Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'He', 'She', and 'They' to replace names so you don't sound like a robot.
- Use 'He' for one male person (e.g., He is Ben).
- Use 'She' for one female person (e.g., She is Anna).
- Use 'They' for two or more people (e.g., They are friends).
Overview
he、she、they という短い言葉が頻繁に出てくることに気づくでしょう。これらは「代名詞（Pronouns）」と呼ばれ、英語という言語をスムーズに操るために欠かせない非常に重要な道具です。Mr. Tanaka is a teacher. Mr. Tanaka is busy every day. Mr. Tanaka likes tennis. と言うと、非常にくどく、不自然に聞こえてしまいます。he や she です。一度 Mr. Tanaka と言えば、次からは he という「近道」を使うことで、会話のリズムが良くなり、情報が整理されます。このガイドでは、特に「自分と相手以外の人」について話すときに使う he（彼）、she（彼女）、they（彼ら／彼女ら／あの方々）の使い方を、日本語との違いを交えながら詳しく解説します。これらをマスターすれば、あなたの英語はぐっと自然でプロフェッショナルなものになりますよ。How This Grammar Works
he、she、they を理解する上で、まず私たちが意識しなければならないのは、日本語と英語の「主語に対する考え方の違い」です。ここが、多くの日本人学習者が最初につまずくポイントでもあります。Oh, it's Mr. Sato. He is going to work. と、必ず he という主語を入れなければなりません。英語において主語を抜かすことは、文章の骨組みを抜かすことと同じなのです。he や she は、単なる「男性か女性か」という文法的な区別であり、恋人関係などの深い意味はありません。- Gender（性別）: 相手が男性なら
he、女性ならsheを使います。これは英語における絶対的なルールです。 - Number（数）: 話している相手が一人（単数）なら
heまたはshe、二人以上（複数）なら性別に関係なくtheyを使います。
they を使うことが一般的になっています。これは「Singular They（単数の they）」と呼ばれます。例えば、コンビニのレジに誰かが忘れ物をしたとき、「誰かがバッグを忘れました。その人は困っているでしょう」と言う場合、性別が分からないので Someone left their bag. They must be worried. と表現します。これは非常に現代的で丁寧な表現です。
Formation Pattern
A man (一人の男性) | He | A man is at the door. | He is at the door. |
Ken (ケンさん) | He | Ken is my senior. | He is my senior. |
A woman (一人の女性) | She | A woman is singing. | She is singing. |
Yumi (ユミさん) | She | Yumi works in Tokyo. | She works in Tokyo. |
Two people (二人) | They | Two people are waiting. | They are waiting. |
My parents (両親) | They | My parents live in Osaka. | They live in Osaka. |
Someone (誰か) | They | Someone is calling. | They are calling. |
He is a doctor. / They are students.
She is not (isn't) here. / They are not (aren't) busy.
Is he from Japan? / Are they coming to the party?
he/she のときは動詞が is になり、they のときは are になるという点です。これは「主語と動詞の一致」という英語の基本ルールですが、代名詞を選ぶ際にも常にセットで意識する必要があります。
When To Use It
- 例:
This is my colleague, Mr. Suzuki. He is very kind.
Mr. Suzuki と紹介し、その直後に he を使うことで、スムーズに情報を付け加えています。- 例: 電車の中で座っている人を見て、
Look at that person. They are reading a difficult book.
they が便利です。they を使います。- 例:
My brother and sister are at university. They study hard.
they 一語で済みます。- 例:
I will meet the manager tomorrow. They will interview me.
