Les objects directs
A direct object receives the action of the verb. It answers the question: whom or what I see the bird. What do I see? The bird. The bird is the direct object. We ate the fish. What did we eat? The fish.
They hear you. Whom do they hear? You. He is studying French. What is he studying? French I believe my son. Whom do I belive? My son. These are all direct objects. They work the same way in French.
French direct objects Me me You te Usnous You allvous Him / it le Her / it la Them les
The direct object pronouns will go before the conjugated verb in present tense. If there is an infinitive, the direct object pronouns will usually go before them. They must stay with the verb they modify. The pronouns will go before the conjugated verb in the passé composé and the past participle will agree with the pronoun.**
The direct object pronoun will come after the verb in positive commands. Me and te will change to moi and toi. The order will remain as usual in negative commands. The ne…pas will surround the pronoun and the conjugated verb. I see the bird.
Je vois loiseau. Je le vois. They hear you. Ils entendent toi. Ils tentendent. He is studying French. Il étudie le français. Il létudie.
I believe my son. Je crois mon fils. Je le crois. We ate the fish. Nous avons mangé le poisson. Nous lavons mangé.**
He saw that girl. Il a vu cette fille. Il la vue.** The past participle agrees with the direct object pronoun. ** Watch me. Regarde-moi
Dont wash my shirts. Ne lave pas mes chemises. Ne les lave pas. She is going to mow the lawn. Elle va tondre la pelouse. Elle va la tondre.
La négation The ne will go before the pronoun and the negative expression will go after the conjugated verb in the present tense and the passé composé. If there is an infinitive, the ne will go before the conjuged verb and negative expression will go after it. The direct object will be in front of the infinitive.
You are not watching tv. Tu ne la regardes pas. You all are not erasing the board. Vous ne leffacez pas. The girls never lost their keys. Les filles nont jamais perdu leurs clés. Les filles ne les ont jamais perdues. **
They cant find us. Ils ne peuvent pas nous trouver. You all are not going to invite me. Vous nallez pas minviter.
Les verbes spécials Some verbs in French take a direct object whereas they would take an indirect object in English. These verbs include: attendre; écouter; chercher; payer; and regarder. We are looking for our books. Nous cherchons nos livres. Nous les cherchons.