French Indirect Object Pronouns: to him, to her, to them (lui, leur)
lui and leur before the verb to replace 'to someone' and sound more natural.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'lui' for 'to him/her' and 'leur' for 'to them' when replacing people after the preposition 'à'.
- Use 'lui' for singular people (him or her): Je parle à Marie -> Je lui parle.
- Use 'leur' for plural people (them): Je parle aux enfants -> Je leur parle.
- Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb: Il lui donne un cadeau.
Overview
French indirect object pronouns (IOPs) replace nouns that function as the indirect object of a verb. Specifically, lui (to him, to her) and leur (to them) are essential for streamlining French sentences by avoiding the repetition of a person's name or a group of people. In French, many verbs require the preposition à (to, at) when their object is a person or personified entity receiving the action, rather than directly undergoing it.
For instance, instead of saying Je parle à Marie (I speak to Marie) and then repeating à Marie, you use Je lui parle (I speak to her). These pronouns signify the recipient or beneficiary of the verb's action.
This grammatical structure reflects a core principle of linguistic economy in French, where redundant information is often condensed into single-word pronouns. Mastering lui and leur not only improves fluency but also enhances clarity, making your French sound more natural and sophisticated. At the A2 level, understanding these pronouns allows you to express common interactions like communicating with, giving to, or receiving from others without awkward repetition, forming the bedrock for more complex sentence structures.
They indicate who is affected by or receives the action, rather than who performs or is the action itself.
How This Grammar Works
lui and leur function as substitutes for an indirect object introduced by the preposition à (or sometimes pour, though à is the primary indicator for lui/leur). The key to identifying an indirect object lies in the verb's transitivity. Many French verbs, particularly those involving communication or transfer, are followed by à + personne to denote the recipient.parler à quelqu'un (to speak to someone), donner à quelqu'un (to give to someone), or écrire à quelqu'un (to write to someone).à + personne is replaced, you use an indirect object pronoun. Unlike direct object pronouns, which answer "Who?" or "What?" directly, indirect object pronouns answer "To whom?" or "For whom?". Crucially, lui serves as the pronoun for both masculine and feminine singular indirect objects (to him, to her), while leur is used for both masculine and feminine plural indirect objects (to them).lui is a significant difference from English and other Romance languages.Je téléphone à mon ami. (I call my friend.) Here, mon ami is the indirect object. To replace it, you use lui: Je lui téléphone. (I call him.) Similarly, for Elle écrit à ses parents. (She writes to her parents.), ses parents is plural, so it becomes Elle leur écrit. (She writes to them.) The placement of these pronouns is also distinct: they almost always precede the conjugated verb, even in compound tenses, creating a specific rhythm in French sentence construction.Formation Pattern
lui and leur follows a consistent pattern, primarily determined by verb tense, sentence type (affirmative, negative, imperative), and the presence of other verbs.
à followed by a person/personified entity. If à is present or implied (e.g., in some idioms) and refers to a living being, an IOP is likely needed. Then, determine if the indirect object is singular or plural.
à un ami (to a friend) | lui |
à ma sœur (to my sister) | lui |
à mes amis (to my friends) | leur |
à tes parents (to your parents)| leur |
Subject + IOP + Verb
Je lui parle. (I speak to him/her.)
Elle leur écrira. (She will write to them.)
avoir or être).
Subject + IOP + Auxiliary + Past Participle
Nous lui avons donné le livre. (We gave him/her the book.)
Vous leur aviez raconté l'histoire. (You had told them the story.)
aller, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, aimer, etc.):
Subject + Conjugated Verb + IOP + Infinitive
Il va lui téléphoner. (He is going to call him/her.)
Tu veux leur expliquer la situation. (You want to explain the situation to them.)
ne...pas (or ne...plus, ne...jamais, etc.) surrounds the pronoun-verb unit in simple tenses, or the pronoun-auxiliary unit in compound tenses.
Ne + IOP + Verb + Pas (Simple)
Je ne lui réponds pas. (I don't answer him/her.)
