Pronouns Words that are used instead of NOUNS

Look at this piece of writing … I went down town and met my friends. My friends were waiting outside the cinema. My friends and I went in. My friends and I bought some ice cream. While my friends and I waited, my friends and I ate the ice cream. Then my friends and I went and sat down. There were still 10 minutes before the film started, so my friends and I went and bought some popcorn and my friends and I ate the popcorn too. Boring, isn’t it? Why?

It sounds repetitive … because … it doesn’t make any use of pronouns. Go back and read it out aloud to yourself … but this time use pronouns! I went down town and met my friends. They were waiting outside the cinema. We went in. We bought some ice cream. While we waited, we ate it. Then we went and sat down. There were still 10 minutes before the film started, so we went and bought some popcorn and we ate that too!

You already know the subject pronouns in French … don’t you? jejouenousjouons tujouesvousjouez iljoueilsjouent ellejoueellesjouent

Now you are going to learn about direct object pronouns. Here are some examples She sees the computer. He doesn’t like my friend. They take the photographs. I buy two Christmas trees. She sees it. X He doesn’t like her. They take them.I buy them.

Now watch this closely. Je sors avec mes amis. Je les rencontre devant le cinéma. J’achète une glace. Je la mange.

Je sors avec mes amis. Je LES rencontre devant le cinéma. J’achète une glace. Je LA mange.

Look at these now J’ aime les frites. Il répare le vélo. Nous voyons la mer. Elles achètent les bonbons. Il regarde la directrice. Vous aimez le film? Tu manges la banane. Je déteste le chanteur. Je les aime. Il le répare. Nous la voyons. Elles les achètent. Il la regarde. Vous l’aimez? Tu la manges. Je le déteste.

What are the French words for him, her, it and them? him her it them le la le or la les

And where do they go? Je les aime. Il le répare. Nous la voyons. Elles les achètent. Il la regarde. Vous l’aimez? Tu la manges. Je le déteste. I them like. He it repairs. We it see. They them buy. He it watches. You it like? You it eat. I it hate. !

That’s right! In front of the verb!

The others are not difficult to learn English me you him her it us you them French me te le la le or la nous vous les

So can you work these out? He sees me He sees you He sees him He sees her He sees it He sees us He sees you He sees them Il me voit Il te voit Il le voit Il la voit Il le / la voit Il nous voit Il vous voit Il les voit

Watch out! Il mange la pomme Il mange ma salade Il mange sa glace Il mange une tarte aux pommes Il la mange >>

Watch out! Nous achetons les billets Nous achetons ces magazines Nous achetons deux boissons Nous achetons ses cartes postales Nous les achetons >>

Watch out! Ils adorent le sport Ils adorent ce vin Ils adorent mon chien Ils adorent son fromage Ils l’adorent >> !! Ils le adorent !! Ils le<>adorent !! Ils l’adorent

Watch out! Tu prépares le petit déjeuner Tu prépares ton devoir Tu prépares un boum Tu prépares notre repas Tu le prépares >>

Aide-mémoire Some examples of English direct object pronouns And where do the French ones go? In front of the verb me, nous, le, la, le or la, les Some examples of French direct object pronouns me, us, him, her, it, them

Vous l’avez compris? Vous l’avez appris ? Vous pouvez le faire? Essayez-le!