he と決めつけるのは失礼にあたることがあるため、現代のビジネス英語では they を使うのがスマートなマナーとされています。
Common Mistakes
- 間違い:
My father is 60 years old. Is a teacher. - 正解:
My father is 60 years old. He is a teacher. - 解説: 日本語では「父は60歳です。教師です」と言えば通じますが、英語では二文目にも必ず
Heという主語が必要です。日本語の感覚で「言わなくても分かるだろう」と主語を抜かないように注意しましょう。
- 間違い:
My mother is a good cook. He makes great sushi. - 正解:
My mother is a good cook. She makes great sushi. - 解説: 不思議なことに、頭では分かっていても、とっさに
heとsheを間違えてしまう日本人は非常に多いです。これは、日本語の会話で「彼・彼女」という言葉をあまり使わず、性別を意識した代名詞の操作に慣れていないためです。特にmotherやsisterと言った直後にheと言ってしまうミスに気をつけましょう。
- 間違い:
Tanaka-san is my friend. Tanaka-san lives in Kyoto. Tanaka-san likes cats. - 正解:
Mr. Tanaka is my friend. He lives in Kyoto. He likes cats. - 解説: 日本語では名前を呼ぶのが丁寧（敬称をつけるのが礼儀）という文化があるため、代名詞を使うことに抵抗を感じる人がいます。しかし、英語では名前を連呼すると、まるで幼児に話しかけているような、あるいは少し攻撃的な響きになることすらあります。二回目からは自信を持って
he/she/theyを使いましょう。
Contrast With Similar Patterns
he/she/they 以外にもいくつか種類があります。混乱しやすいものを比較してみましょう。He | 自分と相手以外の男性 | 単数 (1) | 彼、あの男の人 |She | 自分と相手以外の女性 | 単数 (1) | 彼女、あの女の人 |They | 自分と相手以外の人たち | 複数 (2+) | 彼ら、彼女ら、あの方々 |It | 人以外の物・動物・状況 | 単数 (1) | それ、あれ |You | 話しかけている相手 | 単数/複数 | あなた、あなたたち |They vs It の違い:they ですか？」というものがあります。答えは Yes です。 they は人間だけでなく、複数の物（例えば books や cars）を指すときにも使われます。しかし、このユニットではまず「人」を指す they を完璧にマスターしましょう。He/She vs It の境界線:he や she を使います。一方で、道で見かけた見知らぬ動物などは it と呼ぶのが一般的です。英語では、感情的な距離感によって代名詞を使い分けることもあります。Quick FAQ
he or she と言っていましたが、今は they でいいのですか？If a student needs help, he or she should ask. のように両方を並べていましたが、今はよりシンプルで包括的な they を使うのが一般的です。これを「ジェンダーニュートラル（性中立的）な表現」と呼びます。he や she を使って失礼になりませんか？he、女性なら she です。ただし、直接本人に向かって「You」と言う代わりに、第三者に紹介する際は This is Mr. Smith. と名前を出し、その後に he を使うのが最も丁寧な流れです。They を使うとき、動詞は単数扱いですか、複数扱いですか？they を使う場合でも、文法上の動詞は常に 複数形 の扱いになります。つまり、 They is ではなく、常に They are です。これは非常に重要なルールなので、セットで覚えておきましょう。he や she で十分です。もし特定の「あの人」と強調したいなら that person と言い、その次の文から they や he/she に繋げると非常に自然です。he、she、they は、単なる置き換えの言葉ではなく、会話をスムーズに進めるための「潤滑油」のような存在です。最初は主語を意識して入れることに違和感があるかもしれませんが、意識的に使うことで、あなたの英語はより英語らしいリズムに変わっていきます。まずは身近な友人や家族、同僚を思い浮かべて、He is... She is... They are... とつぶやく練習から始めてみてください。頑張りましょう（頑張る spirit で！）！Subject Pronouns and 'To Be'
| Pronoun | Verb (Be) | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
|
He
|
is
|
He is not (isn't)
|
Is he?
|
|
She
|
is
|
She is not (isn't)
|
Is she?
|
|
They
|
are
|
They are not (aren't)
|
Are they?
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
He is
|
He's
|
He's tall.
|
|
She is
|
She's
|
She's smart.
|
|
They are
|
They're
|
They're here.
|
Meanings
These are words used to refer to people other than yourself (I) or the person you are talking to (You). They prevent the repetition of names.