Ne + IOP + Auxiliary + Pas + Past Participle (Compound)
Elle ne leur a pas écrit. (She didn't write to them.)
Subject + Ne + Conjugated Verb + Pas + IOP + Infinitive
Je ne peux pas lui parler. (I can't speak to him/her.)
moi and toi are used instead of me and te in this context, but lui and leur remain unchanged.
Verb-lui!
Parle-lui! (Speak to him/her!)
Verb-leur!
Donnez-leur les clés! (Give them the keys!)
Ne + IOP + Verb + Pas!
Ne lui parle pas! (Don't speak to him/her!)
Ne leur dis pas! (Don't tell them!)
When To Use It
lui and leur are used specifically when the verb's action is directed to a person or a personified entity, and that entity is typically introduced by the preposition à. They are not used for inanimate objects, for which the pronoun y is generally employed (a topic for later study). The core principle is that the pronoun replaces à + nom de personne.lui or leur. They involve transmitting information to someone.parler à(to speak to):Je lui parle souvent.(I often speak to him/her.)dire à(to tell to):Il leur a dit la vérité.(He told them the truth.)écrire à(to write to):Tu lui écris une lettre ?(Are you writing him/her a letter?)téléphoner à(to call):Nous lui téléphonerons ce soir.(We will call him/her tonight.)répondre à(to answer):Pourquoi ne leur as-tu pas répondu ?(Why didn't you answer them?)demander à(to ask):Je lui ai demandé de l'aide.(I asked him/her for help.)raconter à(to tell, to recount):Elle leur a raconté son voyage.(She told them about her trip.)expliquer à(to explain to):Le professeur nous lui a expliqué la leçon.(The professor explained the lesson to us/him/her.)
donner à(to give to):Il lui a donné un cadeau.(He gave him/her a gift.)offrir à(to offer to, to give a gift to):J'aime lui offrir des fleurs.(I like to offer him/her flowers.)prêter à(to lend to):Tu peux leur prêter ta voiture ?(Can you lend them your car?)envoyer à(to send to):J'ai déjà lui envoyé le mail.(I already sent him/her the email.)vendre à(to sell to):Elle lui a vendu sa maison.(She sold her house to him/her.)rendre à(to give back to):N'oubliez pas de lui rendre le livre.(Don't forget to return the book to him/her.)
plaire à(to please, to be liked by):Ça lui plaît beaucoup.(That pleases him/her a lot / He/She likes that a lot.)déplaire à(to displease, to be disliked by):Ces bruits leur déplaisent.(These noises displease them.)obéir à(to obey):Les enfants lui obéissent.(The children obey him/her.)désobéir à(to disobey):Il leur désobéit souvent.(He often disobeys them.)manquer à(to miss someone/something – used inversely):Tu lui manques.(He/She misses you. Lit: You are missed by him/her.) In this construction,tuis the subject, andluiis the indirect object. This is a crucial distinction. The person feeling the emotion is the indirect object.
à before the person. If it does, use an IOP. If the verb takes a direct object (no preposition à), use a direct object pronoun (le, la, les).- Direct:
J'aime ma mère.(I love my mother.) ->Je l'aime.(I love her.) - Noàneeded. - Indirect:
Je parle à ma mère.(I speak to my mother.) ->Je lui parle.(I speak to her.) -àneeded.
Common Mistakes
lui and leur due to differences between French and their native language, or subtle distinctions within French grammar.lui with Gender-Specific Pronounsil or elle for indirect objects, or even le/la (which are direct object pronouns) when referring to a female recipient. Remember: lui is gender-neutral for singular indirect objects.- Incorrect:
Je la parle.(Trying to say "I speak to her" with a direct object pronoun) - Correct:
Je lui parle.(I speak to her/him.)
lui's gender neutrality stems from its Latin origin (illi), which was an oblique case form that didn't strictly distinguish grammatical gender in the same way as nominative pronouns.leur vs. leursleur (to them) is invariable. It never takes an -s. However, many learners mistakenly add an -s because leurs exists as a possessive adjective (their).- Pronoun:
Je leur donne les livres.(I give them the books.) – Here,leuris an IOP, always singular in form even if it represents multiple people. - Possessive Adjective:
Ce sont leurs livres.(These are their books.) – Here,leursagrees in number withlivres.
