When to exclude a subject pronoun

Question

Subject pronouns are easy for me to remember, but I get differing rules from different Spanish speakers that I talk to. What are the rules for the exclusion of subject pronouns? I know that in Spanish music, they are used sparingly. Is it all right to not use the subject pronouns 'yo,' 'tú,' 'nosotros,' and 'vosotros' because the verb endings only work for those words (as opposed to 'él, ella, usted' and 'ellos, ellas, ustedes')?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Subject personal pronouns do not have to be used because the person is identified by the conjugation of the corresonding verb. They are, however, used when clarity is necessary (ie: ellos o Uds.) and for emphasis (ie: Fui yo quien hizo al error - no él).

These are basic guidelines for speaking the language in an educated manner, but I don´t know if there are any rules regarding subject personal pronouns.

Did you mean to type "al error"? Perhaps a typo. If not, can you explain why? - Tosh, Aug 11, 2013

It is "al error" because "hizo a el error" is not proper. - jerryofcali, Aug 15, 2013