Personal pronouns
A Personal pronouns replaces a noun (the noun performing the action described by the verb). A personal pronoun replaces a noun (the noun performing the action described by the verb).
Personal pronouns have different forms to match the different grammatical persons they replace. There are five different kinds of French personal pronouns, some of which are identical, which can make it tricky to grasp which is which.
- Subject pronouns (Level 1)
- Reflexive pronouns (refer to Level 2)
- Direct object pronouns (refer to Level 3)
- Indirect object pronouns (refer to Level 3)
- Stressed pronouns (refer to Level 4)
Subject Pronouns:
A subject pronoun is a personal pronoun that is used as the subject of a verb. In French , the subject pronouns are I (je), you (tu), he (il), she (elle), we (nous), you (vous), they (ils and elles).
| French | English | |
| Singular | je tu * il elle on ** |
I you he she we/on |
| Plural | nous vous * ils elles |
we you they (masc.)they (fem.) |
*Tu or Vous: When referring to more than one person vous must be used. When referring to a single person, vous or tu may be used depending on the situation.
Tu is informal and used only with well-known acquaintances.
Vous is the polite form used when addressing unknown persons or older persons.
** It: “It” is used for inanimate objects. In French, there is no neuter pronoun “it”. Things are either masculine or feminine: il is used for masculine nouns and elle is used for feminine nouns.Examples:
| Il (le livre m.) est dans mon sac à dos.
It (the book) is in my school bag.
Elle (la pomme f.) est sur la table. It (the apple) is on the table. |
* On : One / Someone: The French pronoun “on” has several meanings. It is used in the same ways as the personal pronouns “one”, “someone”, “some people” or “they” in a nonspecific sense or as a less formal substitute (colloquial) for the subject pronoun nous (we).
Examples:
| On doit toujours laver ses pommes avant de les manger
One must always wash one’s apples before eating them.
Avec maman, on mange des crêpes. With mom, we eat pancakes. |
Reflexive pronouns:
Direct object pronouns:
Indirect object pronouns:
Stressed pronouns:
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