A1
Subject pronouns
Subject pronouns say who does the action — I, you, he, she, we, they. They sit right before the verb and decide its ending.
The rule
| French | English |
|---|---|
| je | I |
| tu | you (one person, informal) |
| il / elle / on | he / she / one (or "we", casually) |
| nous | we |
| vous | you (formal, or more than one) |
| ils / elles | they (masc. / fem.) |
Key points
- tu vs vous: tu for a friend, child, or family; vous for a stranger, an elder, or a group. When in doubt, use vous.
- ils covers any group with at least one male; elles only when everyone is female.
- je becomes j' before a vowel: j'écoute.
- on literally means "one" but in everyday French means "we": On va au cinéma.
Watch out
- ❌ using tu with a stranger → use vous to be polite.
- ❌ elles for a mixed group → use ils.
In context
- Je suis étudiant. — I am a student.
- Tu as un chien. — You have a dog.
- Nous sommes fatigués. — We are tired.
- Elles habitent à Lyon. — They (women) live in Lyon.
Try three examples
Example 1
Which subject pronoun should replace 'Marie' in: 'Marie parle français.'?
- Il
- Elle
- Ils
- Elles
Show answer
Elle
Marie speaks French.
Example 2
*___ sommes fatigués.* (We are tired.)
___ sommes fatigués.
Show answer
Nous
We are tired.
Example 3
*___ suis étudiant.* (I am a student.)
___ suis étudiant.
Show answer
Je
I am a student.
Practise this lesson
Continue with the interactive exercise set and save your progress.