Position of Personal Pronouns
In this lesson, we are going to revise the collocation of personal
pronouns. Let's start by reminding ourselves of the pronouns:
|
Subject |
Direct Object |
Indirect Object |
| 1st p.s |
Je |
Me (moi) |
Me (à moi) |
| 2nd p.s. |
Tu |
Te (toi) |
Te (à toi) |
| 3rd p.s. |
Il / elle |
Le / la / se |
Lui / se (à lui / à elle) |
| 1st p.p. |
Nous |
Nous |
Nous (à nous) |
| 2nd p.p. |
Vous |
Vous |
Vous (à vous) |
| 3rd p.p. |
Ils / elles |
Les / se |
Leur / se (à eux / à elles) |
When the personal pronoun carries out the function of the subject,
it is placed in front of the verb, except in the case of questions,
where it goes after the verb:
| Tu manges bien |
You eat well. |
| Manges-tu bien ? |
Do you eat well? |
When the personal pronoun is a direct or indirect object it is placed
in front of the verb:
| Direct Object |
Mon père me regarde |
My father looks at me |
| Indirect Object |
Sa mère lui parle |
His mother speaks to him |
| Direct Object |
Mon ami te salue |
My friend greets you |
| Indirect Object |
Tu leur donnes un cadeau |
You give them a present |
This does not happen with imperatives, in this case the personal
pronouns representing direct or indirect objects are placed after
the verb:
| Direct Object |
Regarde-moi |
Look at me |
| Indirect Object |
Parle-lui |
Speak to him |
| Direct Object |
Salue-nous |
Greet us |
| Indirect Object |
Donne-leur le cadeau |
Give them the present |
|
|
|
| With the imperative,
you use as a direct or indirect object the following personal pronouns
1st person singular and 2nd personal pronouns "moi" and
"toi". |
If the imperative is negative, the personal pronoun is placed in
front of the verb:
| Direct Object |
Ne me regarde pas |
Don't look at me |
| Indirect Object |
Ne lui parle pas |
Don't speak to him |
| Direct Object |
Ne nous salue pas |
Don't gree us |
| Indirect Object |
Ne leur donne pas le cadeau |
Don't give them the present |
| |
|
|
| When the imperative
is negative, you use the normal forms of the 1st and 2nd person
singular personal pronouns. |
VOCABULARY
la mort
| Cemetary |
Cimétière (m) |
Funerals |
Funérailles (f.pl) |
| Death |
Mort (f) |
To embalm |
Embaumer |
| Burial |
Enterrement (m) |
Mourning |
Deuil (m) |
| Coffin |
Cercueil (m) |
Deceased |
Défunt(e) |
| Mausoleum |
Mausolée (m) |
Orphan |
Orphélin(e) |
| Tombstone |
Pierre tombale (f) |
Agony |
Agonie (f) |
| Autopsy |
Autopsie (f) |
Corpse |
Cadavre (m) |
| Incinerate |
Incinérer |
Wake |
Veillée (f) |
| Crematorium |
Crématoire |
Forensic |
Médecin légiste (m) |
| To bury |
Enterrer |
Gravedigger |
Fossoyeur (m) |
| To shroud |
Ensevelir |
Tomb |
Tombe (f) |
| Death notice |
Faire-part du décès (m) |
Funeral Parlor |
Entreprise (f) des pompes funèbres |
