Explanation at your level:
Eux means 'them' in French. Use it when you talk about a group of boys. For example: 'I go with them' becomes 'Je vais avec eux'. It is very useful!
At this level, you learn that eux is a stressed pronoun. We use it after prepositions like 'avec' or 'pour'. Remember, it is only for masculine or mixed groups.
Intermediate learners use eux for contrast. By placing it at the start of a sentence, you emphasize the group. 'Eux, ils aiment le sport' highlights that they, specifically, enjoy sports.
At the B2 level, you understand the nuance of disjunctive pronouns. You can distinguish between the direct object 'les' and the stressed 'eux' in complex sentences involving multiple participants.
Advanced users employ eux in literary or formal contexts to create rhythmic balance. It often appears in comparative structures where the speaker needs to isolate a specific group from the rest of the collective.
Mastery of eux involves understanding its etymological evolution and its role in regional dialects. You can use it with precision in formal rhetoric, ensuring your gendered references are grammatically perfect in all registers.
30초 단어
- Eux means 'them' (masculine/mixed).
- Used after prepositions.
- Used for emphasis.
- Pronounced /ø/.
Welcome to the world of French pronouns! Eux is a fascinating little word that acts as the stressed version of 'them'. Think of it as the word you use when you want to put a spotlight on a group of people.
Because French is a gendered language, eux is specifically used to refer to groups that include at least one male. If you are talking about a group of only women, you would use elles instead. It is a fundamental building block for anyone starting their French journey.
The word eux has deep roots in Latin, evolving from the word illos. Over centuries of linguistic shift in Gaul, the pronunciation softened and transformed into the modern French form we recognize today.
It is a classic example of how Romance languages handle disjunctive pronouns. While many English speakers find the gender distinction tricky, it is a direct inheritance from the way Latin categorized objects and people. Studying eux is like looking through a window into the history of how we classify groups.
You will mostly see eux appearing after prepositions like avec (with) or pour (for). For example, you would say avec eux, which means 'with them'.
It is also used for emphasis. If you want to say 'As for them, they are ready,' you would start with Eux, ils sont prêts. It is a high-frequency word in daily conversation, so mastering its placement is essential for sounding like a native speaker.
While eux is a pronoun, it appears in many common phrases. C'est à eux means 'It belongs to them.' Another common structure is Quant à eux, which translates to 'As for them.'
You might also hear Même eux, meaning 'Even them.' These small phrases help you navigate complex sentences where you need to clarify exactly who you are talking about in a group setting.
Pronouncing eux can be a fun challenge for English speakers! It sounds like the 'u' in 'burn' but with rounded lips, represented by the IPA symbol /ø/. It does not rhyme with English words, making it unique.
Grammatically, it is a disjunctive pronoun. This means it cannot stand alone as the subject of a verb; you must follow it with a subject pronoun like ils. It is a fixed form and does not change based on the verb tense.
Fun Fact
It evolved from the Latin accusative form, losing the final consonants over time.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'u' in burn but with rounded lips.
Similar to the French sound, no direct English equivalent.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it like 'oo'
- Pronouncing it like 'uh'
- Adding an 's' sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy for beginners.
Easy to write.
Requires practice for pronunciation.
Requires practice for vowel sounds.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
고급
Grammar to Know
Stressed Pronouns
Moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles.
Subject Pronouns
Je, tu, il, elle, nous, vous, ils, elles.
Prepositions
Avec, pour, chez, sans.
Examples by Level
Je suis avec eux.
I am with them.
Preposition + eux.
C'est pour eux.
It is for them.
Preposition + eux.
Je parle d'eux.
I am talking about them.
de + eux.
Chez eux.
At their place.
Chez + eux.
Avec eux, c'est bien.
With them, it is good.
Emphasis.
Je travaille avec eux.
I work with them.
Verb + prep + eux.
C'est eux.
It is them.
C'est + pronoun.
Sans eux.
Without them.
Prep + eux.
Eux, ils sont là.
Ce cadeau est pour eux.
Je vais voir eux et Marc.
Avec eux, on rit.
C'est grâce à eux.
Je compte sur eux.
Ils sont avec eux.
Eux, ils savent.
Quant à eux, ils partent.
Même eux ne savent pas.
C'est à eux de décider.
Je me suis joint à eux.
Rien n'est facile pour eux.
Eux seuls peuvent le faire.
Il faut parler avec eux.
Je ne suis pas comme eux.
Il est préférable de traiter avec eux directement.
Eux, qui sont toujours en retard, sont arrivés tôt.
Il n'y a personne d'autre qu'eux.
C'est à eux que je m'adresse.
Il se sent bien parmi eux.
Contrairement à eux, je préfère rester.
Il est difficile de rivaliser avec eux.
Eux, ils ont tout compris.
Nonobstant leurs erreurs, il faut composer avec eux.
Il sied de discuter avec eux en privé.
Eux, dans leur infinie sagesse, ont refusé.
Il ne reste qu'eux pour résoudre ce dilemme.
Il est impératif de se concerter avec eux.
Eux, et personne d'autre, sont responsables.
