Learning French is like meeting new friends, and the first friends you’ll meet are the French subject pronouns. These little words will help you talk about who is doing the action in a sentence. In English, we use words like “I”, “you”, “he”, “she”, etc. French has its own versions—and they’re not so hard to get to know!
What Are Subject Pronouns?
Subject pronouns are words that replace the subject of a sentence, or in simpler terms, they tell us who is doing the action. In French, these are:
- Je – I
- Tu – You (informal)
- Il – He
- Elle – She
- On – One/We (informal)
- Nous – We
- Vous – You (formal or plural)
- Ils – They (masculine or mixed group)
- Elles – They (feminine group)
Get to Know the Pronouns with Fun Examples
- Je parle français.
(I speak French.)
→ “Je” is you, the person reading this! - Tu aimes la musique.
(You like music.)
→ “Tu” is when you’re talking to a friend. Use it when you’re being casual. - Il chante une chanson.
(He sings a song.)
→ “Il” is for a guy who’s singing his heart out. - Elle danse bien.
(She dances well.)
→ “Elle” is for a girl who’s got all the moves. - On mange ensemble.
(We’re eating together.)
→ “On” is the friendly way to say “we”. It’s like you and a friend doing something together. - Nous étudions le français.
(We study French.)
→ “Nous” is the more formal or proper way to say “we”. Use this when you’re being polite. - Vous regardez la télé.
(You are watching TV.)
→ “Vous” is for when you’re being polite or talking to a group. - Ils jouent au foot.
(They are playing soccer.)
→ “Ils” is used for a group of guys or a mixed group of guys and girls. - Elles parlent de mode.
(They are talking about fashion.)
→ “Elles” is only for girls!
Different Pronouns = Different Verb Forms
One important thing to know is that verbs change their form depending on the subject pronoun. In English, we usually add just an “s” to verbs in the third person (he/she speaks). But in French, each pronoun has its own verb form. Let’s take the verb parler (to speak) as an example:
- Je parle – I speak
- Tu parles – You speak
- Il/Elle parle – He/She speaks
- On parle – We speak (informal)
- Nous parlons – We speak (formal/plural)
- Vous parlez – You speak (formal or plural)
- Ils/Elles parlent – They speak
Notice how the endings change? Each pronoun requires a slightly different verb ending, which is why it’s important to know both the pronouns and the verb forms.
Quick Pronoun Hack
French pronouns might seem a little tricky at first, but here’s a fun tip: you already know a lot of them! For example:
- Je sounds like “I” in “jelly.”
- Tu sounds like “you.”
- Nous sounds like “new.”
Practice Makes Perfect: Try It Yourself!
- Je / Tu / Il / Elle / On
(I/You/He/She/We)
Write a sentence using each pronoun! For example:- “Je mange une pizza.” (I eat a pizza.)
- Vous / Nous / Ils / Elles
(You/We/They)
Try talking about a group of friends:- “Ils aiment le cinéma.” (They like the cinema.)
Grammar Breakdown
- Je, Tu, Il, Elle, On, Nous, Vous, Ils, Elles are subject pronouns in French, replacing the subject of a sentence.
- Il and Elle refer to singular third persons (he/she), while Ils and Elles are for groups (they).
- Vous is formal for “you” or used for talking to more than one person.
That’s it for your first lesson! Now, with these pronouns, you can already start making your own French sentences. Keep practicing, and you’ll be speaking like a pro in no time!