Subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence, telling us who is doing the action. In French, they are essential for conjugating verbs correctly and are used in almost every sentence.
- Subject pronouns are the "doers" of the action in a sentence.
- They are necessary for verb conjugation in French.
- They replace noun subjects to avoid repetition.
Subject Pronouns in French
| Pronoun | French | Description |
|---|---|---|
| I | Je | Used for oneself |
| You | Tu | Informal singular "you" |
| He | Il | Used for masculine subjects or "it" (masc.) |
| She | Elle | Used for feminine subjects or "it" (fem.) |
| We | Nous | Used for groups including the speaker |
| You | Vous | Formal/plural "you" |
| They | Ils | Used for masculine or mixed groups |
| They | Elles | Used for feminine groups |
- French subject pronouns must agree in number and gender with the subject.
- "Il" and "Elle" can also mean "it" depending on the context.
Usage in Sentences
Subject pronouns always precede the verb in a sentence:
- Je parle. (I speak.)
- Tu écoutes. (You listen.)
- Il court. (He runs.)
- Elle danse. (She dances.)
- Nous mangeons. (We eat.)
- Vous travaillez. (You work.)
- Ils jouent. (They play - mixed/masculine group.)
- Elles chantent. (They sing - feminine group.)
Summary
- Subject pronouns indicate who performs the action.
- They are essential for verb conjugation.
- French subject pronouns: je, tu, il, elle, nous, vous, ils, elles.
- Pronouns must match the subject in gender and number.
Ils and Elles are the subject pronouns for 'they' in French.
The French subject pronoun for 'we' is 'nous'.
Je (I) and Tu (you - informal singular) are the correct pronouns.
'Vous' is used for both formal singular 'you' and all plural 'you'.
'Nous' (we), 'Vous' (you - plural), and 'Ils' (they - masculine/mixed) are correct.
Subject pronouns replace the subject and are essential for conjugating verbs correctly.