we

we — 代名詞

1. the word a speaker chooses for a group that contains both themselves and one or

1.代名詞A1
釋義

我們

說話者加上至少一位他人的群體

the word a speaker chooses for a group that contains both themselves and one or more companions; it stands before a verb and points to that whole group.

例句

Mert and I are cousins, so we spent every summer at our grandmother's farm.

Mert 跟我是表兄弟，所以我們每年夏天都在外婆的農場度過。

we as subject after named group members

Ava called from the airport to say she and Yan had landed, so we drove out to meet them.

Ava 從機場打電話來，說她和 Yan 已經落地了，於是我們開車去接他們。

we including speaker plus listener

同義詞
  • us

    object form of the same pronoun, used after verbs and prepositions

  • ourselves

    reflexive form, used when the subject and object are the same group

反義詞
  • they

    third-person plural for a group that does not include the speaker

  • I

    first-person singular for the speaker alone

文法句型

we + verb

we + are/were + adjective

用法筆記

Subject form only; the object form is 'us' and the possessive is 'our' or 'ours'. Always takes a plural verb (we are, we have), even when the group is just two people.

常見錯誤

❌Me and Tom we went home.
✅Tom and I went home.
💡don't double the subject; choose one between the noun phrase and 'we'.
❌We is ready.
✅We are ready.
💡'we' always pairs with a plural verb, never 'is' or 'has'.

2. the word a teacher, writer, or presenter uses to include the audience together w

2.代名詞B1
釋義

我們；咱們

把讀者或聽眾一起拉進思考的我們

the word a teacher, writer, or presenter uses to include the audience together with themselves, so that everyone feels they are working through an idea as one group.

例句

In this chapter, we will examine why the Roman bridge in Anong's village has stood for two thousand years.

在本章中，我們將一起探討為什麼 Anong 村裡那座羅馬橋能屹立兩千年。

we in academic writing including the reader

Mr Pim tapped the whiteboard: "Before moving on, let us recall the causes of the French Revolution."

Pim 老師敲了敲白板：「在我們繼續之前，讓我們先回想一下法國大革命的成因。」

let us / we pairing in classroom prose

同義詞
  • you and I

    more conversational equivalent in spoken classrooms

  • let us

    stronger invitation form, often shortened to 'let's'

文法句型

we + verb (in lectures, articles, books)

用法筆記

Common in textbooks, lectures, science articles, and TV documentaries. Distinguish from sense 1: here the listener or reader has not actually been doing anything, but the speaker pulls them into a shared mental journey.

常見錯誤

❌In the next chapter, we will look at the data.' written in a personal blog post about your own holiday.
✅In the next post, I will look at the data.
💡use this 'we' for genuine teaching contexts, not for solo personal writing.

3. the word used to mean human beings as a whole or a wide community such as a coun

3.代名詞B2
釋義

人類；我們

泛指全人類或某個大群體

the word used to mean human beings as a whole or a wide community such as a country or generation, when the speaker counts themselves as one ordinary member of that big group.

例句

If we keep dumping plastic into the ocean, future generations will inherit a poisoned planet.

如果我們繼續把塑膠倒進海洋，未來世代將會繼承一個被毒化的星球。

we = humanity

We tend to remember bright colours more easily than dull ones, which is why warning signs are usually red.

我們人類比較容易記住鮮豔的顏色，而不是暗淡的色調，這也是警告標誌通常做成紅色的原因。

we for general human behaviour

同義詞
  • people

    more neutral; does not signal that the speaker is a member

  • one

    very formal generic pronoun, common in older British prose

  • humans

    explicit when the contrast is with animals or machines

反義詞
  • they

    marks an outsider group the speaker does not belong to

文法句型

we + verb (general truth)

用法筆記

The reference group is left vague on purpose — humans, citizens of one country, or one age group. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'we' points to a specific small set of people the listener can name.

常見錯誤

❌We Taiwanese, we eat rice every day, the Americans they eat bread.
✅In Taiwan, we eat rice every day, while in the United States, people more often eat bread.
💡keep one clean subject; do not stack the noun and 'we'.

4. a warm, slightly playful 'we' that actually points at the listener alone — typic

4.代名詞B2
釋義

你；你們

醫護或長輩對小孩、病人說話時用的親切代稱

a warm, slightly playful 'we' that actually points at the listener alone — typical of nurses, parents, and teachers who want to sound encouraging rather than commanding.

例句

The nurse smiled at Tamar and asked, "And how are we feeling this morning, dear?"

護理師對 Tamar 微笑著問：「親愛的，我們今天早上感覺怎麼樣呀？」

hospital register: nurse addressing patient

"Have we finished our vegetables?" Ravindra's grandmother asked, peering at the toddler's plate.

Ravindra 的奶奶看著小孫子的盤子問：「我們把青菜吃完了嗎？」

addressing a small child as 'we'

同義詞
  • you

    the literal meaning; choose this in neutral or formal speech

文法句型

we + verb (spoken to one listener)

用法筆記

Mostly heard in care settings and conversations with very young children; some adults find it patronising when used on them. The verb still takes the plural form (we are, we have) even though only one person is meant.

常見錯誤

❌A boss saying to a thirty-year-old colleague, "And how are we doing on the report?
✅How are you doing on the report?
💡among adult equals this 'we' can sound condescending; switch to 'you'.

5. an old, ceremonial way for a single king, queen, or pope to refer to themselves,

5.代名詞C1
釋義

朕；本王

君主在正式場合用來自稱的尊稱

an old, ceremonial way for a single king, queen, or pope to refer to themselves, treating the office as bigger than the one person who holds it; sometimes called the royal 'we'.

例句

Standing on the palace balcony, the queen declared, "We are not amused by the latest scandal in our court."

女王站在王宮陽台上宣告：「對於朝廷最近的醜聞，朕並不感到有趣。」

classic royal speech opening

In his Christmas message, the king began, "We send our warmest greetings to every household in the kingdom."

在聖誕文告中，國王開頭說道：「朕在此向王國中的每一戶人家獻上最誠摯的祝福。」

ceremonial broadcast register

同義詞
  • I

    the modern, plain alternative for any speaker who is not a monarch

文法句型

we + verb (used by a single sovereign)

用法筆記

Today this use is mainly historical or ceremonial; modern monarchs more often say 'I' in casual interviews. Distinguish from sense 2 (which includes the audience) — the royal 'we' deliberately excludes everyone except the speaker.

常見錯誤

❌A school principal at assembly saying, "We have decided to ban mobile phones.
✅I have decided to ban mobile phones," or "The school has decided…
💡outside actual royalty, the royal 'we' sounds pompous and is often mocked.