我 / 你 / 他 / 她 / 它【wǒ / nǐ / tā / tā / tā】

Each personal pronoun has one form for subject and object alike. wǒ我 is "I" and also "me"; tā他 is "he" and also "him".

他, 她 and 它 sound identical

All three are tā. The distinction is written only: tā他 for a man, tā她 for a woman, tā它 for a thing or an animal. In speech, context tells them apart.

它 turns up much less than English "it". When the thing is already clear, the pronoun drops: asked 这个菜好吃吗, you answer 很好吃, with no 它.

您 is the polite 你

nín您, nín, is for a customer, an older person, a teacher. It has no everyday plural: for a group, 你们 is the polite form too.

Plurals add 们

我们, 你们, 他们. A mixed group of men and women takes 他们.

zán men咱们 is a northern alternative to 我们 that always includes the listener. 咱们走吧 means "let's go"; 我们走吧 can mean the speaker's group is leaving without you.

Possession takes 的

There is no separate "my" or "your": add de的 to the pronoun.

With family, close relationships and the groups you belong to, the 的 usually drops: 我妈妈, 你朋友, 我们学校.