French grammar: pronoms personnels sujets

What this grammar point covers

Subject pronouns in French are small words that replace the subject of a sentence, like 'I', 'you', 'he', 'she', 'we', 'they'. They tell who is doing the action.

When to use it

Use French subject pronouns to talk about yourself, someone else, or a group. They are always needed before a verb in French sentences.

Key forms

• je
• tu
• il
• elle
• on
• nous
• vous
• ils
• elles

Examples

Tips

• Always use a subject pronoun before the verb in French, even if it seems obvious.
• ‘On’ can mean ‘we’ or ‘one/people’ and is often used in spoken French instead of ‘nous’.
• ‘Ils’ is used for a group of males or a mixed group, ‘elles’ only for a group of females.

Exceptions and edge cases

• ‘Je’ becomes ‘j’’ before a vowel or silent ‘h’ (for example: ‘J’aime’).
• In questions, the order of words can change (e.g., ‘Parlez-vous français ?’).