tāmen: 他们 - They, Them

• Keywords: tāmen, tamen, 他们, Chinese pronoun they, Chinese for them, what does tamen mean, how to say they in Chinese, third-person plural pronoun Chinese, 他们 vs 她们 vs 它们, Chinese grammar, HSK 1
• Summary: “他们” (tāmen) is the most common and essential way to say “they” or “them” in Mandarin Chinese. As a fundamental HSK 1 pronoun, it refers to a group of people and serves as the default for any mixed-gender group. Understanding the difference between a written 他们, 她们, and 它们, which all sound identical, is a key step for any beginner learning Chinese grammar.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tāmen
• Part of Speech: Pronoun (third-person plural)
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: “They” or “them,” referring to a group of people.
• In a Nutshell: “他们” is the default third-person plural pronoun in Chinese. It's constructed logically by taking the singular pronoun for “he” (他, tā) and adding the plural suffix “们” (men). If you're talking about a group of people and aren't sure which pronoun to use, “他们” is almost always the correct and safe choice.

• 他 (tā): This character means “he” or “him.” It's composed of the “person” radical `亻` (rén) on the left and `也` (yě) on the right, which primarily provides the phonetic sound. The combination signifies “another person.”
• 们 (men): This is a crucial suffix that indicates a plural for pronouns or nouns that refer to people. It's also made of the “person” radical `亻` (rén) and the character for “gate” `门` (mén), which again provides the sound. Think of it as the “-s” for people in Chinese.

Combining “he” (他) with the plural marker (们) logically creates the word for “they/them” (他们).

The story of “他们” reflects a fascinating linguistic and cultural shift in modern China. Historically, the character `他` was gender-neutral, used for “he,” “she,” or “it,” much like “he” was sometimes used generically in older English. In the early 20th century, influenced by Western languages that have distinct gendered pronouns, Chinese linguists created `她` (tā) for “she” and popularized `它` (tā) for “it.” This led to the creation of the corresponding plurals: `她们` (for all-female groups) and `它们` (for animals/objects). However, `他们` retained its power as the default and dominant form. In modern Chinese culture, `他们` is always used for a mixed-gender group. There is no concept of a “gender-neutral” written plural pronoun like the singular “they” in English; `他们` simply fills that role by default. Furthermore, it's very common in informal and even some formal writing to see `他们` used to refer to an all-female group, highlighting its status as the primary, overarching term for “they.” This differs from Western culture, where specifying gender is often more rigid.

“他们” is a high-frequency word used constantly in daily life, from casual chats to formal speeches.

• Referring to a Mixed-Gender Group: This is its most common and grammatically required usage. If a group contains even one male, you must use `他们`.
• Referring to a General/Unspecified Group: Much like saying “they say…” in English, `他们` can refer to people in general or an unspecified authority. For example, “他们说台风要来了” (They say a typhoon is coming).
• Informal Default: In text messages, on social media, or in quick notes, many people use `他们` for any group of people, including all-female groups, simply because it's faster to type and universally understood. The distinction with `她们` is more of a formal writing convention.

