Direct Object Pronouns For Intermediate learners
What Are Direct Object Pronouns (Les pronoms compléments d'objet direct) in French?
To prevent repetition, direct object pronouns (Les pronoms complĂ©ments d'objet direct â COD) take the place of direct object nouns. The person or thing that directly receives the verb's action without the need for a preposition is known as a direct object.
Direct object pronouns are used far more frequently in French than in English, and their placement is strictly regulated.
What Is a Direct Object? (Complément d'objet direct-COD)
A direct object answers the question whom? or what? after the verb.
Je lis le livre.
I read the book.
Here, le livre is the direct object.
Elle invite ses amis.
She invites her friends.
Here, ses amis is the direct object.
List of French Direct Object Pronouns
Person / Number | French Pronoun | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
masculine singular | le | him / it |
feminine singular | la | her / it |
plural (masc. or fem.) | les | them |
1st person singular | me | me |
2nd person singular | te | you (informal) |
1st person plural | nous | us |
2nd person plural | vous | you (formal or plural) |
Tip!
These pronouns agree with the noun they replace, not with the subject.
Placement of Direct Object Pronouns
a) In Affirmative Sentences
In most tenses, the direct object pronoun is placed directly before the conjugated verb.
Je le lis.
I read it.
Elle les connaĂźt bien.
She knows them well.
In compound tenses, it is placed before the auxiliary.
Je l'ai vu.
I saw him / it.
Tip!
Le and la become l' before a vowel sound or silent h. For example:
Je l'aime.
I love him / her / it.
b) In Negative Sentences
In negative sentences, the pronoun remains before the verb, and the negation surrounds the conjugated verb.
Je ne le comprends pas.
I do not understand it.
Elle ne les a pas vus.
She did not see them.
c) Direct Object Pronouns in Questions
Direct object pronouns do not move in questions.
Intonation questions
Tu le vois ?
Do you see him?
Est-ce que questions
Est-ce que tu la connais ?
Do you know her?
Inversion (formal)
Le vois-tu ?
Do you see it?
d) Direct Object Pronouns with Two Verbs
When a conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive, the direct object pronoun is usually placed before the infinitive, if it logically belongs to that verb.
Je vais le faire.
I am going to do it.
Elle veut les acheter.
She wants to buy them.
e) Direct Object Pronouns in the Imperative
Affirmative commands: The pronoun comes after the verb and is linked with a hyphen.
Regarde-le !
Look at it!
Ăcoutez-les !
Listen to them!
Negative commands: The pronoun returns before the verb.
Ne le regarde pas.
Don't look at it.
Agreement in the Passé Composé
When a direct object pronoun is placed before the verb, the past participle agrees with it.
Masculine singular â no change
Feminine singular â add -e
Masculine plural â add -s
Feminine plural â add -es
La lettre ? Je l'ai Ă©crite.
The letter? I wrote it.
Les films ? Je les ai vus.
The movies? I saw them.
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