Male Singular
Refers to one man or boy.
“He is a doctor.”
“He likes pizza.”
Female Singular
Refers to one woman or girl.
“She is a student.”
“She has a car.”
Plural
Refers to a group of two or more people.
“They are at home.”
“They speak English.”
Singular They
Refers to one person whose gender is unknown or non-binary.
“Someone left their bag. They will be back.”
“My friend is coming; they are nice.”
Reference Table
| 代名詞 | 指す相手 | 例文 |
|---|---|---|
|
He
|
男性一人（男の子、男性）
|
He is my brother.
|
|
She
|
女性一人（女の子、女性）
|
She loves reading.
|
|
They
|
二人以上のグループ
|
They are friends.
|
|
They
|
性別がわからない一人
|
Someone called. They left a message.
|
|
They
|
性別を特定しない一人
|
Ask your teacher. They will help.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
Do you happen to know where he is? (Workplace/Street)
Where is he? (Workplace/Street)
Where's he at? (Workplace/Street)
Where's mans? (Workplace/Street)
代名詞パワーアップ：He, She, They
単数の男性
- He One boy/man
単数の女性
- She One girl/woman
複数 / 不明
- They Multiple people / Unknown gender
代名詞パートナーを選ぼう
代名詞決定フローチャート
一人のことについて話していますか？
その人は男性ですか？
その人は女性ですか？
誰が誰？：代名詞カテゴリー
男性の個人
- • He is my friend.
- • He plays guitar.
- • He works at the cafe.
女性の個人
- • She likes coffee.
- • She is a student.
- • She talks a lot.
グループ ＆ 不明
- • They are busy.
- • They live next door.
- • Someone is here. They are waiting.
レベル別の例文
He is a boy.
He is a boy.
She is a girl.
She is a girl.
They are happy.
They are happy.
Is he a teacher?
Is he a teacher?
He isn't at work today.
He isn't at work today.
She has two brothers.
She has two brothers.
They live in a big house.
They live in a big house.
Where do they go?
Where do they go?
He decided to quit his job.
He decided to quit his job.
She often travels for business.
She often travels for business.
They are looking for a new apartment.
They are looking for a new apartment.
If someone calls, tell them I'm busy.
If someone calls, tell them I'm busy.
He was seen leaving the building.
He was seen leaving the building.
She managed to finish the project on time.
She managed to
They have been working together for years.
They have been working
Each student must bring their own laptop.
Each student must bring their own laptop.
He, of all people, should have known better.
He, of all people, should have known better.
She found herself in a difficult position.
She found herself
They might have been delayed by the storm.
They might have been
The author argues that they are often misunderstood.
The author argues that they are often misunderstood.
He is but a shadow of his former self.
He is but a shadow of his former self.
She, the indomitable spirit of the revolution, spoke.
She, the indomitable...
They would have us believe that the crisis is over.
They would have us believe
Whether he or she succeeds is irrelevant.
Whether he or she succeeds is irrelevant.
間違えやすい
Learners use 'Him' as a subject because it sounds stronger.
They sound similar in fast speech.
Mixing up the subject and possessive form.
よくある間違い
She is my brother.
He is my brother.
They is happy.
They are happy.
He are a doctor.
He is a doctor.
Is she a man?
Is he a man?
The teacher, he is nice.
The teacher is nice.
I like they.
I like them.
She's hair is long.
Her hair is long.
Everyone brought his book.
Everyone brought their book.
They is coming (referring to one person).
They are coming.
The ship, he is beautiful.
The ship, she is beautiful.
文型パターン
He is a ___.
She has ___.
They are ___.
Is ___ from ___?
Real World Usage
She looks so happy in this photo!
He was my previous supervisor.
They would like the pizza, please.
Are they the bus drivers?
Is he coming to the party?
They are investigating the incident.
She likes hiking and dogs.
性別のヒントに耳を澄ませて
She is my teacher, Ms. Smith.
人に対して 'It' は使わないで
He is my best friend.
