What does me mean?
Me is the first-person singular object pronoun in English: it normally receives the action or follows a preposition, as in “She called me” or “Come with me.” In standard usage, the subject form is “I,” while “me” is used for the object; constructions such as “Me and my friends went...” are informal or dialectal, though emphatic forms like “Give it to me!” are established in ordinary English. “Me” also appears after comparison words: “She is more patient than me” is common in British usage, while American speakers often prefer “than I am.” The word is old: it comes from Old English mē, the accusative form of the first-person pronoun ic, and related forms survive in Dutch, German, and Icelandic. Although short and familiar, “me” is linguistically revealing because it preserves a grammatical contrast that English otherwise expresses through word order and verb form.
personal pronounThe first-person singular object pronoun in English, used to refer to the speaker when the pronoun is not the subject of a clause. It follows a preposition or serves as the object of a verb or clause.
- Used as the first-person singular object pronoun to refer to the speaker, especially after a preposition or as the object of a verb.
"The old photograph brought back memories that belonged to me."
"The sound of the rain reminded me of my childhood."
"Please send the document to me when you have an opportunity."
Me began life as the object case of “I”—a tiny pronoun with a surprisingly long résumé.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does me come from?
The modern word developed through Middle English from Old English mē, the accusative singular of the first-person pronoun ic, meaning “I.” English inherited this distinction between the subject and object forms of the pronoun. Its Germanic relatives include Dutch mij, German mich, and Icelandic mig, which continue the same accusative paradigm.
Related word forms
How me is actually used
In standard English, “me” normally cannot be the subject of a clause; constructions such as “Me and my friends went out” are informal, regional, or nonstandard. Emphatic constructions such as “Give it to me!” are established usage. In British English, “than me” is commonly accepted, whereas American usage generally favors “than I am.”
Easily confused with me
“I” is the subject form used by the person speaking, whereas “me” is normally the object form.
“Me” refers to the speaker as a person, while “my” indicates possession or association.