Object pronouns (les pronoms compléments): Object pronouns (les pronoms compléments d'objet) are short words that replace a noun so you don't keep repeating it. There are two sets: direct and indirect.
One noun, then a pronoun: Instead of saying Je vois le film → J'aime le film, you say Je vois le film → Je le vois.
Direct object (COD)
- Asks le quoi / qui ?
- The thing or person the verb acts on directly
- le, la, les
Indirect object (COI)
- Asks à qui ?
- The person to / for whom
- lui, leur
- le pronom complément
- object pronoun — replaces a noun already mentioned
- le complément d'objet direct (COD)
- direct object — what/whom the verb acts on directly (le, la, l', les)
- le complément d'objet indirect (COI)
- indirect object — the person after à (lui, leur)
- la place du pronom
- placement — the pronoun goes BEFORE the verb it depends on
- le verbe conjugué
- a conjugated verb — already changed for its subject (je vois, tu manges)
- l'infinitif
- infinitive — the unconjugated -er/-ir/-re form (voir, finir, prendre)
Why they matter: Good answers in the speaking and writing tasks avoid repeating the same noun. If you've already said le problème, follow it with je le résous instead of je résous le problème again. Examiners reward this natural flow.
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Two sets, and where they go: The direct and indirect sets share the first persons (me, te, nous, vous) and differ only in the third person: le / la / les (COD) vs lui / leur (COI).
Then learn the placement rule: The pronoun goes before the verb it depends on — before the conjugated verb (Je le vois), or before the infinitive (Je vais le voir), or before the auxiliary in the passé composé (Je l'ai vu).
| Personne | Objet direct (COD) | Objet indirect (COI) |
|---|---|---|
| me / m' (me) | me / m' | me / m' |
| te / t' (you) | te / t' | te / t' |
| il / elle (lui) | le / la / l' | lui |
| nous (us) | nous | nous |
| vous (you-all) | vous | vous |
| ils / elles (them) | les | leur |
Où se place le pronom
- Before the conjugated verb — Je le vois. (I see it.)
- Before the infinitive it belongs to — Je vais le voir. (I'm going to see it.)
- Before the auxiliary in the passé composé — Je l'ai vu. (I saw it.)
- Both pronouns together (COD before COI in the 3rd person) — Je le lui donne. (I give it to him/her.)
- Order of two pronouns: me/te/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur → y → en — Il me le donne. (He gives it to me.)
- Before a vowel, le / la → l' and me / te → m' / t' — Je l'aime, Tu m'écoutes.
le/la/les before, lui/leur for à: Ask le quoi / qui ? → it's a direct object → le / la / les. Ask à qui ? (a person after à) → it's an indirect object → lui (one person) or leur (several). And the pronoun always sits before the verb it depends on, never after a conjugated verb.
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What they're for: Object pronouns earn their keep when a noun is already clear from context — you've just said it, or your listener can tell what you mean. They make answers shorter and more natural.
Les emplois des pronoms compléments
- Avoiding repetition — Tu as l'argent ? Oui, je l'ai. (Do you have the money? Yes, I have it.)
- Answering a yes/no question — Tu le connais ? → Oui, je le connais. (Do you know him? Yes, I do.)
- Naming who benefits (indirect) — Je lui donne un cadeau. (I give him/her a present.)
- Replacing people as a direct object — Tu vois Marie ? Oui, je la vois. (Do you see Marie? Yes, I see her.)
- Both at once — Tu me prêtes ton stylo ? Oui, je te le prête. (Will you lend me your pen? Yes, I'll lend it to you.)
Direct or indirect? Test the verb: The verb decides. voir / aimer / connaître quelqu'un take a direct object → le / la / les. parler / téléphoner / écrire À quelqu'un take an indirect object → lui / leur. So Je le vois (I see him) but Je lui téléphone (I phone him).
Which ones agree: A direct pronoun agrees in gender and number; lui / leur never change for gender.
A dialogue, line by line: Here's a short conversation built one exchange at a time. Read it for the meaning, then tap Voir la traduction for the English or the audio button to hear it.
Watch how each reply replaces the noun with a pronoun
- Before the conjugated verb
- Before an infinitive
- Before the auxiliary in the passé composé — where the past participle can agree with a preceding direct object
Les pronoms compléments en action
Un dialogue, ligne par ligne
- — Tu as acheté le cadeau pour ta sœur ? — Oui, je l'ai acheté hier.
- — Et tu lui écris une carte aussi ? — Oui, je lui écris une carte chaque année.
- — Tu lui donnes le cadeau et la carte dimanche ? — Bien sûr, je les lui donne au dîner.
- — Tu veux m'aider à les emballer ? — Oui, je vais t'aider tout de suite.
- — Les fleurs, tu les as commandées ? — Oui, je les ai commandées ce matin.
Steal this for your speaking: Notice the rhythm: a question names the noun, the answer replaces it with le / la / les / lui / leur. In a role-play, once you've mentioned something, switch to a pronoun — Oui, je le fais, Bien sûr, je te l'envoie — and you sound far more fluent.
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The slips anglophone learners make: Four traps cost most marks. Compare the right version with the typical mistake.
The four traps
- Putting the pronoun after the verb, English-style (je vois le is wrong → je le vois is right).
- Using a direct pronoun where the verb needs an indirect one (je les téléphone is wrong → je leur téléphone is right, because it's téléphoner À).
- Wrong order of two pronouns (je lui le donne is wrong → je le lui donne is right).
- Forgetting past-participle agreement with a preceding direct object (les fleurs, je les ai acheté is wrong → je les ai achetées is right).
Correct
- Je le vois tous les jours.
- Je leur téléphone ce soir.
- Je le lui donne demain.
- Les fleurs ? Je les ai achetées.
Erreur fréquente
- Je vois le tous les jours.
- Je les téléphone ce soir.
- Je lui le donne demain.
- Les fleurs ? Je les ai acheté.
Before / direct-or-indirect / order / agree: Run a quick check: is the pronoun before the verb it depends on? Is it direct (le/la/les) or indirect (lui/leur) for that verb? If two meet, is it me/te/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur? And in the passé composé, does the past participle agree with a preceding direct object (je les ai vues)?