them | TKG English Learner's Dictionary

thempronoun

American /ðɛm/ British /ðem/

very commondefining vocabulary

people or thingsused as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to two or more people or things already mentioned or clear from context
Them is the object form; the subject form is they.
- I called them this morning.
- We invited them to the party.
- Can you help them with their bags?
- The books are on the shelf; put them back after reading.
any genderused as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a single person whose sex is not stated or not known, or who is neither male nor female
This matches the singular use of the subject form they (see they, sense 2): if anyone calls, tell them I'll be back soon.
- If anyone calls, tell them I'll be back soon.
- Someone forgot their phone, so I texted them about it.

Word family

they (the subject form)
their (the possessive, before a noun)
theirs (the independent possessive)
themselves

Usage

The singular use of them (sense 2) matches singular they; it is now the standard neutral choice both when a person's sex is unstated or unknown and for a person who identifies outside male and female.

Common mistakes

I gave they the book. I gave them the book.
They is the subject form; here the object form them is needed, as the indirect object of gave.

For translators

Grammar trap English pronouns change form for subject, object, and possessive (they, them, their/theirs); many languages use one form for all three.