French (Français) — Cases of personal pronouns
The objective case moves before the verb (Je le connais). The possessive does not agree with the 'owner' but with the gender of the 'possessed item' (son livre = his/her book, because livre is a masculine noun).
Types of personal pronouns
Person (number) | Nominative | Objective case (direct) | Possessive (agrees with the gender of the possessed item) | Possessive pronoun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1st person (singular) | je (I) | me (me) | mon/ma/mes (my) | le mien (mine) |
2nd person (singular) | tu (you) | te (you) | ton/ta/tes (your) | le tien (yours) |
3rd person (singular, masc.) | il (he) | le (him) | son/sa/ses (his) | le sien (his) |
3rd person (singular, fem.) | elle (she) | la (her) | son/sa/ses (her) | le sien (hers) |
3rd person (singular, thing) | il/elle (it) | le/la (it) | son/sa/ses (its) | le sien (its) |
1st person (plural) | nous (we) | nous (us) | notre/nos (our) | le nôtre (ours) |
2nd person (plural) | vous (you plural) | vous (you plural) | votre/vos (your plural) | le vôtre (yours plural) |
3rd person (plural) | ils/elles (they) | les (them) | leur/leurs (their) | le leur (theirs) |
Sujet (nominative)
A pronoun used as the subject. Since verb conjugation differs by person, the subject can hardly ever be omitted.
Objet direct (objective case)
A pronoun used as the object of a verb. Unlike English, it is placed before the verb.
Possessif (possessive)
Its form changes to mon/ma/mes, etc. according to the gender and number of the possessed item (regardless of the possessor's gender).
Pronom possessif (possessive pronoun)
It consists of the definite article (le/la/les) + stem, and agrees with the gender and number of the referent (the possessed item).
Example sentences
34. Je connais son nom.
35. C'est mon livre.
36. Elle m'a posé une question.
37. Tu es brillant.
38. Il t'a donné un cadeau hier.
39. Le livre sur le bureau est le sien.
40. Ses vêtements sont vieux et usés.
41. Je lui ai fait une nouvelle suggestion.
42. Sa couleur était mystérieuse.
43. Dis-nous ce qui s'est passé !
44. Nous avons essayé de résoudre nos problèmes.
45. Je les contacterai bientôt.
46. Le leur avait l'air mieux que le nôtre.