THE USE OF FRENCH PRONOUNS

By Calixte Wondje, Ph.D.

THE USE OF FRENCH PRONOUNS

La belle voiture blanche est la mienne.

What is the nature of the word mienne? It’s a French possessive pronoun.

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FRENCH SUBJECT PRONOUNS

French subject pronouns are words such as I, he, she and they in English. They perform the action of the verb when it’s clear who is being talked about.

FRENCH SUBJECT PRONOUNS – JE, J’, NOUS

Je pars en vacances demain. I’m going on holiday tomorrow.

Nous habitons à Nice. We live in Nice.

je changes to j’ in front of words beginning with a vowel, most words beginning with h, and the French word y.

J’arrive! I’m just coming!

Bon, j’y vais. Right, I’m off.

FRENCH SUBJECT PRONOUNS – USE OF TU AND VOUS

In English there is only one way of saying you. In French, there are two words: tu and vous. The word you use depends on:

–you are talking to one person or more than one person.

–you are talking to a friend or family member, or someone else.

If you are talking to one person you know well, such as a friend, a young person or a relative, use tu.

Tu me prêtes ce CD?  Will you lend me this CD?

If you are talking to one person you do not know so well, such as your teacher, your boss or a stranger, use vous.

Vous pouvez entrer.  You may come in.

If you are in doubt as to which form of you to use, it is safest to use vous and you will not offend anybody.

If you are talking to more than one person, you have to use vous, no matter how well you know them.

Vous comprenez, les enfants?  Do you understand, children?

Adjectives you use with tu and vous have to agree in the feminine and plural forms.

Vous êtes certain, Monsieur Leclerc? (masculine singular)  Are you sure, Mr Leclerc?

Vous êtes certains, les enfants? (masculine plural)  Are you sure, children?

Any past participles (the form of the verb ending in -é, -i or -u in French) used with être in tenses such as the perfect also have to agree in the feminine and plural forms.

Vous êtes partie quand, Estelle? (feminine singular) When did you leave, Estelle?

Estelle et Sophie; vous êtes parties quand? (feminine plural)  Estelle and Sophie; when did you leave?

FRENCH SUBJECT PRONOUNS – USE OF ‘IL/ELLE‘, ‘ILS/ELLES‘ AND ‘ON‘

In French, il (meaning he, it) and elle (meaning she, it) are used to talk about a thing, as well as about a person or an animal.

You use il for masculine nouns and elle for feminine nouns.

Il est déjà parti. He’s already left.

Elle est actrice. She’s an actress.

Il mord, ton chien? Does your dog bite?

Prends cette chaise. Elle est plus confortable. Take this chair. It’s more comfortable.

il is also used to talk about the weather, the time and in certain other set phrases, often in the same way as some phrases with it in English.

Il pleut. It’s raining.

Il est deux heures. It’s two o’clock.

Il faut partir. We/You have to go.

Ils (meaning they) and elles (meaning they) are used in the plural to talk about things, as well as about people or animals.

Use ils for masculine nouns and elles for feminine nouns.

Ils vont appeler ce soir.  They’re going to call tonight.

‘Où sont Anne et Rachel?’ – ‘Elles sont à la piscine.’  ‘Where are Anne and Rachel?’ – ‘They’re at the swimming pool.’

‘Est-ce qu’il reste des billets?’ – ‘Non, ils sont tous vendus.’ ‘Are there any tickets left?’ – ‘No, they’re all sold.’

‘Tu aimes ces chaussures?’ – ‘Non, elles sont affreuses!’ ‘Do you like those shoes?’ – ‘No, they’re horrible!’

If you are talking about a masculine and a feminine noun, use ils.

Que font ton père et ta mère quand ils partent en vacances?  What do your father and mother do when they go on holiday?

‘Où sont le poivre et la moutarde?’ – ‘Ils sont déjà sur la table.’ ‘Where are the pepper and the mustard?’ – ‘They’re already on the table.’

On is frequently used in informal, everyday French to mean we.

On va à la plage demain.  We’re going to the beach tomorrow.

On y va?  Shall we go?

on can also have the sense of someone or they.

On m’a volé mon porte-monnaie. Someone has stolen my purse.

On vous demande au téléphone. There’s a phone call for you.

On is often used to avoid a passive construction in French.

On m’a dit que tu étais malade. I was told you were ill.

You can also use on as English uses you to mean people in general.

On peut visiter le château en été.  You can visit the castle in the summer.

