Who does what?
Subject pronouns say who does the action: je (I), tu (you), il (he) … They stand before the verb and are never left out. That matters because many verb forms sound the same: je parle, tu parles and ils parlent are all pronounced [parl].
All the subject pronouns
| French | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | I | j’ before a vowel or silent h: j’aime, j’habite |
| tu | you (one person) | someone you know well |
| il | he / it | also for things |
| elle | she / it | also for things |
| on | one / we | often used instead of nous in everyday speech |
| nous | we | neutral to formal |
| vous | you | several people, or polite |
| ils | they | men, or a mixed group |
| elles | they | women only |
pronoms sujets
Each person in a sentence
Je parle français.
I speak French.
J’habite à Paris.
I live in Paris.
Tu aimes le café ?
Do you like coffee?
Elle travaille à Lyon.
She works in Lyon.
Nous sommes contents.
We are happy.
Ils arrivent demain.
They arrive tomorrow.
Il and elle for things too
French has no neutral it. Every thing is masculine (il) or feminine (elle), in the plural ils or elles. The gender of the French noun decides: le livre (the book) → il, la clé (the key) → elle.
Où est la clé ? Elle est dans le sac.
Where is the key? It is in the bag.
Où est le livre ? Il est sur la table.
Where is the book? It is on the table.
Tu or vous?
English has one you; French has two. Vous is the polite form for one person and also the plural: you always say vous to two or more people. When in doubt with a single person, use vous.
When to use tu, when vous
tu: one person you know well
Friends, family, children.
Tu as le temps ?
Do you have time?
Tu viens ce soir ?
Are you coming tonight?
vous: polite, or several people
Strangers, older people, work. Also any group of two or more.
Vous êtes français ?
Are you French? (one person, polite, or several people)
Vous comprenez ?
Do you understand? (one person, polite, or several people)
On means one or we
On literally means one (as in “one speaks French here”). In spoken French it usually means we, instead of nous. The verb is always in the third person singular, just like il and elle.
On parle français ici.
People speak French here.
On va au cinéma ?
Shall we go to the cinema?
On mange ensemble ?
Shall we eat together?
Ils or elles?
French they has a gender. Elles is only for a group of all women. If there is even one man, it is ils, no matter how many women are in the group.
Elles sont françaises.
They are French. (all women)
Ils parlent anglais.
They speak English.
Paul et Marie ? Ils habitent à Lyon.
Paul and Marie? They live in Lyon.