à eux or à elles, it's the pronoun leur (no -s). If it means "their" and is followed by a noun, it's the possessive adjective leurs (with an -s if the noun is plural).- Incorrect:
J'ai parlé lui.(Trying to say "I spoke to him/her.") - Correct:
Je lui ai parlé.(I spoke to him/her.) - Incorrect:
Je veux parler lui.(Trying to say "I want to speak to him/her.") - Correct:
Je veux lui parler.(I want to speak to him/her.)
à or not). Using a DOP (le, la, les) when an IOP (lui, leur) is required, or vice versa, alters the meaning or makes the sentence ungrammatical.à (Indirect) | I talk to her. | lui (IOP) | Je lui parle. |la (DOP) | Je la vois. |à before a person? If so, it's an indirect object. If not, it's direct.ne...pas), the ne and pas frame the pronoun-verb block. Learners sometimes place ne before the pronoun and pas after the main verb, especially in compound tenses.- Incorrect:
Je ne ai pas lui parlé. - Correct:
Je ne lui ai pas parlé.
ne + [IOP + Auxiliary/Verb] + pas.Real Conversations
Indirect object pronouns lui and leur are integral to everyday French communication, making sentences concise and natural. They are not merely grammatical constructs but tools for efficient discourse across various registers.
1. Casual Conversation & Texting (SMS)
In informal settings, lui and leur are ubiquitous. They condense information rapidly, which is particularly useful in quick exchanges.
- Scenario: Discussing a friend named Sophie.
- "Tu lui as parlé hier ?" (Did you speak to her yesterday?)
- Reply: "Oui, je lui ai envoyé un message." (Yes, I sent her a message.)
- Scenario: Group chat with colleagues about a meeting.
- "Le client leur a répondu ?" (Did the client reply to them?)
- Reply: "Pas encore, je leur demanderai cet après-midi." (Not yet, I'll ask them this afternoon.)
2. Professional & Formal Contexts (Emails, Meetings)
Even in formal communication, these pronouns maintain their function of clarity and conciseness, demonstrating a command of nuanced French.
- Email to a manager: "J'ai transmis le rapport à Monsieur Dubois et lui ai demandé son avis." (I forwarded the report to Mr. Dubois and asked him for his opinion.)
- Meeting discussion: "Nous leur avons présenté les nouvelles directives et attendons leur retour." (We presented the new guidelines to them and await their feedback.)
3. Social Media & Online Interactions
Comments, captions, and replies often use IOPs to refer to individuals or groups without explicitly tagging them or repeating their names.
- Commenting on a photo: "Cette couleur lui va super bien !" (This color suits her/him really well! – referring to the person in the photo)
- Responding to a question for a group: "Oui, je leur ai déjà tout expliqué en privé." (Yes, I already explained everything to them in private.)
4. Narrative and Storytelling
In recounting events or telling stories, lui and leur are essential for maintaining narrative flow and avoiding clumsy repetition of characters' names.
- "Il est allé voir sa grand-mère et lui a raconté sa journée." (He went to see his grandmother and told her about his day.)
- "Les enfants étaient excités ; j'ai dû leur lire une histoire trois fois." (The children were excited; I had to read them a story three times.)
These examples demonstrate that lui and leur are not just textbook grammar but living elements of the French language, crucial for natural expression and understanding in authentic communication. Their consistent use marks a significant step towards fluency.
Quick FAQ
lui and leur?lui is used for a singular indirect object (to him, to her), while leur is used for a plural indirect object (to them). Both are gender-neutral in their respective numbers.
lui change if the person is feminine?No. lui is the pronoun for both masculine and feminine singular indirect objects. For example, Je parle à Jean becomes Je lui parle, and Je parle à Anne also becomes Je lui parle.
lui or leur go in a sentence?In most cases, it goes before the conjugated verb. If there's an auxiliary verb (like in passé composé), it goes before the auxiliary. If there's a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive, it goes before the infinitive.
