Understanding Subject Pronouns
French subject pronouns replace nouns as the subject of a sentence. They tell us who is performing the action of the verb.
French has eight subject pronouns that must agree with the verb conjugation. Unlike English, French subject pronouns are usually required - you cannot omit them.
These pronouns are essential for all French verb conjugation and sentence construction.
Examples
Marie parle. → Elle parle. (Marie speaks. → She speaks.)
Pronoun replaces the noun subject
Les enfants jouent. → Ils jouent. (The children play. → They play.)
Pronoun replaces plural noun subject
The Eight French Subject Pronouns
French has eight subject pronouns covering all persons and numbers:
Complete Subject Pronoun System
All French subject pronouns with their English equivalents:
French Subject Pronouns
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | 1st person singular | I |
| tu | 2nd person singular | you (informal) |
| il | 3rd person masculine singular | he/it |
| elle | 3rd person feminine singular | she/it |
| nous | 1st person plural | we |
| vous | 2nd person plural/formal | you (formal/plural) |
| ils | 3rd person masculine plural | they (masculine/mixed) |
| elles | 3rd person feminine plural | they (feminine only) |
First Person Pronouns (I, We)
First person pronouns refer to the speaker(s):
Examples
Je suis étudiant. (I am a student.)
First person singular - the speaker
Nous parlons français. (We speak French.)
First person plural - speaker + others
JE → J' Before Vowels
Je becomes j' before verbs starting with vowels or silent h:
j'ai (I have) - not je ai
j'aime (I love) - not je aime
j'habite (I live) - silent h
j'étudie (I study) - vowel sound
NOUS Usage
Nous includes the speaker plus one or more others:
Nous (speaker + you): Nous allons au cinéma. (We're going to the movies.)
Including the person you're talking to
Nous (speaker + others): Nous travaillons ensemble. (We work together.)
Including other people, not necessarily the listener
Second Person Pronouns (You)
French has two forms of "you" with important social distinctions:
TU - Informal You
Use tu with family, friends, children, and peers:
Tu es mon ami. (You are my friend.)
Informal relationship
Comment tu t'appelles? (What's your name?)
Speaking to someone familiar
VOUS - Formal/Plural You
Use vous for formal situations, strangers, or multiple people:
Vous êtes très gentil. (You are very kind.) - formal singular
Polite form to one person
Vous parlez français? (Do you speak French?) - to multiple people
Speaking to several people
Tu vs Vous Guidelines
When to use each form:
Tu vs Vous Usage
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Use TU with: | Family, friends, children | Tu veux jouer? (Do you want to play?) |
| Use VOUS with: | Strangers, bosses, elderly | Vous pouvez m'aider? (Can you help me?) |
| Use VOUS for: | Multiple people (any age) | Vous êtes prêts? (Are you ready?) |
Third Person Pronouns (He, She, It, They)
Third person pronouns replace people or things being talked about:
IL and ELLE (He/She/It)
Singular third person pronouns:
Pierre travaille. → Il travaille. (Pierre works. → He works.)
Il replaces masculine person
Marie chante. → Elle chante. (Marie sings. → She sings.)
Elle replaces feminine person
Le livre est intéressant. → Il est intéressant. (The book is interesting. → It is interesting.)
Il replaces masculine thing
La voiture est rouge. → Elle est rouge. (The car is red. → It is red.)
Elle replaces feminine thing
ILS and ELLES (They)
Plural third person pronouns:
Les garçons jouent. → Ils jouent. (The boys play. → They play.)
Ils for masculine plural
Les filles dansent. → Elles dansent. (The girls dance. → They dance.)
Elles for feminine plural
Pierre et Marie arrivent. → Ils arrivent. (Pierre and Marie arrive. → They arrive.)
Mixed group uses masculine ils
Gender Agreement Rules
Important rules for choosing il/elle and ils/elles:
Masculine singular: il (le livre → il)
Feminine singular: elle (la table → elle)
All masculine plural: ils (les garçons → ils)
All feminine plural: elles (les filles → elles)
Mixed group: ils (les garçons et les filles → ils)
Mixed groups always use masculine ils
Subject Pronouns with Verb Conjugation
Subject pronouns determine verb conjugation. Each pronoun requires a specific verb form:
Examples
être (to be): je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont
Each pronoun has its own verb form
avoir (to have): j'ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont
Verb endings change with each pronoun
Regular -ER Verb Example (parler)
How subject pronouns work with regular verbs:
Parler (to speak) Conjugation
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| je parle | I speak | Je parle français. |
| tu parles | you speak | Tu parles anglais. |
| il/elle parle | he/she speaks | Il parle italien. |
| nous parlons | we speak | Nous parlons espagnol. |
| vous parlez | you speak | Vous parlez allemand. |
| ils/elles parlent | they speak | Ils parlent chinois. |
Special Cases and Usage Notes
Important points about French subject pronouns:
Examples
On (informal "we"): On va au cinéma. (We're going to the movies.)
On is often used instead of nous in spoken French
Emphasis: Moi, je pense que... (I think that...)
Stress pronouns can be added for emphasis
ON as Informal "We"
On is very common in spoken French:
Formal: Nous allons au restaurant. (We're going to the restaurant.)
Informal: On va au restaurant. (We're going to the restaurant.)
On takes 3rd person singular verb forms like il/elle
On est contents. (We are happy.)
Common Subject Pronoun Mistakes
Here are frequent errors students make with subject pronouns:
1. Omitting pronouns: Forgetting required subject pronouns
2. Wrong gender: Using il for feminine nouns
3. Tu/vous confusion: Wrong formality level
4. Mixed group gender: Using elles for mixed groups
Examples
❌ Suis étudiant → ✅ Je suis étudiant
Wrong: must include subject pronoun
❌ La table... il est → ✅ La table... elle est
Wrong: table is feminine, needs elle
❌ (to teacher) Tu es gentil → ✅ Vous êtes gentil
Wrong: use vous for formal situations
❌ Pierre et Marie... elles → ✅ Pierre et Marie... ils
Wrong: mixed groups use masculine ils