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, 2012–2025
• 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 (pre-reform spelling)
• elles (pre-standardization spelling)
• êlles (obsolete)

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

number	person		nominative (subject)	accusative (direct object)	dative (indirect object)	prepositional	prepositional with com	non-declining
singular	first		eu	me		mim	comigo	—
	second		tu	te		ti	contigo	você o senhor m a senhora f
	third	m	ele	o (lo, no)	lhe	ele	com ele	o mesmo
		f	ela	a (la, na)		ela	com ela	a mesma
plural	first		nós	nos		nós	connosco (Portugal) conosco (Brazil)	a gente
	second		vós	vos		vós	convosco com vós	vocês os senhores m as senhoras f
	third	m	eles	os (los, nos)	lhes	eles	com eles	os mesmos
		f	elas	as (las, nas)		elas	com elas	as mesmas
reflexive third / indefinite			—	se		si	consigo	o mesmo etc. (reflexive)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

eles m

1. plural of ele<id:el

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