Personal Pronouns

01

Talking About Yourself (Je)

The pronoun je corresponds to the English "I". Unlike in English, it is not capitalized unless it begins a sentence.

A specific spelling rule applies to je: if the following verb begins with a vowel or a silent "h", je contracts to j'. This is mandatory and affects pronunciation.

• Je suis fatigué.

  I am tired.

• J'aime la musique.

  I like music.

• J'habite ici.

  I live here.

02

Addressing Others (Tu vs. Vous)

French has two distinct ways to say "you," and choosing the correct one depends on the social context and the number of people being addressed.

Tu (Informal Singular)

Use tu when speaking to one person with whom you have a close relationship. This includes friends, family members, children, and pets.

• Tu es drôle.

  You are funny.

• Est-ce que tu viens ?

  Are you coming?

Vous (Formal or Plural)

Use vous in two situations:

1. Formal Singular: When speaking to one person you do not know well, someone older, a superior at work, or simply to show politeness and respect.

2. Plural: When speaking to a group of people (two or more), regardless of whether the relationship is formal or informal.

• Vous parlez bien français.

  You speak French well. (Formal singular or Plural)

• Comment allez-vous ?

  How are you?

03

Third Person Singular (Il, Elle, On)

Il and Elle

Il translates to "he" and elle translates to "she" when referring to people. However, because all French nouns have a gender, these pronouns also refer to things ("it"). Use il for masculine objects (like a book or a phone) and elle for feminine objects (like a table or a car).

• Il est médecin.

  He is a doctor.

• Elle est grande.

  She is tall.

The Pronoun "On"

On is a versatile pronoun that takes the same verb conjugation as il and elle (third person singular). It has two main functions:

1. Indefinite: It means "one," "people in general," or an undefined "they."

2. Informal "We": In modern spoken French, on almost completely replaces nous to mean "we."

• On ne sait jamais.

  One never knows.

• On va au cinéma.

  We are going to the cinema. (Informal)

04

First Person Plural (Nous)

Nous means "we." While it is the standard grammatical form, it is primarily used in writing, formal speeches, or very polite conversation. In casual conversation, on is preferred.

• Nous sommes heureux.

  We are happy.

• Nous partons demain.

  We are leaving tomorrow.

05

Third Person Plural (Ils vs. Elles)

There are two words for "they," depending on the gender of the group.

• Elles: Use this only when the group consists entirely of women or feminine nouns.
• Ils: Use this for a group of men or masculine nouns.
• Mixed Groups: If a group contains both masculine and feminine elements (even 99 women and 1 man), the masculine form ils is used.

• Elles regardent la télé.

  They (the women) are watching TV.

• Ils jouent au football.

  They (the men or the mixed group) are playing soccer.