Personal Pronouns - Overview

Les pronoms personnels - Aperçu

Subject, Object, Reflexive and Stressed - Sujet, Objet, Réfléchi et Accentué

There are several kinds of personal pronouns. Their function in the sentence varies. A personal pronoun may be

• a subject: it does the action
• an object: it receives the action - There are 2 object pronouns: direct and indirect
• reflexive: whose action is done onto self or onto others
• stressed: which is emphasized

Il existe plusieurs sortes de pronoms personnels, dont la fonction diffère dans la phrase. Un pronom personnel peut être

• sujet : il fait l’action
• objet : il reçoit l’action - Il y a 2 pronoms objets : direct et indirect
• réfléchi : dont l’action est faite sur soi ou sur autrui ou autre
• accentué : qui insiste

As a subject

Subject pronouns are probably the most common pronouns. They replace a person or a noun that does the action in the sentence. In English, two examples of subject pronouns are I and they.

Examples

• Je parle français. I speak French.
• Elles sont en France. They are in France.

As a direct object

A direct object pronoun is used with French verbs that don’t have a preposition. such as parler français, prendre…

Examples

• France parle français. Elle le parle. France speaks French. She speaks it.
• Henri prend les clémentines. Il les prend. Henri takes the clementines. He takes them.

As an indirect object

An indirect object pronoun is used with French prepositional verbs such as donner à, répondre à… The preposition magically disappears when the pronoun is used.

Examples

• Elle me donne un cadeau. [donner à] She gives me a present.
• Il te répondra demain. [répondre à] He’ll give you an answer tomorrow.

As a reflexive pronoun

A reflexive pronoun is used when the action is done to self (to me) or to another person or thing (to you, to them). Reflexive pronouns are used with French pronominal verbs such as SE RÉVEILLER, S’APPELER, …

Examples

• Je me réveille. I’m waking [myself] up.
• Je t’appelle. I’m calling you up.

As a stressed pronoun

A stressed pronoun replaces a person and is often used with a preposition such as POUR, CHEZ…

Examples

• Je vais chez moi. I’m going home [to my home].
• C’est pour toi. It’s for you.

. Accroche-minutes . Cours avec Anne . Vous aimez ? Commentez . PDF – Ask Anne . Back to Course - French Pronouns .