A2 French GrammarObject Pronouns
Use French direct and indirect object pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur) and understand their placement in sentences.
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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 écris | 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 'à + place/thing'. En replaces 'de + thing' or quantities.
Y and En
| Pronoun | Replaces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| y | à + place | J'y vais (I'm going there) |
| y | à + 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 à 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 à ton travail? - Oui, j'y pense.
Are you thinking about your work? - Yes, I'm thinking about it.
y = about it
Practice Exercises
4 exercises
Replace 'the book' (le livre): 'Je lis le livre' → 'Je ___ lis.'
'Je parle à Marie' → 'Je ___ parle.' (I talk to her)
Where does the pronoun go in 'Je vais manger le gâteau'?
What is the difference between 'le' and 'lui'?
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