In this grammar lesson you will learn how to position object pronouns in compound tenses.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- what compound tenses are in French
- how to position object pronouns in compound tenses
- how to use object pronouns in French in sentences
- how to quiz yourself on how to position object pronouns in compound tenses
- how to practice with flashcards for how to position object pronouns in compound tenses
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A2 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about how this fits in A2 grammar.
By the end of the lesson you will know all about how to position object pronouns in compound tenses!
Table of Contents
Table of Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Subject Pronoun | Direct Object Pronoun | Indirect Object Pronoun |
je | me/m’ | me/m’ |
tu | te/t’ | te/t’ |
il | le/l’ | lui |
elle | la/l’ | lui |
nous | nous | nous |
vous | vous | vous |
ils/elles | les | leur |
What the are Compound Tenses in French
You may have been a bit confused as to what “compound tenses” mean.
Compound tenses are tenses that are made up of two parts:
The only compound tense that you currently know is the passé composé.
So for now, this lesson only applies to the passé composé.
However, when you progress on your French journey, you will meet a few more compound tenses.
How to Position Object Pronouns in Compound Tense
If there is a sentence with a verb conjugated in a compound tense, then both direct and indirect object pronouns are positioned in the following way:
- Subject of the verb + object pronoun + conjugated auxiliary verb of either avoir or être + past participle
Je lui ai parlé.
I talked to her.
Jean t’a donné mes clés hier.
Jean gave you my keys yesterday.
Il m’a parlé.
He talked to me.
Nous les avons laissés là pour vous.
We left them there for you.
J’ai regardé le match hier. – Vous l’avez regardé aussi ?
I watched the match yesterday. – Did you watch it too?
Ils leur ont posé la même question.
They asked them the same question.
Please don’t forget that le/la becomes l’, if the pronoun is followed by a vowel or mute h.
Sentences Overview of How to Position Object Pronouns in Compound Tenses
The final section of this lesson on how to position object pronouns in compound tenses is about seeing the object pronouns in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to position object pronouns in compound tenses through examples.
Hear you can see all of the sentences of the previous chapter, neatly stored in one place.
Je lui ai parlé.
I talked to her.
Jean t’a donné mes clés hier.
Jean gave you my keys yesterday.
Il m’a parlé.
He talked to me.
Nous les avons laissés là pour vous.
We left them there for you.
J’ai regardé le match hier. – Vous l’avez regardé aussi ?
I watched the match yesterday. – Did you watch it too?
Ils leur ont posé la même question.
They asked them the same question.
Quiz Yourself on How to Position Object Pronouns in Compound Tenses
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
Time's up
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki, you can get our French A2 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,816 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A2.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
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