Pronouns

noun
A pronoun is word which replaces a …………
Examples of pronouns in French are je, tu, ils, elles etc;
these are words which replace, for example, Pierre, les chats etc.
The French examples above are subject pronouns. This is
because they are the subject of the sentence – they complete the
action. They usually come before the verb in English and in
French.
Identify the subject pronouns in the sentences below:
1. Je regarde le film.
2. Il a 15 ans.
3. On va à Paris.
4. Nous jouons au golf.
5. Elles sont délicieuses.
 We have identified that the subject of the sentence completes
the action. The object of the sentence has the action done to it.
Je regarde le film.

This is the subject of the sentence

because je is doing the watching.
This is the object of the sentence
because the film is being watched.

Identify the subjects and objects in the sentences below:

1. Je regarde le film. 3. Ils prennent les pulls.

S O S O
2. Elle prend la chemise. 4. Tu achètes les cravates?
S O S O
The subject pronouns in these sentences replace the subject
of the sentence (eg Elle for Ma sœur). It is also possible to
replace the objects of the sentence with an object pronoun.
Je regarde le film.  Je le regarde.
Elle prend la chemise.  Elle la prend.
Ils prennent les pulls.  Ils les prennent.
Tu achètes les cravates?  Tu les achètes?
How would you translate the sentences on the right?
Je le regarde. = I am watching it.
Elle la prend. = She takes it.
Ils les prennent. = They take them.
Tu les achètes? = Are you buying them?
Here are the four sentences again:
Je le regarde.
Elle la prend.
Ils les prennent.
Tu les achètes?
Complete these rules:

When it is the direct object in a sentence …

le
the word for ‘him’ or ‘it’ (when the noun is masculine) is ………….
la
the word for ‘her’ or ‘it’ (when the noun is feminine) is ………….
les
the word for ‘them’ is ………….
Unlike in English, the direct object pronoun in French always
BEFORE the verb.
goes ……………
Here are all direct object pronouns:

me / m’
te / t’
le / l’
la / l’
nous
vous
les
Practice: Complete the sentences with the correct pronoun.
m’ aide.
1. Il …… 1. He is helping me.

t’ aime.
2. Je …… 2. I like you (tu).

l’ adore.
3. Je …… 3. I love her.

le mangent. 4. The cats are eating it (le fromage).

4. Les chats ……

nous aime.
5. Il ……… 5. He likes us.

vous aide.
6. Je ……… 6. I am helping you (vous).

les aide.
7. Je …… 7. I am helping them (les hommes).

les aide.
8. Je …… 8. I am helping them (les femmes).
Translate the following sentences into French.

1. She chooses me. 1. Elle me choisit.

2. My team wins it (la coupe). 2. Mon équipe la gagne.

3. I find you. 3. Je te trouve.

4. He makes it (le gâteau). 4. Il le fait.

5. They see us. 5. Ils nous voient.

6. She asks them. 6. Elle les demandent.

7. I can help you (vous). 7. Je peux vous aider.

8. They want to see them. 8. Ils veulent les voir.

 Here are the last two sentences again.

Je peux vous aider.

Ils veulent les voir.

Complete the rule:

When there is a verb + infinitive, the direct object pronoun...

...goes between the two

Now we will look at object pronouns in the past tense

J’ai vu le film.  Je l’ai vu.

Elle a pris la chemise.  Elle l’a prise.
Ils ont pris les pulls.  Ils les ont pris.
Tu as acheté les cravates? Tu les as achetés?

What do we notice about direct object pronouns in the past tense?

They still come BEFORE the verb
However...
The past participle agrees with the pronoun
Tu les as achetés?
Elle l’a prise.
Indirect object pronouns

Sometimes the object in a sentence is indirect. This is often

shown by using the word ‘to’ in English, and with infinitives
which are followed by ‘à’ in French.

to speak to = parler à Je lui parle = I am speaking to him

to phone = téléphoner à Je lui téléphone = I am phoning her

to give to = donner à Je leur donne le cadeau =

I am giving them the present

Note that we sometimes miss out the word ‘to’ in English; this
must be translated by the indirect object pronoun in French.

Indirect and direct object pronouns are the same, apart from the
‘il/elle’ and ‘ils/elles’ forms.
Extension
The verb ‘to please’ in French is plaire à.
A sophisticated way of saying you like something is by saying
that ‘it pleases to you’.
For example, ‘Cette musique lui plaît’ literally means ‘This music
pleases to him’, but would be translated as …
What does the expression ‘S’il vous plaît’ literally mean?

It is possible to have more than one pronoun in a sentence.

The direct object always comes before the indirect object.
How would you translate ‘Il le leur donne’?