French object pronouns include both direct (me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les, l') and indirect (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) forms.
French object pronouns replace nouns that receive the action of the verb, either directly or indirectly, streamlining sentences and avoiding repetition.
- Direct object pronouns: me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les, l'
- Indirect object pronouns: me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur
Direct Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns replace nouns directly receiving the action of the verb.
| Pronoun | Meaning | Usage Example (before verb) | Replaced Noun |
|---|---|---|---|
| me (m') | me | Il me voit. (He sees me.) | Me/moi |
| te (t') | you (inf.) | Je te regarde. (I watch you.) | You (informal) |
| le (l') | him/it (m.) | Il le mange. (He eats it.) | A masculine noun |
| la (l') | her/it (f.) | Je la connais. (I know her.) | A feminine noun |
| nous | us | Elle nous invite. (She invites us.) | Us |
| vous | you (formal/pl.) | Je vous écoute. (I listen to you.) | You (formal or plural) |
| les | them | Il les prend. (He takes them.) | Plural nouns (m/f) |
- Pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they replace.
- Use l’ before a vowel or mute h.
Direct object pronouns are me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les, l'.
Example:
- Original: Je vois la voiture. (I see the car.)
- With pronoun: Je la vois. (I see it.)
Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect object pronouns replace nouns receiving the action indirectly (usually to/for someone).
| Pronoun | Meaning | Usage Example (before verb) | Replaced Expression |
|---|---|---|---|
| me (m') | to/for me | Il me donne un cadeau. | To/for me |
| te (t') | to/for you | Je te parle. | To/for you (informal) |
| lui | to/for him/her | Elle lui envoie une lettre. | To/for him/her |
| nous | to/for us | Ils nous racontent une histoire. | To/for us |
| vous | to/for you | Je vous explique. | To/for you (formal/pl.) |
| leur | to/for them | Elle leur donne des conseils. | To/for them |
- No gender distinction for lui (singular) and leur (plural).
Indirect object pronouns are me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur.
Example:
- Original: Je donne un cadeau à Marc. (I give a gift to Marc.)
- With pronoun: Je lui donne un cadeau. (I give him a gift.)
Placement of Object Pronouns
- Before a conjugated verb: Je te vois. (I see you.)
- With a compound tense, before the auxiliary: Elle les a vus. (She saw them.)
- With an infinitive, before the infinitive: Je vais le dire. (I’m going to say it.)
- For affirmative commands, attach direct and indirect pronouns with hyphens: Donne-le! (Give it!)
Object pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb in standard sentences.
Summary
French object pronouns replace direct or indirect objects, making sentences more concise:
- Direct: me, te, le/la/l’, nous, vous, les
- Indirect: me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur
- Pronouns precede the verb (or auxiliary), and are attached in affirmative commands.
Exercises
- Replace the direct object with a pronoun: "Marie mange la pomme."
- Use an indirect object pronoun: "Je donne le livre à Paul."
- Identify the object pronoun and its placement: "Nous parlons à nos amis." (future proche)