Subject pronouns tell you who is doing the action and shape how verbs are conjugated. This short guide goes through each pronoun with quick examples to make the pattern clear.
Key Pronouns
The key subject pronouns are je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, and elles. Each one signals a specific grammatical person and number that determine the verb form.
Je
Je means "I" and is used for the speaker. It triggers first-person singular verb forms, and you sometimes see j' before a vowel.
I speak French with my friends in the evening.
Tu
Tu means "you" (familiar singular) and is used in informal speech. It calls for second-person singular conjugation and appears in conversations with friends, family, or peers.
Il and Elle
Il and elle mean "he" and "she" respectively, and they govern third-person singular verb forms. Use them for people, animals, or things when gender matters.
On
On is a versatile pronoun that often means "we," "people," or "they" in general speech. It takes a third-person singular verb and can give a casual or impersonal tone.
Nous
|
| 🥕 Nous cueillons des carottes. | We pick carrots. | |
|---|---|---|
| 🧃 Nous préparons des jus. | We prepare juices. | |
| 🧻 Nous nettoyons la table. | We clean the table. |
Vous
Vous means "you" (formal singular or plural) and is used for respect or when addressing groups. It requires second-person plural conjugation and appears in polite contexts.
Ils and Elles
Ils and elles mean "they" (masculine or mixed and feminine) and govern third-person plural verb forms. Use ils for groups with any males and elles for all-female groups.
Summary
Subject pronouns identify who does the action and guide verb endings. Learning each pronoun and practicing with simple sentences helps make sentence formation automatic in French.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025