Il est rare de trouver des gens comme eux.
Il faut en référer à eux.
Eux, par leur persévérance, ont su vaincre l'adversité.
Il convient d'être magnanime envers eux.
Eux, qui incarnaient l'espoir, ont disparu.
Il est vain de s'opposer à eux.
C'est à eux, et à eux seuls, que revient le mérite.
Il faut faire preuve de tact avec eux.
Eux, dans leur splendeur, dominaient la scène.
Il ne saurait être question de les ignorer, eux.
자주 쓰는 조합
Idioms & Expressions
"Quant à eux"
As for them
Quant à eux, ils sont prêts.
neutral"Chez eux"
At their house
On dîne chez eux.
neutral"C'est à eux"
It belongs to them
Ce livre est à eux.
neutral"Même eux"
Even them
Même eux n'ont pas vu.
casual"Parmi eux"
Among them
Il y a un traître parmi eux.
neutral"Comme eux"
Like them
Je veux être comme eux.
neutralEasily Confused
Both mean them
Eux is masculine, Elles is feminine
Eux (men), Elles (women).
Both mean them
Les is a direct object, Eux is a stressed pronoun
Je les vois vs Avec eux.
Both mean them
Leur is an indirect object
Je leur parle vs Avec eux.
Both masculine
Il is singular
Il (he) vs Eux (they).
Sentence Patterns
Prep + eux
Je suis avec eux.
Eux, + subject + verb
Eux, ils sont là.
C'est + eux
C'est eux.
Verb + prep + eux
Je compte sur eux.
Quant à eux + verb
Quant à eux, ils dorment.
어휘 가족
관련
How to Use It
10
Formality Scale
자주 하는 실수
Eux is a disjunctive pronoun, not a subject pronoun.
Eux is strictly for masculine/mixed groups.
When using 'eux' for emphasis, you still need 'ils'.
Les is for direct objects, eux is for prepositions.
The French vowel requires rounded lips.
Tips
Memory Palace
Place a group of men in your palace and label them 'Eux'.
Native Usage
Use it to emphasize a group.
Cultural Insight
French uses gendered pronouns heavily.
Grammar Shortcut
Preposition + Eux = Perfect.
Say It Right
Round your lips!
Don't Make This Mistake
Never start a sentence with 'Eux' without 'ils'.
Did You Know?
It comes from Latin 'illos'.
Study Smart
Use flashcards for 'eux' vs 'elles'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Eux sounds like 'oo' in 'boots' (but rounded) - think of a group of men wearing boots!
Visual Association
A group of men standing together.
Word Web
챌린지
Write 5 sentences using 'avec' + 'eux'.
어원
Latin
Original meaning: illos (those)
문화적 맥락
Important to respect gender usage in French.
Not used in English; English uses 'them' for all genders.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at school
- Je travaille avec eux
- C'est à eux
- Je suis avec eux
at work
- Je parle avec eux
- C'est pour eux
- Quant à eux
travel
- Je vais avec eux
- Chez eux
- Avec eux
daily life
- Eux, ils savent
- C'est eux
- Sans eux
Conversation Starters
"Avec qui travailles-tu ? Avec eux ?"
"Eux, ils aiment le foot, n'est-ce pas ?"
"C'est à eux ce livre ?"
"Tu vas chez eux ce soir ?"
"Tu veux venir avec eux ?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a group of friends using 'eux'.
Write about a time you went somewhere with a group.
Explain why you like being with a certain group.
Create a dialogue using 'eux'.
자주 묻는 질문
8 질문Yes, it is used for masculine or mixed groups.
No, only for emphasis before the subject.
Use 'elles'.
Extremely common in French.
No, it's a different vowel sound.
Lui (masculine).
Yes, 'd'eux'.
It is standard French.
셀프 테스트
Je vais avec ___.
After a preposition, use the stressed pronoun.
Which is correct?
Ils is the subject pronoun.
Eux is used for feminine groups.
Eux is for masculine/mixed groups.
Word
뜻
Prepositional phrases.
Eux, ils vont avec.
점수: /5
Summary
Eux is the essential stressed pronoun for referring to masculine or mixed groups in French.
- Eux means 'them' (masculine/mixed).
- Used after prepositions.
- Used for emphasis.
- Pronounced /ø/.
Memory Palace
Place a group of men in your palace and label them 'Eux'.
Native Usage
Use it to emphasize a group.
Cultural Insight
French uses gendered pronouns heavily.
Grammar Shortcut
Preposition + Eux = Perfect.
예시
Je vais avec eux au cinéma.
Related Content
관련 표현
general 관련 단어
à cause de
A2Because of; on account of (a neutral or negative cause).
à côté
A2Next to; beside.
à côté de
A2Next to, beside.
À droite
A2To the right; on the right side.
À gauche
A2To the left; on the left side.
à la
A2To the (feminine singular), indicates direction or location.
à laquelle
B2To which; at which (feminine singular).
à mesure que
B2As; while; in proportion as.
abrégé
B1An abstract, summary, or abridgment.
absence
A2The state of being away from a place or person.
