A2 French GrammarObject Pronouns
Use French direct and indirect object pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur) and understand their placement in sentences.
1Direct Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns replace nouns that receive the action directly. They go before the verb.
Direct Object Pronouns
| Person | Pronoun | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg | me | Il me voit | He sees me |
| 2nd sg | te | Je te connais | I know you |
| 3rd sg m | le | Je le mange | I eat it |
| 3rd sg f | la | Je la vois | I see her/it |
| 3rd pl | les | Je les aime | I love them |
Examples
Je le connais bien.
I know him well.
le = him
Elle la regarde.
She's watching her/it.
la = her/it (f.)
Tu les vois?
Do you see them?
les = them
Il m'aime.
He loves me.
me → m' before vowel
2Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect object pronouns replace 'to/for someone'. They also go before the verb.
Indirect Object Pronouns
| Person | Pronoun | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg | me | Il me parle | He talks to me |
| 2nd sg | te | Je te donne | I give to you |
| 3rd sg | lui | Je lui parle | I talk to him/her |
| 3rd pl | leur | Je leur Ă©cris | I write to them |
Examples
Je lui téléphone.
I'm calling him/her.
lui = to him/her
Elle leur parle.
She's talking to them.
leur = to them
Tu me donnes le livre?
Are you giving me the book?
me = to me
Je lui ai dit la vérité.
I told him/her the truth.
lui in passé composé
3Pronoun Placement
Pronouns go before the conjugated verb, or before the infinitive when there is one.
Placement Rules
| Structure | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Before verb | Je le vois | I see him |
| Before auxiliary | Je l'ai vu | I saw him |
| Before infinitive | Je veux le voir | I want to see him |
| After imperative (+) | Regarde-le! | Look at him! |
Examples
Je vais le faire.
I'm going to do it.
before infinitive
Je l'ai rencontré hier.
I met him yesterday.
before auxiliary avoir
Donne-le-moi!
Give it to me!
after affirmative imperative
Ne le fais pas!
Don't do it!
before verb in negative
4Y and En
Y replaces 'Ă + place/thing'. En replaces 'de + thing' or quantities.
Y and En
| Pronoun | Replaces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| y | Ă + place | J'y vais (I'm going there) |
| y | Ă + thing | J'y pense (I think about it) |
| en | de + thing | J'en parle (I talk about it) |
| en | quantity | J'en veux trois (I want three of them) |
Examples
Tu vas Ă Paris? - Oui, j'y vais.
Are you going to Paris? - Yes, I'm going there.
y = there
Tu veux du café? - Oui, j'en veux.
Do you want coffee? - Yes, I want some.
en = some
Combien de frères as-tu? - J'en ai deux.
How many brothers do you have? - I have two.
en with quantity
Tu penses Ă ton travail? - Oui, j'y pense.
Are you thinking about your work? - Yes, I'm thinking about it.
y = about it