In this grammar lesson you will learn how to how to use direct object pronouns in French.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- what direct object pronouns are
- how to use direct object pronouns in French with masculine nouns
- how to use direct object pronouns in French with feminine nouns
- how to use direct object pronouns in French with plural nouns
- how to quiz yourself on how to use direct object pronouns in French
- how to practice with flashcards for how to use direct object pronouns in French
- 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 the overall structure of French A2.
By the end of the lesson you will know all about how to use how to use direct object pronouns in French.
Table of Contents
Table of Subject Pronouns and Direct Object Pronouns
| Subject Pronoun | Direct Object Pronoun |
| il | le/l’ |
| elle | la/l’ |
| ils/elles | les |
Introduction to Direct Object Pronouns
We learnt in the previous lesson that it is possible to replace the object in French sentences.
You can replace object nouns in French with object pronouns (le, la, l’, and les).
These object pronouns (le, la, l’, and les) are actually called direct object pronouns.
Here are 3 examples which show you how to use direct object pronouns in French.
Paul mange le repas. – Paul le mange.
Paul eats the meal. – Paul eats it.
Ils nettoient la chambre. – Ils la nettoient.
They clean the room. – They clean it.
Il attrape les balles. – Il les attrape.
He catches the balls. – He catches them.
You don’t want to keep referring to the object, so you use a direct object pronoun (le, la, les).
Essentially this is what happened.
- le repas -> le
- la chambre -> la
- les balles -> les
You know that French is a gendered language, so something is either masculine, or feminine. Naturally, something can also be plural.
In this lesson I am going to show you how to use direct object pronouns in French with masculine, feminine, and plural nouns!
How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in French with Masculine Nouns
You can replace masculine object nouns in French with le.
J’aime Théo. – Je l’aime.
I love Theo. – I love him.
Charles voit le chat. Charles le voit.
Charles sees the cat. Charles sees it.
Simone déteste le fromage. – Elle le déteste.
Simone hates cheese. – She hates it.
Please note that le changes to l’ when in front of a vowel or mute h.
How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in French with Feminine Nouns
You can replace feminine object nouns in French with la.
J’utilise la calculatrice. – Je l’utilise.
I am using the calculator. – I am using it.
Elle utilise la contraception. – Elle l’utilise.
She uses birth control. – She uses it.
Lucas mange une pomme. – Lucas la mange.
Lucas is eating an apple. – Lucas is eating it.
Please note that la changes to l’ when in front of a vowel or mute h.
How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in French with Plural Nouns
You can replace plural object nouns in French with les.
Elle mange des fraises. – Elle les mange.
She is eating strawberries. – She is eating them.
Ils utilisent des panneaux solaires. – Ils les utilisent.
They use solar panels. – They use them.
Nous aimons nos enfants. – Nous les aimons.
We love our children. – We love them.
Sentences Overview of How to Use Common French Prepositions
The final section of this lesson on how to use direct object pronouns in French is about seeing the direct object pronouns in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to use direct object pronouns in French sentences through examples.
Here you can see all of the previous sentences, neatly stored in one place.
J’aime Théo. – Je l’aime.
I love Theo. – I love him.
Charles voit le chat. Charles le voit.
Charles sees the cat. Charles sees it.
Simone déteste le fromage. – Elle le déteste.
Simone hates cheese. – She hates it.
J’utilise la calculatrice. – Je l’utilise.
I am using the calculator. – I am using it.
Elle utilise la contraception. – Elle l’utilise.
She uses birth control. – She uses it.
Lucas mange une pomme. – Lucas la mange.
Lucas is eating an apple. – Lucas is eating it.
Elle mange des fraises. – Elle les mange.
She is eating strawberries. – She is eating them.
Ils utilisent des panneaux solaires. – Ils les utilisent.
They use solar panels. – They use them.
Nous aimons nos enfants. – Nous les aimons.
We love our children. – We love them.
Quiz Yourself on How to Use Direct Object Pronouns in French
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.
It is up to you to give the correct answer.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
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
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
I wanted to learn a language in the most effective and efficient way, and there was nothing out there for me.
So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.
The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
- A vibrant community (including support from me)
You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
All you have to do is study 30 minutes a day and you will be fluent in no time!
Don’t miss out – register for free and start learning!