Elle lui écrit.(She writes to him/her.)Il leur a parlé.(He spoke to them.)Tu veux lui dire ?(Do you want to tell him/her?)
lui and leur behave in negative sentences?The negation (ne...pas, ne...plus, etc.) surrounds the pronoun and the verb it precedes. For example, Je ne lui parle pas. (I don't speak to him/her.) or Nous ne leur avons pas répondu. (We didn't answer them.)
leur with an -s (leurs)?The indirect object pronoun is always leur (no -s). leurs with an -s is a possessive adjective meaning "their" (e.g., leurs amis - their friends) and precedes a noun.
Generally, no. lui and leur are reserved for people or personified entities. For inanimate objects, especially those introduced by à, the adverbial pronoun y is used (e.g., Je pense à mon travail -> J'y pense).
à and therefore need lui/leur?There isn't a simple trick, but many verbs of communication (parler à, écrire à, téléphoner à, dire à) and giving/transfer (donner à, offrir à, prêter à) commonly take à before a person. Over time, through exposure and practice, these verbs will become intuitive.
me, te, nous, vous?These also exist and follow the same placement rules. me (to me), te (to you informal), nous (to us), vous (to you formal/plural) are distinct from lui and leur but are part of the broader system of French indirect object pronouns. me and te become m' and t' before a vowel or mute h (e.g., Il m'a dit.).
Yes. In affirmative commands, lui and leur are placed after the verb and connected with a hyphen (e.g., Parle-lui!, Donnez-leur!). In negative commands, they revert to preceding the verb (e.g., Ne lui parle pas!).
Indirect Object Pronoun Table
| Person | Pronoun | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
|
1st Sing
|
me (m')
|
to me
|
|
2nd Sing
|
te (t')
|
to you
|
|
3rd Sing
|
lui
|
to him/her
|
|
1st Plural
|
nous
|
to us
|
|
2nd Plural
|
vous
|
to you
|
|
3rd Plural
|
leur
|
to them
|
Meanings
Indirect object pronouns replace nouns representing people that are preceded by the preposition 'à'. They indicate the recipient of an action.
Singular recipient
Replacing 'à + [person]' where the person is singular.
“Je lui écris.”
“Il lui donne le livre.”
Plural recipient
Replacing 'à + [people]' where the people are plural.
“Je leur écris.”
“Il leur donne les clés.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
S + IOP + V
|
Je lui parle
|
|
Negative
|
S + ne + IOP + V + pas
|
Je ne lui parle pas
|
|
Question
|
Est-ce que + S + IOP + V
|
Est-ce que tu lui parles ?
|
|
Inversion
|
V + IOP + S
|
Lui parles-tu ?
|
|
Passé Composé
|
S + IOP + Aux + V(pp)
|
Je lui ai parlé
|
Formality Spectrum
Je lui parle. (Communication)
Je lui parle. (Communication)
Je lui cause. (Communication)
Je lui jacte. (Communication)
Indirect Object Flow
Singular
- lui to him/her
Plural
- leur to them
Examples by Level
Je lui parle.
I talk to him/her.
Je leur parle.
I talk to them.
Il lui donne un cadeau.
He gives him/her a gift.
Elle leur écrit.
She writes to them.
Je ne lui ai pas téléphoné.
I didn't call him/her.
Est-ce que tu leur as dit ?
Did you tell them?
Je lui envoie une lettre.
I am sending him/her a letter.
Il leur offre des fleurs.
He offers them flowers.
Il faut lui obéir.
One must obey him/her.
Je leur ai rendu visite.
I visited them.
Elle leur a promis de venir.
She promised them she would come.
Je lui ai demandé son avis.
I asked him/her for his/her opinion.
Je lui ai fait confiance.
I trusted him/her.
Il leur a fallu du temps.
It took them time.
Je lui ai succédé au poste.
I succeeded him/her in the position.
Elle leur a permis de sortir.
