Object Pronouns

Object Pronouns

Direct Object Pronouns

A direct object is an object which is acted on directly by verb, without being mediated by an adjective:

Elle met ses chaussures. She puts on her shoes.
Il a cassé le vase. He broke the vase.

Direct objects can be replaced by direct object pronouns (me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les), which will agree in number and gender with the noun they replace. Direct object pronouns precede the verb in all sentences except affirmative imperatives.

Elle les met. She puts them on.
Nous l'avons envoyé. We sent it.
Je ne les ai pas vus. I didn't see them.
Ils m'ont appelé. They called me.

The reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous) are often direct object pronouns, depending on the verb with which they are used:

Elle s'est coupée. She cut herself.
Je me suis réveillé. I woke up.

(See Present indicative (formation), Past participle agreement.)

Indirect Object Pronouns

An indirect object is an object of the preposition à:

Je parlais à la vendeuse. I was speaking to the salesperson.
Il jouait au foot. He was playing soccer.

In the case of a reflexive / reciprocal verb, the indirect object pronoun reflects the form of the subject:

Je me suis fait un cadeau. I gave myself a present.
Elle s'est dit qu'il était temps. She told herself it was time.

Most indirect objects can be replaced by an indirect object pronoun (me, te, se, lui, nous, vous, leur, y). Y is used as a third person pronoun to take the place of things or abstract situations. (See Y and en.) Se is used only with reflexives and reciprocals. Indirect object pronouns precede the verb in all sentences except affirmative imperatives.

Mes parents sont venus; je leur ai parlé pendant une heure.

My parents came by; I spoke to them for an hour.

Le prof m'a posé une question, et je lui ai répondu.

The prof asked me a question, and I answered him.

Ils nous ont envoyé un colis.

They sent a package to us / They sent us a package.

Le prof m'a posé une question, et je y ai répondu.

The prof asked me a question, and I answered it.

Elles se sont écrit pendant tout l'été.

They wrote each other during the whole summer.

Note that the expressions être à, penser à, faire attention à, as well as any pronominal verb followed by à, will be followed by a disjunctive pronoun. (See Disjunctive (tonic) pronouns.)

Note that past participles never agree with indirect object or indirect object pronouns.

See Past participle agreement.

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