D’ici on peut voir les côtes françaises.  From here you can see the French coast.

The form of the verb you use with on is the same as the il/elle form.

FRENCH DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS USAGE

In French, direct object pronouns stand in for nouns when it is clear who or what is being talked about, and save having to repeat the noun.

French object pronouns:

Ils vont nous aider.  They’re going to help us.

Je la vois.  I can see her/it.

Tu aimes les carottes? – Non, je les déteste!  Do you like carrots? – No, I hate them!

You cannot use direct object pronouns after a preposition like à or de, or when you want to emphasize something.

me changes to m’, te to t’, and le/la to l’ in front of words beginning with a vowel, most words beginning with h, and the French word y.

Je t’aime.  I love you.

Tu m’entends?  Can you hear me?

In orders and instructions telling someone to do something, moi is used instead of me, and toi is used instead of te.

Aidez-moi!  Help me!

Assieds-toi.  Sit down.

le is sometimes used to refer back to an idea or information that has already been given. The word it is often missed out in English.

Ta chemise est très sale. – Je le sais.  Your shirt’s very dirty. – I know.

WORD ORDER WITH FRENCH DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS

In French, the direct object pronoun usually comes BEFORE the verb.

Je t’aime.  I love you.

Les voyez-vous?  Can you see them?

Elle ne nous connaît pas.  She doesn’t know us.

In orders and instructions telling someone to do something, the direct object pronoun comes AFTER the verb.

Asseyez-vous.  Sit down.

In tenses like the perfect that are formed with avoir or être and the past participle (the part of the verb that ends in -é, -i or -u in French), the direct object pronoun comes BEFORE the part of the verb that comes from avoir or être.

Il m’a vu.  He saw me.

When a verb like vouloir (meaning to want) or pouvoir (meaning to be able to, can) is followed by another verb in the infinitive (the ‘to’ form of the verb), the direct object pronoun comes BEFORE the infinitive.

Il voudrait la revoir.  He’d like to see her again.

Puis-je vous aider?  Can I help you?

USE OF INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS IN FRENCH

In French, when a verb has two objects (a direct one and an indirect one), the indirect object pronoun is used instead of a noun to show the person or thing the action is intended to benefit or harm.

Example:

me in He gave me a book; Can you get me a towel?

It is important to understand the difference between direct and indirect object pronouns in English, as they can have different forms in French.

An indirect object answers the question who to/for? or to/for what?

He gave me a book. → Who did he give the book to? → me (=indirect object pronoun)

Can you get me a towel? → Who can you get a towel for? → me (=indirect object pronoun)

If something answers the question what or who, then it is the direct object and NOT the indirect object

He gave me a book. → What did he give me? → a book (=direct object)

Can you get me a towel? → What can you get me? → a towel (=direct object)

Here are the French indirect object pronouns:

Il nous écrit tous les jours.  He writes to us every day.

Ils te cachent quelque chose.  They’re hiding something from you.

me changes to m’ and te to t’ in front of words beginning with a vowel, most words beginning with h, and the French word y.

Il m’a donné un livre.  He gave me a book.

Tu m’apportes une serviette?  Can you get me a towel?

French indirect object pronouns can be used instead of the preposition à with a noun.

J’écris à Suzanne. I’m writing to Suzanne. → Je lui écris. I’m writing to her.

Donne du lait au chat. Give the cat some milk. → Donne-lui du lait. Give it some milk.

Some French verbs like demander à (meaning to ask) and téléphoner à (meaning to phone) take an indirect object even though English uses a direct object.

Il leur téléphone tous les soirs.  He phones them every evening.

On the other hand, some French verbs like attendre (to wait for), chercher (to look for) and regarder (to look at) take a direct object even though English uses an indirect object.

Je les attends devant la gare.  I’ll wait for them outside the station.

The indirect object pronoun usually comes BEFORE the verb in French.

Dominique vous écrit une lettre.  Dominique’s writing you a letter.

Il ne nous parle pas.  He doesn’t speak to us.

Il ne veut pas me répondre.  He won’t answer me.

In orders and instructions telling someone to do something, the indirect object pronoun comes AFTER the verb.

Donne-moi ça!  Give me that!

USE OF THE FRENCH EMPHATIC PRONOUNS

Emphatic pronouns are used in the following circumstances.

After a preposition

C’est pour moi?  Is this for me?

