Subject Pronouns
A pronoun is a word which substitutes a noun. Personal pronouns are words that change according to the noun they are representing. Impersonal pronouns do not change according to the noun they are representing.
Subject pronouns are used to replace a person or thing. For example:-
Jean part en vacances.
Il part en vacances- He is going on holiday.
In the above example, ‘Jean‘ has been replaced by the pronoun ‘il’.
L’ordinateur ne marche pas.
Il ne marche pas- It (the computer) is not working.
In the above example, ‘l’ordinateur’ has been replaced by the pronoun ‘il’.
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Direct and indirect objects
A direct object is the thing or person in a sentence which is impacted by the verb. Direct object pronouns replace the direct object in a sentence.
The following are direct object pronouns:
me / m’ (me)
te / t’ (you)
le / l’ (him or it)
la / l’ (her or it)
nous (us)
vous (you (formal))
les (them)
For example:-
Je mange un sandwich.
Je le mange.
I am eating it (the sandwich).
In the above example, the direct object (‘un sandwich‘) has been replaced by the pronoun ‘le‘.
Indirect objects are the people or things in a sentence to or for whom the action of the verb occurs.
The following are indirect object pronouns:
me / m’ (me)
te / t’ (you)
lui (him or her)
nous (us)
vous (you (formal))
leur (them)
For example:-
Je parle ma mre au tlphone.
Je lui parle au tlphone- I am talking to her (my mother) on the phone.
In the above example, the indirect object (‘ma mre‘) has been replaced by the pronoun ‘lui‘.
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Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are to be used with pronominal verbs. Pronominal verbs need a reflexive pronoun in addition to a subject pronoun.
The following are reflexive pronouns:
me / m’ (me or myself)
te / t’ / toi (you or yourself)
se / s’ (him(self), her(self), it(self) or them(selves))
nous (us or ourselves)
vous (you, yourself or yourselves)
For example:-
Je me suis couch- I went to sleep.
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Relative pronouns
A relative pronoun serves to link either a dependent or a relative clause to a main clause.
Relative pronouns include: qui, que, lequel, dont, and o.
For example:-
Je cherche Annette. Elle habite au deuxime tage de ce btiment.
Je cherche Annette, qui habite au deuxime tage de ce btiment- I am looking for Annette, who lives on the second floor of this building.