them

IPA/ðem/

KK[ðˈɛm]IPA/ðem/

1.determiner

Definition

a non-standard spoken form of 'those', used in many regional dialects of English to point to specific people or things that are not close to the speaker

Example

Rachid told the shopkeeper he wanted to buy them apples on the wooden counter.

non-standard determiner: them + noun for 'those + noun'

Élise picked up them heavy boxes from the garage and carried them to the truck.

Synonyms

those
the standard form; appropriate in all registers

Grammar Patterns

them + noun phrase (dialectal for 'those + noun')

Usage Note

This usage is not standard English. It occurs in working-class British dialects, some American regional speech, and other non-standard varieties. Never use in formal or academic writing — replace with 'those'.

Common Mistakes

Please hand me them books on the shelf.

Please hand me those books on the shelf.

'them' as a determiner is non-standard; use 'those' in standard English.

IPA/ðəm/

KK[ðˈɛm]IPA/ðəm/

1.pronounA1

Definition

the form of 'they' that serves as the grammatical object of a sentence — placed right after an action word like 'see', 'help', or 'call', or a linking word like 'for', 'to', or 'with', to point back to a group of people or things mentioned earlier

Example

Jin invited Ritu to join them for dinner at the new Burmese place.

verb + object pronoun: invited + them

Christopher found the lost classroom keys and handed them to the caretaker.

Common collocations

help them
tell them
see them
call them
for them
with them

Grammar Patterns

verb + them

preposition + them

be + them

Usage Note

The object form of 'they'. Use after transitive verbs (help them, see them, call them), after prepositions (to them, for them, with them, about them), and after the verb 'be' in standard English (It was them at the door). Never use as a sentence subject — that requires 'they'.

Common Mistakes

Me and them went to the cinema.

They and I went to the cinema.

'Them' cannot be the subject of a sentence; use 'they' instead.

Give it to they.

Give it to them.

Use 'them' after prepositions, not 'they'.

2.pronounA2

Definition

the object form of 'they' when it points to a single person whose gender the speaker does not know, has not stated, or considers unimportant — commonly following words like 'someone', 'anyone', or 'a person'

Example

Apologise to customers who call about late delivery and offer them a refund code.

singular 'them' for a person of unknown gender in a service context

When a passenger reported a missing suitcase, the station staff helped them fill out a form.

singular 'them' after 'help' (unknown gender)

Common collocations

someone ... them
anyone ... them
a person ... them
the caller ... them

Synonyms

him or her
more formal and explicit about both gender options; less common in modern usage
that person
emphasises the individual; useful in formal writing

Grammar Patterns

verb + them (singular)

someone / anyone / a person + singular them

Usage Note

In modern English, using 'them' to refer to a single person of unknown gender is widely accepted in both speech and writing. Major style guides (APA, Chicago, MLA, Oxford) endorse this usage. Common antecedents include 'someone', 'anyone', 'nobody', 'everyone', 'a person', 'the customer', 'the winner'.

Common Mistakes

If someone calls, tell they to call back.

If someone calls, tell them to call back.

Even when singular, use 'them' as the object form, not 'they'.

3.pronounB1

Definition

the object pronoun for a person whose identity is outside the male-female binary — applied when that person has indicated that 'they/them' are their pronouns and does not wish to be called 'him' or 'her'

Example

Esme uses they/them pronouns, so refer to them by name or use 'they'.

non-binary referent: uses they/them pronouns

Yael shared their thoughts on the project, and the team listened to them.

Common collocations

they/them pronouns
refer to them
ask them

Synonyms

that person
a neutral alternative; useful when the singular-they pronoun might cause confusion

Grammar Patterns

verb + them (singular, non-binary referent)

pronouns: they/them

Usage Note

Used to respect a person who identifies as non-binary. The individual may specify 'they/them' as their pronouns. This usage is increasingly standard in professional, academic, and social settings. When in doubt about someone's pronouns, use their name or ask politely.

Common Mistakes

My friend is non-binary, so I always refer to him using they pronouns.

My friend is non-binary, so I always refer to them using they pronouns.

Use 'them' consistently, not gendered pronouns like 'him' or 'her'.

Idioms

us and them

idiom

a way of describing a situation where two groups feel separated from each other, often with a lack of understanding or trust between them

There has always been a sense of us and them between the factory workers and the management team.

When the school merged with a college across town, a strong us-and-them attitude developed among the students on both sides.

Word family

they
pronounA1
their
determinerA1
theirs
pronounA2
themselves
pronounA2
themself
pronounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: determiner/1

Them and those are both used to point to specific things, but they belong to different levels of English. Those is the standard determiner — correct in every situation from casual conversation to academic writing. Them as a determiner ('them apples', 'them boxes') is a non-standard form found in many regional dialects, including working-class British English, some American Southern and Appalachian speech, and certain Irish and Scottish dialects. While them-as-determiner is natural in these dialect contexts, learners should use those in all standard English situations. For example: 'Please pass me those blue folders' (standard) versus 'Please pass me them blue folders' (dialectal, non-standard).

them ↗those ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

all of them
some of them
most of them
both of them
each of them
every one of them

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishOld NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'them' comes from Old English 'þǣm', which was the dative (indirect object) case of the demonstrative pronoun 'sē' ('the' or 'that'). During the Middle English period, the Old English form 'hem' (from 'him' dative plural) was gradually replaced by 'þēm' or 'them', influenced by Old Norse 'þeim' from Viking settlements in northern England. This Norse influence explains why English has 'they/them/their' (with 'th-') while other Germanic languages like German have 'sie/ihnen/ihr'.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective

Entries near

Previous entries

Next entries

them

them — determiner

1. a non-standard spoken form of 'those', used in many regional dialects of English

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

them — pronoun

1. the form of 'they' that serves as the grammatical object of a sentence — placed

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. the object form of 'they' when it points to a single person whose gender the spe

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. the object pronoun for a person whose identity is outside the male-female binary

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

us and them

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near