What is a COI?
COI stands for complément d’objet indirect – the indirect object. These pronouns replace a person attached to the verb by the preposition à (English to or for). They answer à qui? – to whom?
From noun to pronoun
Je lui parle.
I speak to him / her.
Je te dis la vérité.
I tell you the truth.
Il nous téléphone.
He phones us.
The forms
me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur
| Person | Pronoun | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | me / m’ | (to) me |
| 2nd sg. | te / t’ | (to) you |
| 3rd sg. | lui | (to) him / her |
| 1st pl. | nous | (to) us |
| 2nd pl. | vous | (to) you (plural / formal) |
| 3rd pl. | leur | (to) them |
In the third person the COI does not show gender: lui means to him or to her, leur means to them. Before a vowel, me and te become m’ and t’.
Elle m’écrit une lettre.
She writes me a letter.
Je vous réponds tout de suite.
I will answer you right away.
Il leur montre la photo.
He shows them the photo.
Verbs with à + person
You need a COI pronoun with most verbs of speaking, giving and writing. They attach the person with à.
Il téléphone à ses parents. → Il leur téléphone.
He phones his parents. → He phones them.
Je réponds à Marie. → Je lui réponds.
I answer Marie. → I answer her.
Not every verb with à + person takes lui or leur: with penser à you say Je pense à lui (I think of him).
COD or COI?
Without à - COD
3rd person: le, la, les
J’appelle Julie. → Je l’appelle.
I call Julie. → I call her.
With à - COI
3rd person: lui, leur
Je téléphone à Julie. → Je lui téléphone.
I phone Julie. → I phone her.
