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The Basic Outline
Les pronoms direct: le, la, les
The direct object: to find the direct object of the sentence ask the question “what” or “who” of the verb.
I’m going to buy the blue shirt.
What are you going to buy?
The blue shirt = it
blue shirt
The Basic Outline
Direct object pronouns in French can be quite easy to find as they are the same as the definite article:
le (l’)
la (l’)
les
him / it
her / it
them
Est-ce que tu achète la robe? Quoi?la robe
Oui, je l’ achète.l’
The Basic Outline
Placing the direct object pronoun:
1. In a simple sentence with one conjugated verb (present, imperfect, future, present subjunctive) the pronoun will go before the verb.
1. Je rends le livre. Je le rends.
2. In a sentence with the helping verbs “devoir”, “aller”, “il faut”, “aimer”, “détester”, etc., the pronoun goes before the infinitive.
2. J’aime lire les journaux. J’aime les lire.
The Basic Outline
Placing the direct object pronoun:
3. In a negative command, the pronoun will go before the verb.
3. Ne prends pas la cuillère! Ne la prends pas!
4. In a postive command, the pronoun will be attached to the verb with a hyphen.
4. Apporte les disques! Apporte-les!
The Basic Outline
Placing the direct object pronoun:
5. In the passé composé, the pronoun will go before the helping verb “avoir” or “être”.
5. J’ai acheté le journal. Je l’ai acheté.
CAUTION! In the passé composé you must make the past participle agree with the direct object placed before “avoir” or “être”.
J’ai envoyé la lettre. Je l’ai envoyée.
The Basic Outline
Placing the direct object pronoun:
6. In negative sentences, place the direct object in front of the verb and move the “ne” to the left.
6. Je ne vois pas la jeune fille. Je ne la vois pas.
The Basic Outline
Les pronoms indirect: lui, leur
The indirect object: to find the indirect object of the sentence ask the question “to whom” or “for whom” of the verb.
I am going to write to my cousins.
To whom am I going to write?
To my cousins = to them
to my cousins.
The Basic Outline
Indirect object pronouns in French can be quite easy to find as they are introduced by “à” plus a noun designating a person:
lui
leur
to him / to her
to them
Est-ce que tu reponds à Paul? A qui?à Paul
Oui, je lui réponds.
The Basic Outline
Placing the indirect object pronoun:
1. In a simple sentence with one conjugated verb (present, imperfect, future, present subjunctive) the pronoun will go before the verb.
1. Je rends le livre à Paul. Je lui rends le livre.
2. In a sentence with the helping verbs “devoir”, “aller”, “il faut”, “aimer”, “détester”, etc., the pronoun goes before the infinitive.
2. J’aime téléphoner à mes copains.
J’aime leur téléphoner.
The Basic Outline
Placing the indirect object pronoun:
3. In a negative command, the pronoun will go before the verb.
3. Ne parles pas à Paul! Ne lui parles pas!
4. In a positive command, the pronoun will be attached to the verb with a hyphen.
4. Parlez à Paul et Marie! Parlez-leur!
The Basic Outline
Placing the indirect object pronoun:
5. In the passé composé, the pronoun will go before the helping verb “avoir” or “être”.
5. J’ai écrit a mon amie. Je lui ai écrit.
The Basic Outline
Other considerations…
1. Écouter (to listen to), regarder (to look at), chercher (to look for), attendre (to wait for) and demander (to ask for) take the direct object in French. In English they take the indirect. This is not so hard to remember as, in French, these verbs are not followed by “à” which introduces the indirect object.
J’écoute Marie-Laure. Je l’ecoute
The Basic Outline
Other considerations…
2. Even though “penser à” is followed by “à”, it does not take the indirect object pronoun but rather prepositional pronoun (moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles).
Je pense à mes amis. Je pense à eux.
3. “répondre”, “obéir”, “désobéir” take an indirect object pronoun in French, In English they take a direct object pronoun. (Again, not so hard to remember as in French they are followed by “à” which introduces the indirect object.)
J’obéis a mon père. Je lui obéis.
The Basic Outline
me, te, nous, vous…
The pronouns “me”, “te”, “nous” and “vous” are both direct and indirect so there no problem deciding which to use!
Mary sees me (direct). Marie me voit.
Mary speaks to me (indirect). Marie me parle.
