Personal pronouns - Object pronouns

• 1 Direct object pronouns • 2 Indirect object pronouns

1 Direct object pronouns

1.1 Definition

A direct object pronoun is one which takes the place of a direct object noun, that is to say a noun which experiences the direct action of a verb . The direct object pronouns in French are:

Table 37.1.1a: Direct object pronouns
French	English
me	me
te	you
le	him / it
la	her / it
nous	us
vous	you
les	them

1.2 Placement

Unlike in English, direct object pronouns come before the verb in a simple tense :

Je connais Marie depuis cinq ans → Je la connais depuis cinq ans

I've known Marie / her for five years

Or before the auxiliary verb avoir or être in a compound tense :

J'ai prêté le livre à Paul → Je l'ai prêté à Paul

I lent the book / it to my sister

More examples

Multichoice test

Type-in test

2 Indirect object pronouns

2.1 Definition

An indirect object pronoun is one which takes the place of an indirect object noun, i.e. the beneficiary of the action of a verb and its direct object . In French indirect object nouns are usually introduced by à. In French the indirect object pronouns are:

Table 37.2.1a: Inirect object pronouns
French	English
me	(to) me
nous	(to) us
te	(to) you
vous	(to) you
lui	(to) him / her / it
les	(to) them

2.2 Placement

As with direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns come before the verb in a simple tense :

J'ai prêté le livre à ma soeur → Je lui ai prêté le livre

I lent the book to my sister / to her

Or before the auxiliary verb avoir or être in a compound tense :

Il a donné les tickets au contrôleur → Il lui a donné les tickets

He gave the inspector / him / her the tickets

More examples

Multichoice test

Type-in test

2.3 Using the right object

The following constructions take an indirect object in French where the English equivalent takes (or appears to take) a direct object :

Table 37.2.3a: Inirect object pronouns
French	English
conseiller qch à qn	to advise sb sth
demander qch à qn	to ask sb sth
dire qch à qn	to tell sb sth
donner qch à qn	to give sb sth
montrer qch à qn	to show sb sth
obeir à qn	to obey sb
plaire à qn	to please sb
prêter qch à qn	to lend sb sth
promettre qch à qn	to promise sb sth
refuser qch à qn	to refuse sb sth
téléphoner à qn	to phone sb
ressembler à qn	to look like sb

Il a donné les fleurs à sa femme → Il lui a donné les fleurs

He gave his wife / her the flowers

Elle a promis à ses amis de venir → Elle leur a promis de venir

She promised her friends / them she'd come

Cette pièce a plu à Marie → Cette pièce lui a plu

Marie enjoyed this play / it