Object Pronouns

Object pronouns fall into two categories:

1. Direct object pronouns replace the direct object complement. They answer the question: qui/quoi? (whom/what?):

   Nous rencontrons nos cousins souvent. Nous les rencontrons souvent.
   (We often meet our cousins. We often meet them.)

2. Indirect object pronouns replace the indirect object complement. They answer the question: à qui/à quoi? (to whom/to what?):

   Nous écrivons à nos parents. Nous leur écrivons.
   (We write to our parents. We write to them.)

Note: Verbs that take an indirect object in English do not necessarily take an indirect object in French.

Position of Object Pronouns

Object pronouns, direct or indirect, including reflexive pronouns, normally precede the verb.

Je vous comprends très bien.
(I understand you very well.)

Nous l'avons rencontré.
(We met him.)

Ne m'as tu pas vu hier?
(Didn't you see me yesterday?)

In an affirmative command, the object pronoun comes directly after the verb and is attached to it by a hyphen. The pronouns me and te change to moi and toi after the verb.

Dépêchez-vous! Aidez-moi!
(Hurry up! Help me!)

See Imperative Mood and Elision.

When an object or reflexive pronoun is used with an infinitive construction, the pronoun precedes the verb of which it is the object:

Il voulait m'embrasser.
(He wanted to kiss me.)

Ne voulez-vous pas lui parler?
(Don't you want to talk to him?)

Object pronouns precede voici and voilà:

Nous voici enfin arrivés.
(Here we are at last.)

See Also:

• Pronouns
• Personal Pronouns
• Subject Pronouns
• Direct Object Pronouns
• Indirect Object Pronouns
• Disjunctive (Prepositional) Pronouns
• Double Object Pronouns
• Reflexive Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Interrogative Pronouns
• Indefinite and Negative Pronouns
• Relative Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Elision