de ellos
Lemma Details
Translation: of them; their; from them
Part of Speech: prepositional pronoun
Etymology: This prepositional phrase combines 'de' (from Latin 'de' meaning 'from, concerning') with 'ellos' (the masculine plural third-person pronoun derived from Latin 'illos'). The construction parallels the English 'of them' but is used more extensively in Spanish to indicate possession.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'de' as 'of' and 'ellos' as 'them' to remember 'of them'
- The 'de ellos' construction is like saying 'belonging to them' in English
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, possessive relationships are often expressed using 'de' + pronoun rather than possessive adjectives, especially when emphasizing ownership or when the possessed item appears first in the sentence.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'de ellos' and 'su' can both translate to 'their', 'su' is a possessive adjective that comes before the noun, while 'de ellos' is a prepositional phrase that typically follows the noun. 'Su' can be ambiguous (their, his, her, your formal), while 'de ellos' specifically means 'of them' (masculine or mixed group).
Confused word:
Su libro está en la mesa.
Their book is on the table.
Notes: In cases of ambiguity, Spanish speakers often prefer 'de ellos' over 'su' to clarify whose possession is being referenced.
Mnemonic: Think of 'de ellos' as emphasizing 'THEIR book' (not someone else's), while 'su' is more neutral.
Explanation: 'De ellos' refers to a masculine or mixed group, while 'de ellas' refers specifically to a feminine group.
This word:
El proyecto de ellos fue exitoso.
Their project was successful (referring to men or mixed group).
Confused word:
El proyecto de ellas fue exitoso.
Their project was successful (referring to women only).
Notes: Spanish requires gender agreement in pronouns, unlike English where 'their' is used regardless of gender.
Mnemonic: Remember that 'ellos' ends in 'os' like 'boys', while 'ellas' ends in 'as' like 'girls'.