Pronoun combinations show how French attaches and orders pronouns around verbs, shaping meaning and emphasis. This guide covers the main types and typical sequences.
Clitic Pronouns
Clitic pronouns are small unstressed pronouns that attach to a verb and must appear in a specific order when combined. They include direct and indirect pronouns, as well as reflexive, partitive, and others.
Order of Clitic Pronouns
When multiple clitics appear, they follow a fixed sequence that learners should memorize to sound natural. The typical order is: reflexive pronouns, then indirect, then direct, then pronouns like en and y.
| Position | Clitic Pronoun Type | French Pronouns | English Role | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reflexive | me / te / se / nous / vous | Reflexive / reciprocal | |
| 2 | Indirect | lui / leur | Indirect object | |
| 3 | Direct | le / la / les | Direct object | |
| 4 | Partitive / Quantitative | en | Partitive / quantity | |
| 5 | Locative | y | Place / thing |
Examples
he gives to me
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns show that the subject performs an action on itself and appear as clitics before the verb or attached in certain forms. They also determine the order when combined with other pronouns.
Double Object Pronouns
Double object pronouns occur when both an indirect and a direct pronoun replace two different objects in the same sentence. The indirect pronoun (like lui or leur) normally comes first, followed by the direct pronoun le, la, les.
Imperative Forms
In affirmative commands, pronouns attach to the verb with hyphens and the order changes: direct pronouns come before indirect pronouns, and me/te become m’/t’ and switch to negative form if needed. In negative commands, pronouns revert to the usual clitic order before the verb.
En and Y
En and y are special pronouns that replace phrases introduced by de (or quantities) and à (or places/things) respectively. They usually come last in clitic sequences and affect meaning by shortening repeated expressions.
Summary
Pronoun combinations follow set orders that depend on whether the sentence is affirmative, negative, or infinitive, and on the types of pronouns involved. Mastering these small forms makes speech more fluent and concise.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025