Their vs. There vs. They're: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
their para posesión, there para lugares y "they're cuando quieras decir they are".
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Master these three words by checking if you mean a place, a person's property, or a shortened 'they are'.
- Use 'There' for a place or to start a sentence, like 'There is my house'.
- Use 'Their' for possession, like 'That is their car'.
- Use 'They're' only as a shortcut for 'They are', like 'They're coming over'.
Overview
their, there y they're representa quizás el ejemplo más emblemático de este fenómeno. Aunque en una conversación fluida tu oído no percibirá diferencia alguna, sus funciones gramaticales son totalmente independientes y no son intercambiables bajo ninguna circunstancia.Their se utiliza exclusivamente para la posesión, there para indicar lugar o existencia, y they're es una contracción de they are. Entender esta separación tripartita es la base para usarlos correctamente.their | Determinante posesivo | Indica pertenencia (de ellos/ellas). | They lost their keys. |there | Adverbio / Pronombre | Indica un lugar o la existencia de algo. | The park is there. / There is a car. |they're | Contracción (Sujeto + Verbo) | Forma corta de they are. | They're very happy. |Their: El Determinante PosesivoTheir pertenece a la clase de palabras que llamamos determinantes posesivos (junto con my, your, his, her, its y our). Su única función es indicar que un sustantivo pertenece o está asociado a un grupo de personas, entidades o, en contextos modernos, a una persona que prefiere el uso del pronombre neutro they.Their siempre debe ir seguido de un sustantivo (o una frase nominal). Responde a la pregunta: ¿De quién?.su o sus (de ellos/ellas). ¡Ojo aquí! Este es un punto de confusión común porque en español su puede referirse a él, a ella, a usted o a ellos. En inglés, somos mucho más específicos. Their es solo para el plural (ellos/ellas) o el singular neutro.The students finished their homework.(¿La tarea de quién? De ellos, los estudiantes).The trees lost their leaves.(¿Las hojas de quién? De los árboles).I really like their style.(¿El estilo de quién? De ellos).
their singular:they y their para referirse a una sola persona cuando su género es desconocido o irrelevante. Esto es estándar hoy en día.Someone left their umbrella here.(Alguien dejó su paraguas aquí. No sabemos si fue un hombre o una mujer).
There: El Adverbio de Lugar y el Pronombre Existencial¿Dónde?. Es el opuesto de here (aquí). Un truco visual: la palabra here está escondida dentro de there (t-here).The restaurant is over there.(El restaurante está allá).I've been there twice.(He estado allí dos veces).
Hay)there junto con el verbo to be para decir que algo existe. En español, usamos la palabra hay tanto para singular como para plural, pero en inglés debemos concordar el verbo.There is a problem.(Hay un problema).There are many solutions.(Hay muchas soluciones).
They're: La Contracciónthey (sujeto: ellos/ellas) y are (verbo: son/están). El apóstrofo (') marca la eliminación de la letra a de are.they are y la oración sigue teniendo sentido, entonces they're es la opción correcta.They're coming at 8 PM.→They are coming at 8 PM.(Funciona).I think they're tired.→I think they are tired.(Funciona).
their | Contiene la palabra heir (heredero). Un heredero posee algo. La i parece una persona que posee el sustantivo que sigue. | Posesivo. Indica pertenencia. | their car, their ideas |there | Contiene la palabra here (aquí). Ambas indican ubicación. | Lugar / Existencia. Indica dónde está algo o que algo existe. | Go there, There is |they're | El apóstrofo (') es el símbolo universal de una contracción. Indica que falta una letra (a). | Sujeto + Verbo. Equivalente a Ellos son/están. |
They're happy |Their proviene del nórdico antiguo þeirra (posesivo plural). There viene del inglés antiguo þær (en ese lugar).They're es una evolución mucho más reciente del lenguaje hablado que se trasladó a la escritura para agilizar la comunicación. Aunque hoy suenen igual, sus árboles genealógicos son completamente diferentes, lo que explica por qué se escriben de forma tan distinta.There are several reasons why the project was successful. The team members focused on their specific tasks, and now they're ready for the next challenge.
