LEÇON 1  / Beginner

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. Nouns designate people, animals, places, ideas or things. A subject pronoun will serve as the main actor of a sentence. In general, subject pronouns in French and English are used in a similar way.

French expresses “you” in two different ways: tu and vous.

  1. Tu is used when a person addresses a relative, a friend, or a peer. It is an informal, friendly pronoun.
  2. Vous is used when addressing a stranger, an acquaintance, or someone older than you. It is formal and respectful.
  3. Vous is the form used in the plural when a person addresses two or more people.
  4. When in doubt, it is wise to use vous.
example

EXAMPLES

Je parle avec Nicolas, mais tu danses avec Christine.
I talk with Nicolas, but you dance with Christine.

Philippe et Rose sont amis; il vient de Corse et elle vient du Québec.
Philippe and Rose are friends; he is from Corsica, and she is from Quebec.

Michel! Isabelle! –Nous sommes ici!
Michel! Isabelle! –We’re here!

Elles vendent beaucoup de baguettes.
They sell a lot of baguettes.

Madame, vous choisissez une belle robe.
Madame, you choose a beautiful dress.

Anne, est-ce que tu aimes le cinéma?
Anne, do you like movies?

En France on parle français.
In France, one (you) speaks French.