What are Indirect Object Pronouns in French?
Indirect object pronouns replace nouns preceded by the preposition 'à' (to). They come before the verb and indicate to or for whom the action is done.
Indirect object pronouns (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) replace indirect objects (nouns with à) and come before the verb.
- •me — to me
- •te — to you (informal)
- •lui — to him/her/it
- •nous — to us
- •vous — to you (formal)
- •leur — to them
Step-by-step worked examples
Replace with indirect pronoun: Je parle à mes amis → Je ___ parle
à mes amis = indirect object (plural) use leur answer: Je leur parle
Replace with indirect pronoun: Tu donnes un cadeau à ta mère → Tu ___ donnes un cadeau
à ta mère = indirect object (feminine singular) use lui answer: Tu lui donnes un cadeau
Replace with indirect pronoun: Elle m'écrit une lettre (she writes me a letter)
m' = me before vowel indirect object pronoun placed before the verb answer: Elle m'écrit une lettre (correct)
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.Je ___ donne un livre (I give you a book — informal)
Q2.Elle ___ téléphone (She calls us)
Q3.Vous ___ écrivez (You (formal) write to them)
Q4.Il ___ montre un film (He shows her a movie)
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Common mistakes
Confusing indirect with direct object pronouns. — Correct: Indirect = preceded by 'à'; direct = no preposition.
Using le/la instead of lui for 'to him/her'. — Correct: lui is indirect; le/la are direct.
Forgetting singular/plural distinction. — Correct: lui (singular), leur (plural).
Placing the pronoun after the verb. — Correct: Place before: Je lui parle.
FAQ
What are indirect object pronouns in French?
Pronouns replacing nouns with 'à' (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) that come before the verb.
How do you know it is an indirect object?
The object is preceded by 'à' (to) — ask 'to whom?'
What is the indirect object pronoun for 'to them'?
leur (Je leur parle = I speak to them).
What is the difference between lui and le?
lui is indirect (to him/her); le is direct (him/it masculine).