For emphasis, especially where a contrast is involved

Toi, tu ressembles à ton père, mais elle non.  You look like your father, she doesn’t.

Il m’énerve, lui!  He’s getting on my nerves!

On their own without a verb

Qui a cassé la fenêtre? – Lui.  Who broke the window? – He did.

Je suis fatiguée. – Moi aussi.  I’m tired. – Me too.

After c’est and ce sont (meaning it is)

C’est toi, Simon?  Is that you, Simon?

Ce sont eux.  It’s them.

In comparisons

Tu es plus jeune que moi.  You’re younger than me.

Il est moins grand que toi. He’s smaller than you (are).

When the subject of the sentence is made up of two pronouns, or of a pronoun and a noun

Mon père et elle ne s’entendent pas.  My father and she don’t get on.

You can add –même or –mêmes to the emphatic pronouns when you particularly want to emphasize something. These forms correspond to English myself, ourselves and so on.

Je l’ai fait moi-même.  I did it myself.

Elle l’a choisi elle-même.  She chose it herself.

THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS IN FRENCH

In French, possessive pronouns are used instead of a noun to show that one person or thing belongs to another.

Example

Ask Carole if this pen is hers.

Here are the French possessive pronouns:

Ces CD-là, ce sont les miens.  Those CDs are mine.

Heureusement que tu as tes clés. J’ai oublié les miennes.  It’s lucky you’ve got your keys. I forgot mine.

In French, possessive pronouns agree with what they describe, NOT with the person who owns that thing.

Example, le sien can mean his or hers, but can only be used to replace a masculine singular noun.

C’est le vélo de Paul? – Oui, c’est le sien.  Is that Paul’s bike? – Yes, it’s his.

C’est le vélo d’Isabelle? – Oui, c’est le sien.  Is that Isabelle’s bike? – Yes, it’s hers.

à with the definite article le becomes au, and à with les becomes aux.

à + le mien → au mien
à + les miens → aux miens
à + les miennes → aux miennes

Tu préfères ce manteau au mien?  Do you prefer this coat to mine?

de with the definite article le becomes du, and de with les becomes des.

de + le mien → du mien

de + les miens → des miens

de + les miennes → des miennes

J’ai oublié mes clés. J’ai besoin des tiennes.  I’ve forgotten my keys. I need yours.

USE THE FRENCH PRONOUN EN

The French pronoun en does not usually refer to people. How it’s translated in English depends on where en is found in French.

en is used with verbs and phrases normally followed by de to avoid repeating the same word.

Si tu as un problème, tu peux m’en parler.  If you’ve got a problem, you can talk to me about it. (en replaces de in parler de quelque chose)

Est-ce que tu peux me prêter ce livre? J’en ai besoin.  Can you lend me that book? I need it. (en replaces de in avoir besoin de quelque chose)

Il a un beau jardin et il en est très fier.  He’s got a beautiful garden and is very proud of it. (en replaces de in être fier de quelque chose)

en can also replace the partitive article (du, de la, de l’, des).

Je n’ai pas d’argent. Tu en as?  I haven’t got any money. Have you got any?

Tu peux me prêter des timbres? – Non, je dois en acheter.  Can you lend me some stamps? – No, I have to buy some.

When en is used with avoir, with il y a or with numbers, it is often not translated in English but can NEVER be missed out in French.

Est-ce que tu as un dictionnaire? – Oui, j’en ai un.

Have you got a dictionary? –  Yes, I’ve got one.

Combien d’élèves y a-t-il dans ta classe? – Il y en a trente.

How many pupils are there in your class? – There are thirty.

J’en veux deux.

I want two (of them).

en usually comes BEFORE the verb.

J’en veux.  I want some.

Elle en a parlé avec lui.  She talked to him about it.

En êtes-vous content?  Are you pleased with it/them?

In orders and instructions telling someone to do something, en comes AFTER the verb and is attached to it with a hyphen (-).

Prenez-en.  Take some.

en comes AFTER other direct or indirect object pronouns.

Donnez-leur-en.  Give them some.

Il m’en a parlé.  He spoke to me about it.

USE THE FRENCH PRONOUN Y

The French pronoun y does not usually refer to people. How it is translated into English depends on where it is found in French.

y is used with verbs and phrases normally followed by à to avoid repeating the same word.