• Example 1:
  • 他们是我的同学。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen shì wǒ de tóngxué.
  • English: They are my classmates.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence where 他们 is the subject. This is one of the first sentences a beginner will learn.
• Example 2:
  • 你认识他们吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ rènshi tāmen ma?
  • English: Do you know them?
  • Analysis: Here, 他们 is the object of the verb “认识” (rènshi - to know).
• Example 3:
  • 他们正在开会，请小声一点。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen zhèngzài kāihuì, qǐng xiǎo shēng yīdiǎn.
  • English: They are having a meeting, please be a little quieter.
  • Analysis: This example shows 他们 in a sentence describing an ongoing action using `正在` (zhèngzài).
• Example 4:
  • 这是他们的公司。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì tāmen de gōngsī.
  • English: This is their company.
  • Analysis: The particle `的` (de) is added after 他们 to show possession, creating “their.”
• Example 5:
  • 老师让他们明天交作业。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī ràng tāmen míngtiān jiāo zuòyè.
  • English: The teacher told them to hand in the homework tomorrow.
  • Analysis: 他们 functions as the object of the verb `让` (ràng), which here means “to make” or “to let” someone do something.
• Example 6:
  • 我不想和他们一起去。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng hé tāmen yīqǐ qù.
  • English: I don't want to go with them.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the structure `和 (hé) … 一起 (yīqǐ)`, meaning “together with…”. 他们 is the object of the preposition `和`.
• Example 7:
  • 他们都同意这个计划。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen dōu tóngyì zhège jìhuà.
  • English: They all agree with this plan.
  • Analysis: The adverb `都` (dōu), meaning “all” or “both,” is often placed after a plural subject like 他们.
• Example 8:
  • 不管他们说什么，我都会支持你。
  • Pinyin: Bùguǎn tāmen shuō shénme, wǒ dūhuì zhīchí nǐ.
  • English: No matter what they say, I will support you.
  • Analysis: This shows 他们 within a more complex sentence structure, `不管…都…` (bùguǎn…dōu… - no matter what…).
• Example 9:
  • 他们俩是最好的朋友。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen liǎ shì zuì hǎo de péngyǒu.
  • English: The two of them are best friends.
  • Analysis: `俩` (liǎ) is a colloquial term for “two” that can be attached directly to 他们, meaning “the two of them.” This is a very native-sounding expression.
• Example 10:
  • 小明和他的父母来了，他们看起来很高兴。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎomíng hé tā de fùmǔ láile, tāmen kàn qǐlái hěn gāoxìng.
  • English: Xiao Ming and his parents came, they look very happy.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 他们 is used to refer back to a previously mentioned mixed-gender group (Xiao Ming and his parents).

The biggest pitfall for learners is the difference between the three written forms of “tāmen,” which are indistinguishable in spoken conversation.

• `他们` vs. `她们` vs. `它们`
  • 他们 (tāmen): Use for groups of all males OR mixed-gender groups. This is the default.
  • 她们 (tāmen): Use ONLY for groups of all females.
  • 它们 (tāmen): Use for groups of animals or inanimate objects.
• Common Mistake 1: Using `她们` for a mixed group.
  • Incorrect: 张老师 (Mr. Zhang) 和李老师 (Ms. Li) 来了。她们来了。(Mr. and Ms. Li are here. They (female) are here.)
  • Correct: 张老师和李老师来了。他们来了。
  • Reason: Because the group includes a male, you must use `他们` in writing.
• Common Mistake 2: Using `他们` for objects.
  • Incorrect (in writing): 我的书在哪里？我找不到他们了。(Where are my books? I can't find them.)
  • Correct (in writing): 我的书在哪里？我找不到它们了。
  • Reason: Books are inanimate objects, so `它们` is the correct written form. In speech, this mistake is impossible to make.
• Common Mistake 3: Overusing the plural marker `们`.
  • Incorrect: `*`桌子们 (zhuōzimen), `*`狗们 (gǒumen).
  • Reason: The suffix `们` is generally restricted to pronouns and nouns for people (e.g., `老师们` - lǎoshīmen, `朋友们` - péngyǒumen). For objects and animals, you use measure words or other quantifiers like `些` (xiē - some) or `很多` (hěnduō - many).

• 他 (tā) - The singular form, “he/him.” The building block of `他们`.
• 她 (tā) - The singular female form, “she/her.”
• 它 (tā) - The singular form for animals and objects, “it.”
• 她们 (tāmen) - The direct counterpart to `他们`, used for all-female groups (“they/them”).
• 它们 (tāmen) - The direct counterpart for all-animal or all-object groups (“they/them”).
• 我们 (wǒmen) - The first-person plural, “we/us.” Follows the same `pronoun + 们` structure.
• 你们 (nǐmen) - The second-person plural, “you (all).” Follows the same `pronoun + 们` structure.
• 大家 (dàjiā) - “Everybody” or “everyone.” A common, more inclusive way to address a group.
• 别人 (biérén) - “Other people,” “others.” Used when referring to people outside of a specific group.
• 人家 (rénjiā) - A colloquial term that can mean “they,” “other people,” or even “I” depending on context. More advanced and nuanced.