The indirect object pronoun replaces an indirect object noun and answers the question to whom? Indirect object pronouns are:
me (m') ([to] me)
te (t') ([to] you
[familiar])
lui ([to] him, it [masculine])
lui ([to] her, it [feminine])
nous ([to] us)
vous ([to] you)
leur ([to] them)
See Elision.
Notes:
Me, te, nous, vous are both direct and indirect pronouns. They are also reflexive pronouns.
Some verbs that take an indirect object in English do not necessarily take an indirect object in French: écouter (to listen to), chercher (to look for), payer (to pay for) and regarder (to look at).
Parlez, je vous écoute.
(Speak, I am listening to you.)
Other verbs take an indirect object in French: obéïr (à), désobéïr (à), répondre (à), téléphoner (à), etc...
Nous lui téléphonerons à une
heure.
(We will call her at one o'clock.)
See Prepositions and Verbs followed by preposition à in Verb Idioms.
Note the use of the indirect object with falloir (to be necessary) and manquer (to miss):
Il me faut du papier
pour écrire.
(I need/it is necessary that I have/paper to write.)
Il
leur manque un crayon.
(They are missing a pencil.)
See Also: