eles

See also: Appendix:Variations of "eles"

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈe.ləs]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈe.les]

Noun

eles

1. plural of ela
2. (Valencia) plural of ele

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese elles, from Latin illos, from ille (“that”). The dative form is from Latin illīs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈelɪs/

Pronoun

eles m pl (accusative os, dative lles)

1. they

Usage notes

The accusative form os has variant forms los and nos. These alternative forms appear depending on the ending of the preceding word. The form los is used when the preceding word ends in -r or -s. The nos form is used when the preceding word ends in -u or a diphthong. These alternative forms are then suffixed to the preceding word.

The accusative also forms contractions when it immediately follows an indirect object pronoun. For example, Dou che os (“I gave you them”) contracts to Dou chos.

Related terms

• el
• ela
• elas

Further reading

• “el”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024
• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “eles”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “eles”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Middle English

Noun

eles

1. plural of el

Occitan

Etymology

From Old Occitan [Term?], from Latin illōs, from ille.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Languedoc):

  (file)

Pronoun

eles m (feminine elas)

1. they (third-person singular subject pronoun)

Old English

Noun

eles

1. genitive singular of ele

Old French

Etymology

From Latin illās, accusative feminine plural of ille.

Pronoun

eles f

1. they (third-person plural feminine subject pronoun)
2. they (third-person plural feminine stressed object pronoun)

   E nule nef ne put encontre eles durer

   And no boat can withstand being between them

Coordinate terms

• (subject pronoun): il (masculine equivalent)
• (stressed object pronoun): eus (masculine equivalent)

Descendants

• French: elles

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Old Galician-Portuguese elles, from Latin illōs, influenced by the singular form.

Alternative forms

• êles (obsolete)
• êlles (obsolete)
• elles (pre-1911/1943)

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈe.lis/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈe.lis/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈe.liʃ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈe.les/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈe.lɨʃ/

• Hyphenation: e‧les

• Audio (São Paulo):

  (file)

Pronoun

eles m pl

1. masculine third-person plural nominative personal pronoun; they

   Eles andaram até mim.

   They walked towards me.

   • 2003, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix] (Harry Potter; 5), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 449:

     Obviamente eles não podem mais conversar [...]

     Obviously they can't discuss anymore [...]

   • 2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 582:

     Eles sorriram um para o outro.

     They smiled to each other.

   • 2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 588:

     Pensei que eles fossem invisíveis.

     I thought that they were invisible.

2. masculine third-person plural prepositional pronoun; them

   Eu gosto de conversar com eles.

   I enjoy talking to them

3. (Brazil) masculine third-person plural personal pronoun used in all positions; they; them

   Um homem matou eles.

   A man killed them.

Usage notes

The following preposition + eles contractions are mandatory:

• ‎de + ‎eles → ‎deles
• ‎em + ‎eles → ‎neles

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:ele.

See also

Portuguese personal pronouns (edit)
Number	Person	Nominative (subject)		Accusative (direct object)		Dative (indirect object)	Prepositional		Prepositional with com		Non-declining
		m	f	m	f	m and f	m	f	m	f	m	f
Singular	First	eu		me			mim		comigo
	Second	tu		te			ti		contigo		você
											o senhor	a senhora
	Third	ele	ela	o (lo, no)	a (la, na)	lhe	ele	ela	com ele	com ela	o mesmo	a mesma
				se			si		consigo
Plural	First	nós		nos			nós		connosco (Portugal) conosco (Brazil)		a gente
	Second	vós		vos			vós		convosco, com vós		vocês
											os senhores	as senhoras
	Third	eles	elas	os (los, nos)	as (las, nas)	lhes	eles	elas	com eles	com elas	os mesmos	as mesmas
				se			si		consigo
Indefinite				se			si		consigo

Etymology 2

Noun

eles m

1. plural of ele

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeles/ [ˈe.les]
• Rhymes: -eles
• Syllabification: e‧les

Noun

eles f pl

1. plural of ele

Volapük

Article

eles

1. dative plural of el