There are: Introduces la existencia de razones.Their specific tasks: Las tareas que les pertenecen a ellos.They're ready: Ellos están listos.
Are the García family coming?Yes, they're on their way. They'll be there in ten minutes.
They're on...: Ellos están en......their way: ...su camino (el camino de ellos)....be there: ...estar allí (en el lugar de la cena).
Singular They en contextos modernostheir se usa mucho para referirse a una sola persona de manera neutral. Esto es muy común en series de Netflix o en entornos universitarios internacionales.If a student loses their ID card, they should go to the office.
their sustituye a his or her para ser más inclusivo y menos repetitivo. Es una estructura que te hará sonar muy natural y actualizado.they're para posesión- Incorrecto:
The cats are eating they're food. - ¿Por qué ocurre? Tu cerebro escucha el sonido /ðɛər/ y sabe que se refiere a los gatos. Como en español decimos
su comida, no tenemos que elegir entre tres opciones. - Solución: Aplica la prueba de sustitución. ¿Puedes decir
The cats are eating they are food
? No, suena fatal. Entonces, lo correcto estheir food.
there is/are- Incorrecto:
There is many people at the party. - ¿Por qué ocurre? En español, el verbo
haberen su forma existencial es impersonal e invariable: decimosHay una personayHay diez personas. Por eso, tendemos a usar siempreThere is. - Solución: Recuerda que en inglés,
thereactúa como un sujetofalso. El sujeto real viene después. Si lo que sigue es plural, debes usarThere are. - Correcto:
There are many people...(porquepeoplees plural).
there con it- Incorrecto:
In my city it is a big park. - ¿Por qué ocurre? Queremos traducir literalmente
En mi ciudad es/hay un gran parque
. - Solución: Si quieres decir que algo existe en un lugar, el 99% de las veces la estructura correcta es
There is/are.It isse usa para describir algo que ya mencionamos o para el clima/tiempo. - Correcto:
There is a big park in my city.
Their vs. TheirsTheires un determinante: necesita un sustantivo después (their car).Theirses un pronombre: reemplaza al sustantivo y suele ir al final o solo.
Their + Sustantivo | This is their house. |Theirs | This house is theirs. |They're vs. They werewere puede sonar similar para un oído no entrenado, pero la diferencia temporal es vital.They're= Ellos están (ahora).They were= Ellos estaban (antes).
There vs. HereHere(Aquí) -> Cerca de mí.There(Allí) -> Lejos de mí.
-ere. Si recuerdas cómo escribir here, ya sabes cómo termina there.carpeta mental de sonido.there's para el plural en una conversación informal?There's a lot of people. Sin embargo, en tu nivel (B1) y especialmente en exámenes o escritura formal, debes mantener la distinción: There is para singular y There are para plural.their?heir (heredero). Un heredero es alguien que va a poseer algo. Como their es el posesivo, la conexión mental con heir te ayudará a recordar que lleva esa i y esa r al final.they're y decir siempre they are?they're al hablar y en correos informales, y deja they are solo para documentos legales o ensayos muy académicos.Grammatical Roles of the Triple T
| Word | Part of Speech | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
There
|
Adverb / Pronoun
|
Points to a location or introduces a subject
|
There is the bus.
|
|
Their
|
Possessive Adjective
|
Shows ownership by a group or person
|
It is their turn.
|
|
They're
|
Contraction
|
Short for 'They are'
|
They're very busy.
|
Contractions and Full Forms
| Contraction | Full Form | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
They're
|
They are
|
Common in speech and informal writing.
|
|
They're not
|
They are not
|
Standard negative contraction.
|
|
They aren't
|
They are not
|
Alternative negative contraction.
|
Meanings
These three words are homophones, meaning they sound identical but have completely different meanings and spellings based on whether you are referring to a location, ownership, or a state of being.
There (Location)
An adverb used to point out a specific place or position.
“Please put the box over there on the table.”
“I have never been there before.”
Their (Possession)
A possessive adjective used to show that something belongs to a group of people (or sometimes a single person).
“Their house is the largest one on the block.”
“The students forgot their homework.”
They're (Contraction)
A shortened form of the pronoun 'they' and the verb 'are'.
