What is a subject pronoun?
Subject pronouns are used to replace a noun which is the subject of the verb - usually the person doing the action. For example:
- Laurent joue au foot (Laurent is playing football) → il joue au foot (he is playing football)
We select which part of the verb we want to use based on who we are talking about.
Here are the subject pronouns:
| French | English | Explanation |
| je | I | When speaking about yourself |
| tu | you | When speaking to a friend, young person or family member |
| il | he/it | Instead of a masculine noun |
| elle | she/it | Instead of a feminine noun |
| on | one/we/you | When speaking about people in general |
| nous | we | When speaking about a group of people including yourself |
| vous | you | When speaking to more than one person, an adult you don't know or a stranger |
| ils | they | For more than one male, a mixed group or a masculine noun in the plural form |
| elles | they | For more than one female or a feminine noun in the plural form |
| French | je |
|---|---|
| English | I |
| Explanation | When speaking about yourself |
| French | tu |
|---|---|
| English | you |
| Explanation | When speaking to a friend, young person or family member |
| French | il |
|---|---|
| English | he/it |
| Explanation | Instead of a masculine noun |
| French | elle |
|---|---|
| English | she/it |
| Explanation | Instead of a feminine noun |
| French | on |
|---|---|
| English | one/we/you |
| Explanation | When speaking about people in general |
| French | nous |
|---|---|
| English | we |
| Explanation | When speaking about a group of people including yourself |
| French | vous |
|---|---|
| English | you |
| Explanation | When speaking to more than one person, an adult you don't know or a stranger |
| French | ils |
|---|---|
| English | they |
| Explanation | For more than one male, a mixed group or a masculine noun in the plural form |
| French | elles |
|---|---|
| English | they |
| Explanation | For more than one female or a feminine noun in the plural form |
