their
Belonging to them
We pronounce their in the same way as there, but the pair behave completely differently in sentences and can never properly substitute for each other.
Their‘s only function is to be a possessive for the third person plural of his, her, and its, or as the possessive form of they: They left with their children about an hour ago.
When their is used after a singular pronoun it is usually to avoid having to say his or her.
Most authorities today find this usage acceptable: Everyone can drive in their own cars.
Their is also used for a single person of unknown gender: Did anyone leave their phone in the locker room?
Human individual
- individualOne separate human being
- someoneUnnamed individual
- anyoneUnspecified person
- everyoneAll people collectively
nonbinary · gender-neutral · pronoun · inclusive · referent · antecedent · usage · grammar
Things you possess
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- ownershipLegal right of possession
- possessionsThings one owns
- assetsOwned items of value
things · stuff · items · goods · effects · estate · holdings · territory
Related people together
- childrenYoung human beings
- parentsMother and father
- friendsVoluntary close relations
- partnersJoint venture participants
spouses · relatives · siblings · colleagues · neighbors · pets · loved ones · households
Individual inner identities
- livesExists or resides
- namesPersonal identifying words
- identitiesWhat makes each unique
- backgroundsWhat lies behind foregrounds
cultures · heritage · traditions · beliefs · values · opinions · views · perspectives
person
Human individual
- individualOne separate human being
- someoneUnnamed individual
- anyoneUnspecified person
everyone · nonbinary · gender-neutral · pronoun · inclusive · referent · antecedent · usage · grammar · singular
belongings
Things you possess
- propertySomething owned or inherent
- ownershipLegal right of possession
- possessionsThings one owns
assets · things · stuff · items · goods · effects · estate · holdings · territory · domain
family
Related people together
partners · spouses · relatives · siblings · colleagues · neighbors · pets · loved ones · households · communities
selves
Individual inner identities
- livesExists or resides
- namesPersonal identifying words
- identitiesWhat makes each unique
backgrounds · cultures · heritage · traditions · beliefs · values · opinions · views · perspectives · experiences
- there isPhrase indicating existence
- there arePhrase stating existence
- there werePast presence indicated
- over thereAt a distance indicated
- there wasPast presence indicated
- hi thereInformal spoken welcome
they, there, them, theirs, themselves, they're, therein, thereof, themself