Je pensais à l’examen. – Mais arrête d’y penser!  I was thinking about the exam. – Well, stop thinking about it! (y replaces à in penser à quelque chose)

Je ne m’attendais pas à ça. – Moi, je m’y attendais.  I wasn’t expecting that. – Well, I was expecting it. (y replaces à in s’attendre à quelque chose)

y can also mean there. It can be used to replace phrases that would use prepositions such as dans (in) and sur (on).

Elle y passe tout l’été.  She spends the whole summer there.

Regarde dans le tiroir. Je pense que les clés y sont.  Look in the drawer. I think the keys are in there.

y usually comes BEFORE the verb.

Comment fait-on pour y aller?  How do you get there?

N’y pense plus.  Don’t think about it any more.

In orders and instructions telling someone to do something, y comes AFTER the verb is are attached to it with a hyphen (-).

Restez-y.  Stay there.

y comes AFTER other direct or indirect object pronouns.

Je m’y attendais.  I was expecting it.

USE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRENCH PRONOUN TOGETHER

In English, you can find a direct object pronoun and an indirect object pronoun in the same sentence.

Examples

He gave me (indirect object) them (direct object).

He gave them (direct object) to me (indirect object).

In French, you have to put the indirect and direct object pronouns in a certain order.

Dominique vous l’envoie demain.  Dominique’s sending it to you tomorrow.

Il te les a montrés?  Has he shown them to you?

Je les lui ai lus.  I read them to him/her.

Ne la leur donne pas.  Don’t give it to them.

Elle ne m’en a pas parlé.  She didn’t speak to me about it.

THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS IN FRENCH

In French, an indefinite pronoun is one of a small group of pronouns which are used to refer to people or things in a general way without saying exactly who or what they are.

Here are the most common French indefinite pronouns.

Chacun (masculine singular)/chacune (feminine singular) each, everyone

Nous avons chacun donné dix euros.  We each gave ten euros.

Chacun fait ce qu’il veut.  Everyone does what they like.

Toutes les villas ont chacune leur piscine.  Each villa has its own swimming pool.

personne nobody/no one, anybody/anyone

Il n’y a personne à la maison.  There’s no one at home.

Elle ne veut voir personne.  She doesn’t want to see anybody.

You can use personne on its own to answer a question.

Qui connaît la réponse? Personne.  Who knows the answer? No one.

If the sentence contains a verb you have to use ne with it.

Personne n’est venu. Nobody came.

quelque chose – something, anything

J’ai quelque chose pour toi.  I’ve got something for you.

Avez-vous quelque chose à déclarer?  Do you have anything to declare?

quelqu’un – somebody/someone, anybody/anyone

Il y a quelqu’un à la porte.  There’s someone at the door.

Quelqu’un a vu mon parapluie?  Has anybody seen my umbrella?

rien – nothing, anything

Elle n’a rien dit.  She didn’t say anything.

Rien n’a changé.  Nothing’s changed.

You can use rien on its own to answer a question.

Qu’est-ce tu as acheté? – Rien.  What did you buy? – Nothing.

If the sentence contains a verb you have to use ne with it.

Il n’a rien mangé.  He’s eaten nothing.

tout – everything

Il organise tout.  He’s organizing everything.

Tout va bien?  Is everything OK?

tous (masculine plural)/toutes (feminine plural) – all

Je les connais tous.  I know them all.

Elles sont toutes arrivées?  Are they all here?

You can use quelque chose de/rien de and quelqu’un de/personne de with adjectives if you want to say nothing interesting, something new and so on.

rien d’intéressant  – nothing interesting

Use of the relative pronouns qui and que in French

In French, qui and que can both refer to people or things.

Mon frère, qui a vingt ans, est à l’université.  My brother, who’s twenty, is at university.

Est-ce qu’il y a un bus qui va au centre-ville?  Is there a bus that goes to the town centre?

Les amis que je vois le plus sont Léa et Mehdi.  The friends (that) I see most are Léa and Mehdi.

Voilà la maison que nous voulons acheter.  That’s the house (which) we want to buy.

que changes to qu’ in front of a word beginning with a vowel and most words beginning with h.

qui is also used after a preposition such as à, de or pour to talk about people.

la personne à qui il parle – the person he is speaking to

les enfants pour qui j’ai acheté des bonbons – the children I bought sweets for

In English the object pronouns who, which and that are often missed out.

Examples, one can say both:

the friends that I see most, or

the friends I see most, and

the house which we want to buy, or

the house we want to buy.

In French you can NEVER miss out que or qui in this way.

