Kilo Lingo

Ch 2 · Lesson 32

Subject pronouns: je, tu, on, vous

The nine pronouns French never drops, when turns into , and on, the everyday word for we.

The short version

Real French says on, not

.

We're going to eat.
Why?

The textbook teaches ; the pavement says on . On takes a third-person singular verb and does the work of we in most spoken French. Keep for writing, and reach for on the moment you open your mouth.

The full table

masculinefemininetuvouswritten not saidil form after onWhat do the colours mean?
PronounEnglishExampleEnglish
I .I'm speaking.
you (one, casual) .You're speaking.
he, it .He's speaking.
she, it .She's speaking.
we, one, people .We're speaking.
we .We're speaking.
you (polite, pl.) .You're speaking.
they (men, mixed) .They're speaking.
they (all women) .They're speaking.

and also mean "it", because every French noun has a gender. The pronoun copies the noun's:

  • ? . - Where's the book? It's here.
  • ? . - Where's the table? It's here.

covers any mixed group, however many women are in it. is only for a group that is entirely female.

  • Paul Marie ? . - Paul and Marie? They're here.
  • Marie Claire ? . - Marie and Claire? They're here.

je becomes j'

Before a vowel or a silent h, loses its e:

je + ai = j'ai (I have)
  • . - I have two brothers.
  • . - I live in .
  • . - I like bread.

This is compulsory in writing as well as speech. is the only one of the nine that elides in standard spelling. does not: you write (you have), even though casual speech says .

tu and vous

is one person you know well. is anyone you should be polite to, and any group at all.

CasualPolite
  1. tu
  2. vous
Speaking to...FrenchEnglish
your brother ?Are you coming?
a friend ?Do you want some bread?
a shopkeeper ?Do you have any bread?
your new manager ?Are you here tomorrow?
two close friends ?Are you coming?
On a lawn, a woman with long hair and a bow, a speech bubble above her, gestures towards three others: a young man of her age waving (a friend); an elderly woman with a white bun, glasses and a walking stick (an older stranger); and a group of three: a man with a moustache, a woman and a little girl.
  2. ?
  3. ?
  4. ?

The friend her age gets tu. The older stranger gets vous, and so does the family group: vous is the only plural you.

The trap for English speakers: is not only formal. Two close friends still get , because it is the only plural "you".

French keeps longer than English speakers expect: colleagues and neighbours can stay for years. Moving to is a small event with its own verb, tutoyer:

  • tutoyer ? - Shall we say ?

to a stranger reads as rude or presumptuous, so is the safe default.

on: the pronoun that ate nous

In spoken French, has largely replaced as the word for "we":

SpokenWritten or formalEnglish
. .We're going to the cinema.
. .We eat here.

means "we" but takes the form of the verb:

  • . - We're ready. (not )
  • . - We've finished. (not )

also keeps its older meaning, "one" or "people in general":

  • . - You never know.
  • France, . - In France, people eat late.

survives in writing, formal speech and for emphasis: , . - We think it's good. The practical rule: understand , say .

Going further: Why you cannot drop them and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.

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Lesson 32 of 42 in this chapter

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