代名詞の使い方｜英語で名前を繰り返さず自然に話す方法
When speaking English, it sounds unnatural to repeat a person’s name too often.
Instead, we usually use pronouns like he, she, it, they, and we.
Let’s look at how pronouns help us sound more natural.
1. Why We Use Pronouns
Repeating names can make a sentence heavy and strange.
✘ Mary is my friend. Mary is kind. Mary is from Tokyo.
✔ Mary is my friend. She is kind. She is from Tokyo.
The second version is smoother because we replaced Mary with she.
2. Subject Pronouns
These pronouns replace the subject of the sentence.
I - the speaker
You - the person spoken to
He - a man/boy
She - a woman/girl
It - a thing, animal, or idea
We - the speaker plus others
They - people or things in the plural
Examples:
Tom is a student. He is studying English.
My parents live in Osaka. They are very busy.
This book is interesting. It is about history.
3. Object Pronouns
These pronouns replace the object in a sentence.
Me, you, him, her, it, us, them
Examples:
I like Anna. I like her.
Please help me with this homework.
We invited John and Emma. We invited them.
4. Possessive Pronouns
These pronouns show ownership.
My, your, his, her, its, our, their (before a noun)
Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs (used alone)
Examples:
This is my bag.
That pen is hers.
We love our school.
5. More Advanced Ways of Referring to People
As you improve your English, you will see other ways of referring to people. These are more formal or more nuanced than the basic pronouns.
a) “One” - General, Formal, or Polite
The pronoun one can be used to talk about people in general. It is often formal and can sound old-fashioned in everyday conversation.
One should always be polite to strangers.
If one works hard, one will succeed.
Cultural Note: In the UK, the royal family is famous for using one when speaking formally:
“One is delighted to be here today.” (Queen Elizabeth II)
In modern English, most people would simply say “You should always be polite” or “If you work hard, you will succeed.”
Using one can sound distant or overly formal in daily conversation.
b) “They” for Gender-Neutral Reference
English often uses they to talk about a person when the gender is unknown or not specified.
Someone left their umbrella here. I wonder if they will come back for it.
If a student wants to ask a question, they should raise their hand.
This use of they is very common in modern English and is considered polite.
c) Referring to People Indirectly
Sometimes, instead of repeating you/we/they, English speakers use phrases like:
“people” - People say this is a good restaurant.
“everyone” - Everyone should try their best.
“someone” - Someone knocked on the door.
These words make the sentence less direct, which can feel softer or more general.
Cultural Note: Names vs. Pronouns in English and Japanese
In English conversation, it is common to use a person’s name once, then switch to pronouns.
Example: “This is Ken. He is my colleague.”
Repeating Ken in every sentence sounds unnatural.
In Japanese, it is more common to avoid pronouns and repeat the name or title (for example, Tanaka-san).
But in English, overusing a name can sound strange or too formal.
Learning to use pronouns naturally - and knowing when to use words like one or they - will help you sound polite and fluent.
Practice
Choose the correct pronoun or phrase to replace the name(s):
This is Anna. ____ is my teacher.
I know Yuki. Do you know ____?
Ken and Mika are at the station. I’m waiting for ____.
That is my car. It is ____.
Tom and I are friends. ____ like to play football together.
____ should always be careful when crossing the street. (formal, general)
A student forgot ____ homework. I hope ____ remember next time.
Possible answers:
She
her
them
mine
We
One
their / they