USE OF THE RELATIVE PRONOUN LEQUEL IN FRENCH

In French, lequel (which) is used after a preposition such as à, de or pour to talk about things. It has to agree with the noun it replaces.

le livre pour lequel elle est connue  –  the book she is famous for

la table sur laquelle j’ai mis mon sac –  the table I put my bag on

à and de combine with the definite article le to become au and du, and with les to become aux and des.

lequel/lesquels/lesquelles combine with à and de as shown.

laquelle doesn’t change.

USE OF THE FRENCH RELATIVE PRONOUN DONT

In French, dont (whose, of whom, of which, about which) is used to refer to people or things, but its form NEVER changes.

La femme dont la voiture est en panne – The woman whose car has broken down

Les films dont tu parles – The films you’re talking about

deux livres, dont l’un est en anglais – One of which is in English

Il y avait plusieurs personnes, dont Gabrielle.  There were several people, among them Gabrielle.

USE OF THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN CE

In French, ce is usually used with the verb être (to be) in the expressions c’est (it’s, that’s), c’était (it was, that was), ce sont (it’s, that’s) and so on.

C’est moi.  It’s me.

C’était mon frère.  That was my brother.

Ce sont eux.  It’s them.

ce becomes c’ when it is followed by a part of the verb that starts with e or é.

C’était mon frère.  That was my brother.

ce becomes ç’ when it is followed by a part of the verb that starts with a.

Ç’a été difficile.  It was difficult.

Note that after c’est and ce sont and so on you have to use the emphatic form of the pronoun.

Examples: moi instead of je;  eux instead of ils and so on.

C’est moi.  It’s me.

ce is used:

with a noun or a question word to identify a person or thing.

Qui est-ce?  Who is it?  Who’s this/that?

Ce sont des professeurs.  They’re teachers.

Qu’est-ce que c’est?  What’s this/that?

C’est un ouvre-boîte.  It’s a tin-opener.

With an adjective to refer to a statement, idea and so on that cannot be classed as either masculine or feminine

C’est très intéressant.  That’s/It’s very interesting.

C’est dangereux.  That’s/It’s dangerous.

Ce n’est pas grave.  It doesn’t matter.

For emphasis

C’est moi qui ai téléphoné.  It was me who phoned.

Ce sont les enfants qui ont fait le gâteau.  It was the children who made the cake.

USE OF THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS CELA, ÇA AND CECI

In French, cela and ça mean it, this or that. Both refer to a statement, an idea or an object. ça is used instead of cela in everyday, informal French.

Ça ne fait rien.  It doesn’t matter.

Écoute-moi ça!  Listen to this!

Cela dépend.  That/It depends.

Je n’aime pas cela.  I don’t like that.

Donne-moi ça!  Give me that!

ça and cela are used in a more general way than il and elle, which are usually linked to a noun that has already been mentioned.

Alors, ma nouvelle voiture, elle te plaît?  So, do you like my new car?

Ça te plaît d’aller à l’étranger?  Do you like going abroad?

ceci means this and is not as common as cela and ça. It is used to talk about something that has not yet been mentioned.

Lisez ceci.  Read this.

ceci is also used to hand or show someone something.

Prends ceci. Tu en auras besoin.  Take this. You’ll need it.

USE OF THE FRENCH DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN CELUI

In French, celui and celle mean the one; ceux and celles mean the ones. The form you choose depends on whether the noun it is replacing is masculine or feminine, and singular or plural.

Celui and its other forms are used before qui, que or dont.

Quelle robe préférez-vous? – Celle qui est en vitrine.  Which dress do you like best? – The one in the window.

Prends ceux que tu préfères.  Take the ones you like best.

Celui dont je t’ai parlé.  The one I told you about.

Celui qui est proche de la Fontaine.  The one near the fountain.

Celui and its other forms can be used with de to show who something belongs to. In English, we would use ‘s.

Je n’ai pas d’appareil photo, mais je peux emprunter celui de ma sœur.  I haven’t got a camera but I can borrow my sister’s.

Comparez vos réponses à celles de votre voisin.  Compare your answers with your neighbour’s.

You can add the endings –ci and –là to celui and its other forms to emphasize the difference between something that is close to you and something that is further away.

use –ci for something that is closer to you.

use –là for something that is further away.

On prend quel fromage? Celui-ci ou celui-là?  Which cheese shall we get? This one or that one?

Ces chemises ont deux poches mais celles-là n’en ont pas.  These shirts have two pockets but those have none.