“They're going to the beach tomorrow.”
“I think they're very talented musicians.”
There (Expletive/Introductory)
Used to introduce a sentence or clause where the subject comes after the verb.
“There are many reasons to learn English.”
“There seems to be a mistake in the bill.”
Reference Table
| Palabra | Tipo de palabra | Significado principal | Ejemplo en inglés |
|---|---|---|---|
|
`Their`
|
Adjetivo posesivo
|
Le pertenece a ellos
|
The artists showed `their` paintings.
|
|
`There`
|
Adverbio
|
En ese lugar o hacia allá
|
Please put the box over `there`.
|
|
`There`
|
Pronombre
|
Indica que algo existe
|
`There` is a bird on the windowsill.
|
|
`They're`
|
Contracción
|
Ellos son o están
|
`They're` building a new website.
|
|
Singular `their`
|
Adjetivo posesivo
|
De una persona (género neutro)
|
My colleague forgot `their` password.
|
Espectro de formalidad
The keys are located there, on the sideboard. (Daily life)
The keys are over there. (Daily life)
Keys are there. (Daily life)
Yo, keys are right there. (Daily life)
Desglosando Their, There y They're
Posesión
- Their Shows ownership
Lugar / Existencia
- There Points to a place
Contracción
- They're Means 'they are'
Palabra vs. Palabra: Chequeo Rápido
¿Qué palabra usar?
¿Puedes reemplazarla por 'they are'?
¿Indica propiedad o posesión?
Ejemplos por categoría
Posesión
- • I like `their` style.
- • Where is `their` house?
Lugar
- • We'll be `there` soon.
- • Look over `there`!
Contracción
- • `They're` on a team.
- • `They're` so funny.
Ejemplos por nivel
Look over there!
Look at that place!
That is their dog.
The dog belongs to them.
They're very happy.
They are very happy.
There is a car.
A car exists in that spot.
Is there any milk in the fridge?
Does milk exist in the fridge?
The children lost their toys.
The toys belonging to the children are lost.
They're going to the park now.
They are going to the park now.
Put your shoes there.
Put your shoes in that place.
There are several options for the project.
Several options exist for the project.
The employees expressed their concerns to the boss.
The concerns belonging to the employees were shared.
They're likely to win the championship this year.
They are likely to win.
I've lived there for ten years.
I have lived in that place for a decade.
There appears to be a misunderstanding regarding the contract.
A misunderstanding seems to exist.
The researchers published their findings in a prestigious journal.
The findings of the researchers were published.
They're constantly innovating to stay ahead of the competition.
They are constantly innovating.
Go there and see for yourself.
Travel to that location to verify.
There remains a significant gap between the two theories.
A gap still exists.
The committee members voiced their unanimous support for the proposal.
The support of the committee was unanimous.
They're essentially arguing that the economy is self-correcting.
They are essentially arguing.
The treasure was hidden there, beneath the ancient oak.
The treasure was in that specific spot.
Therein lies the fundamental paradox of modern existence.
In that place/fact lies the paradox.
The protagonists were forced to confront their own mortality.
They confronted the fact that they will die.
They're arguably the most influential poets of the Victorian era.
It is argued that they are the most influential.
Should you go there, you will find the ruins of the old city.
If you travel to that place.
Fácil de confundir
Both involve a possessive adjective and a contraction that sound identical.
The possessive 'its' does NOT have an apostrophe, which confuses learners who expect 's to show possession.
Learners sometimes use 'there' when the object is close to them.
Errores comunes
I go to they're house.
I go to their house.
There happy.
They're happy.
Look at their!
Look at that / Look over there!
Is they're a cat?
Is there a cat?
The dogs ate there food.
The dogs ate their food.
They're is a problem.
There is a problem.
I like they're car.
I like their car.
The team lost they're momentum.
The team lost its/their momentum.
There not coming.
They're not coming.
Its over their.
It's over there.
The authors' argue that there perspective is unique.
The authors argue that their perspective is unique.
Patrones de oraciones
There is a ___ in the ___.
They're ___ because of their ___.
I went there to see their ___.
There are many people who think they're ___.
