Use of yo in sentences
Why use "yo" when the statement already includes the yo form? For instance, why say "Yo estudio chino", when "Estudio chino" already means "I study Chinese"? Why say "I" twice?
7 Answers
Welcome to the forum, Debby.
Congratulations!!
You've just learned a very important aspect of the Spanish language: You don't need the subject pronoun when the subject is obvious based on the conjugated verb.
In fact, native Spanish speakers will tell you that you'll never sound natural in the language if you use unnecessary subject pronouns in your writing and speech.
Only with these cases do you use a subject pronoun:
1) where you need emphasis. Example: "Maybe she doesn't love you, but I love you."
2) where it could be confusing as to who is the subject, for example with the imperfect the first person and third person conjugations are the same: "Yo estaba comiendo cuando el teléfono sonó."
Additionally, there are also times while using Yo as emphisis that the pronoun position is changed in the sentence, ie: "Who's there?" "It is I" Soy yo. "It is I who loves you, not he." Soy yo quien te quiere, no él. And a popular Mexican espression to indicate ones individuality is Yo soy yo.
Marianne dijo Sometimes when learning in school they will add the subject pronouns just to give you a hint as to what conjugation is expected, e.g., Yo, tu, etc. but they are not necessary in real life.
True. And in my opinion another reason that we, as Spanish learners, see and hear the personal pronouns used unnecessarily so often in our learning material is that we need to know where the pronouns would go if we used them.
It's easier to learn where they go by using them, then omitting them later, than to struggle with their placement later on.
Debby, a very warm welcome to the forum!!
jeje, people will laugh as this has been my fight and is my fight every single day: Do not use subject pronouns!
Well observed
If you are a beginner, maybe you wish to pracise the not using the pronoun in my pepa threads
Debbie, please don¡t miss this thread
A good example is yo estaba corriendo = I was running as estaba can also be used for he/she was running or when using 3rd person singular él quiere ir a Madrid = He wants to go to Madrid - FELIZ77
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
This would be known through context!!!
the only time subject pronouns are used, in reason, are when we want to express: I was doing such and such, as opposed to that guy who was doing....
Yo estaba comiendo, pero Pedro estaba fumando. ¡Qué lata!
There are times when subject pronouns should be used...but such times are rare. It is difficult to explain. Usually, it is for emphasis of some sort. It is so difficult to know when to use them, I can't really provide a good example.
