, “them” is the object of the preposition “with.”)
• Usage:
  “Them” is used when talking about who is receiving the action or who is affected by the action. You would never use “them” as the subject of a sentence—only as the object.

Key Differences:

• Position in Sentence:
  • “They” comes before the verb (subject position): They are eating lunch.
  • “Them” comes after the verb or preposition (object position): I invited them to dinner.
• Subject vs. Object:
  • “They” is used when you’re talking about the people or things that are doing the action.
  • “Them” is used when you’re talking about the people or things that the action is being done to.

Examples to Clarify:

• They (subject): They are the best players on the team.
  (Here, “they” is the subject performing the action of being the best players.)
• Them (object): I admire them for their skills.
  (Here, “them” is the object of the verb “admire,” meaning they are receiving the admiration.)

Special Case – Singular “They”:

In modern English, “they” is also commonly used as a singular pronoun when the gender of a person is unknown or when referring to someone who prefers “they” as their pronoun (non-binary gender).
Example:

• Someone left their keys on the table. I hope they come back for them.
  (Here, “they” refers to one person whose gender isn’t specified, and “them” refers to the keys.)

Summary:

• “They” = Subject (performing the action).
  • Example: They went to the concert.
• “Them” = Object (receiving the action).
  • Example: I saw them at the concert.