迷ったときは 'They' が安心
They are coming to help.
代名詞はとてもパーソナルなもの
They use they/them pronouns.
ペットで練習してみよう
He is a very good boy.
Smart Tips
Switch from 'They' to 'We'.
Use 'They' if you don't know the person yet.
Use contractions like 'He's' and 'They're'.
Use 'They' to summarize the whole group at the end.
発音
The Silent H
In fast speech, the 'h' in 'he' and 'him' often disappears if it's not the first word.
The TH sound
The 'th' in 'they' is voiced. Your tongue should touch your top teeth.
She vs Sea
Make sure the 'sh' sound is long and soft, like telling someone to be quiet.
Emphasis on Pronoun
HE did it (not me).
Used to correct someone or show contrast.
暗記しよう
記憶術
He is for a Hero, She is for a Sister, They are for a Team.
視覚的連想
Imagine a man wearing a giant letter 'H' on his chest (He). Imagine a woman wearing a 'S' shaped scarf (She). Imagine a group of people pointing at each other in a circle (They).
Rhyme
He is a guy, She is a girl, They are the people all over the world.
Story
A man named Henry (He) met a woman named Sarah (She). Together, they went to a party. Now, they are dancing.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Look at 5 people around you or in photos. Say 'He is...', 'She is...', or 'They are...' for each one.
文化メモ
Using 'They' for a single person is now standard in most English-speaking countries to be inclusive of all genders.
Historically, sailors referred to ships as 'she'. While fading, you will still hear this in documentaries or at sea.
In some dialects, 'they' might be replaced by 'them' in non-standard speech, but this is grammatically incorrect in formal settings.
Derived from Old English 'he' (masculine), 'heo' (feminine), and 'hie' (plural).
会話のきっかけ
Who is your favorite celebrity? What do they do?
Look at that person over there. What are they wearing?
Tell me about your parents. Where do they live?
If a stranger lost their wallet, what would you do?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
My teacher is very kind. ___ always helps us.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: '彼女は私の妹です。'
Answer starts with: ["S...
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
練習問題
8 exercises___ is a doctor.
They ___ my friends.
Find and fix the mistake:
She are a teacher.
happy / they / are / ?
Ella es mi madre.
1. A boy, 2. A girl, 3. Two people
Someone left ___ umbrella.
Where ___ she from?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesMy neighbor has a dog. ___ often takes it for walks.
My mom is happy. He is singing.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate: '彼らはサッカーをしています。'
Put the words in order:
代名詞と指す相手を組み合わせてね
My friends and I are going to the cinema. ___ want to see the new movie.
Someone left their umbrella. She must be very upset.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate: '彼は赤い車を持っています。'
Order these words:
名前に合う代名詞を選んでね
Score: /12
よくある質問 (8)
Yes! This is called the 'singular they'. It is used when you don't know the person's gender or if they prefer neutral pronouns.
Always say `They are`. Even when referring to one person, the grammar of the word 'they' remains plural.
Don't worry! Most people will understand you from context, but it's good to correct yourself: 'Sorry, I mean she.'
Yes, if the animal is a pet and you know its gender. Otherwise, use `it`.
They make sentences shorter and less repetitive. Instead of saying 'John' five times, you say 'John' once and then 'he'.
Sometimes poets or sailors call ships, cars, or countries `she`, but in daily life, use `it`.
`They` is the subject (the one doing the action), and `them` is the object (the one receiving the action).
Put your tongue between your teeth and make a buzzing sound for the 'th', then add 'ay' like in 'day'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
él, ella, ellos, ellas
English 'they' is gender-neutral.
kare (彼), kanojo (彼女)
English pronouns are mandatory in most sentences.
er, sie, es, sie
English 'they' is distinct from 'she'.
tā (他/她/它)
English has different sounds for he and she.
huwa (هو), hiya (هي)
English uses 'they' for two or two million people.
il, elle, ils, elles
English uses 'they' for mixed-gender groups.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
関連動画
Related Grammar Rules
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