Real World Usage
They're almost here, just park over there.
The team has submitted their final report.
Is there a pharmacy near the hotel?
I love their outfits in this photo!
I am impressed by their company culture.
Leave the food there by the door.
El truco de 'Here'
I am here, not there.
Cuidado con el autocorrector
La prueba de 'They Are'
El 'Their' singular es normal
Someone left their umbrella here.
Smart Tips
Stop and say 'they are'. If it sounds weird, change it to 'their' or 'there'.
Remember that 'there' is the opposite of 'here'. Both words end in 'ere'.
Check if a noun follows the word. 'Their' almost always has a noun right after it.
Avoid 'they're' entirely. Writing 'they are' prevents spelling mistakes and sounds more professional.
Pronunciación
Homophone Identity
All three words are pronounced exactly the same in most dialects: /ðɛər/.
The 'Th' Sound
The 'th' is voiced. Your tongue should touch your upper teeth and vibrate.
Emphasis on 'There'
It's ↘THERE.
Emphasizing the specific location when someone can't find something.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
tHERE contains HERE (place). tHEIR contains HEIR (someone who inherits/owns). they'RE contains aRE.
Asociación visual
Imagine a map with a pin for 'there', a group of people holding a box for 'their', and a giant 'A' being crushed by an apostrophe for 'they're'.
Rhyme
If it's a place, 'there' is the case. If they own the bear, it's 'their' to share. If 'they are' is what you mean, 'they're' is the queen.
Story
The twins went to the park. They're very excited to play. They left their ball over there by the big oak tree.
Word Web
Desafío
Write three sentences about your neighbors using one of each word correctly.
Notas culturales
Mixing these up online often leads to 'Grammar Nazis' correcting you. It's one of the most mocked mistakes on Reddit and Twitter.
Using 'their' as a singular pronoun for non-binary individuals is now standard in many English-speaking cultures and style guides like APA and MLA.
In some Southern US dialects, 'there' might be pronounced with a slight drawl, but it remains a homophone with the others in that specific accent.
Each word has a distinct Germanic or Norse root that converged in sound over centuries.
Inicios de conversación
Have you seen my phone? I thought I left it there.
What do you think of their new album?
They're planning a trip to Japan. Would you go with them?
There is a lot of debate about AI. What's your take?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
Their es la opción correcta porque es un adjetivo posesivo que indica que la habitación les pertenece a 'mis amigos'.They're es la contracción de 'they are', lo cual encaja perfecto en: 'Ellos van a la playa'.there. Recuerda que 'there' tiene 'here' adentro.Score: /3
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercises___ going to be very surprised when they see the gift.
The students left ___ books in the classroom.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is they're any coffee left in the pot?
over / car / is / there / their
1. There, 2. Their, 3. They're
Select the grammatically perfect sentence.
___ is no reason to be angry.
Find and fix the mistake:
I think there very nice people.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesScore: /13
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Yes! This is called the 'singular they'. It is used when you don't know the person's gender or want to be inclusive. Example: `Someone left their phone.`
Because the words sound identical, the brain sometimes picks the most common spelling (`there`) without thinking about the grammar.
No, `thei're` is not a word. You are likely thinking of `they're`.
Yes, usually as an adverb of place. Example: `I'll meet you there.`
Look at the spelling: it has `heir` in it. An heir is someone who owns things!
Generally, no. In formal academic writing, it is better to write out `they are`.
Use `there is` for singular nouns (`There is a cat`) and `there are` for plural nouns (`There are cats`).
Not always. It can also be an 'expletive' used just to start a sentence, like `There is a chance of rain.`
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
allí / su / ellos son
Spanish doesn't have homophones for these three concepts.
là / leur / ils sont
French uses distinct phonemes for place and possession.
dort / ihr / sie sind
German grammar is more complex but orthographically distinct.
asoko / karera no / karera wa... desu
Japanese is agglutinative and visually distinct in script.
hunaka / -hum / hum
Possession is a suffix, not a separate word.
nàlǐ / tāmen de / tāmen shì
Tones and characters make these impossible to confuse in Chinese.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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THEIR, THERE y THEY'RE: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
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