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The third-person narrative is narration in the third person. The participants in the narrative are understood to be distinct from the person telling the story and the person to whom, or by whom, it is read.

Third-person narrative is one of three possible modes of narration. The others are first-person narrative, in which the narrative voice is the protagonist of the narrative, referred to in the first person, as I or we, and (rarely) second-person narrative, in which the protagonist is referred to in the second person, as "you". Third person can be omniscient or limited. It depends on how many thoughts you know from each character.

An omniscient narrator, as in more limited third-person forms, is also disembodied; it takes no actions and has no physical form in or out of the story. But, being omniscient, it witnesses all events, even some that no characters witness. The omniscient narrator is privy to all things past, present and future - as well as the thoughts of all characters. As such, an omniscient narrator offers the reader a birds-eye view about the story. The story can focus on any character at any time and on events where there is no character. The third-person omniscient narrator is usually the most reliable narrator; however, the omniscient narrator may offer judgments and express opinions on the behavior of the characters. This was common in the 19th century, as seen in the works of Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy or George Eliot. Some more modern examples are Lemony Snicket and J.K. Rowling. In some unusual cases, the reliability and impartiality of the narrator may be in question.

The author does not enter a single mind, but instead records what can be seen and heard. This type of narrator is like a camera or a fly on the wall. This is used by journalists in articles—it only gives the facts, from one fixed perspective.

• Third-person interpretation
• Third-person limited omniscient