She allowed them to go out.
Je lui ai déconseillé cette option.
I advised him/her against this option.
Il leur a confié ses secrets.
He confided his secrets to them.
Je lui ai reproché son attitude.
I reproached him/her for his/her attitude.
Elle leur a transmis le message.
She relayed the message to them.
Il lui sied de rester discret.
It suits him/her to remain discreet.
Je leur ai fait part de mes doutes.
I shared my doubts with them.
Elle lui a fait grief de son silence.
She blamed him/her for his/her silence.
Il leur a donné carte blanche.
He gave them carte blanche.
Easily Confused
Direct objects don't use 'à', indirect do.
Leur is a pronoun, Leurs is an adjective.
Lui is for people with 'à'.
Common Mistakes
Je lui parle à Marie.
Je parle à Marie.
Je leur donne le livre à eux.
Je leur donne le livre.
Je le parle.
Je lui parle.
Je lui donne à lui.
Je lui donne.
Je leur donne le livre.
Je leur donne le livre.
Je ne parle lui pas.
Je ne lui parle pas.
Je lui ai donnés le livre.
Je lui ai donné le livre.
Je lui ai téléphoné à elle.
Je lui ai téléphoné.
Je leur ai vu.
Je les ai vus.
Je lui ai dit à mon frère.
J'ai dit à mon frère.
Il leur a été permis.
Il leur a été permis.
Je leur ai fait confiance.
Je leur ai fait confiance.
Lui, je lui parle.
Lui, je lui parle.
Sentence Patterns
Je ___ parle.
Je ___ ai donné le livre.
Est-ce que tu ___ as téléphoné ?
Il ___ a promis de venir.
Real World Usage
Je lui ai envoyé un message.
Je leur ai présenté mon projet.
Je lui ai demandé l'addition.
Je leur ai demandé le chemin.
Je lui ai répondu sur Twitter.
Je lui ai donné un pourboire.
Check for 'à'
No 's' on leur
Placement
Gender neutrality
Smart Tips
Immediately think 'lui' or 'leur'.
Check if it's a pronoun or adjective.
Keep the pronoun with the verb.
Put the pronoun before the infinitive.
Pronunciation
Lui
The 'ui' sound is a high front rounded vowel.
Leur
The 'eu' sound is a mid-front rounded vowel.
Statement
Je lui parle ↘
Neutral assertion.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Lui is for one, Leur is for more.
Visual Association
Imagine a single person holding a 'Lui' sign, and a crowd of people holding a 'Leur' sign.
Rhyme
For one person, use 'lui', for many, 'leur' is the key.
Story
Marie calls her friend. She says 'Je lui téléphone'. Then she calls her parents. She says 'Je leur téléphone'.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about people you talk to today using 'lui' and 'leur'.
Cultural Notes
Using 'lui' and 'leur' is standard in all registers.
Similar usage, but informal speech might drop pronouns.
Standard French grammar is used in formal education.
Derived from Latin dative case pronouns.
Conversation Starters
À qui parles-tu souvent ?
Est-ce que tu leur as envoyé un message ?
À qui donnes-tu tes conseils ?
À qui fais-tu confiance ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Je ___ parle. (to him)
Je ___ donne le livre. (to them)
Find and fix the mistake:
Je leurs parle.
Je parle à Marie.
A: Tu as parlé à tes parents ? B: Oui, je ___ ai parlé.
ai / lui / je / parlé
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Il ___ a téléphoné. (to her)
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesJe ___ parle. (to him)
Je ___ donne le livre. (to them)
Find and fix the mistake:
Je leurs parle.
Je parle à Marie.
A: Tu as parlé à tes parents ? B: Oui, je ___ ai parlé.
ai / lui / je / parlé
Je parle à mon ami.
Il ___ a téléphoné. (to her)
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesJe ___ offre un cadeau pour son anniversaire.
Les étudiants posent des questions et le prof ___ répond.
Mistake: Je ne parle pas à lui plus.
envoyons / Nous / l'invitation / vous
He lent me his bike.
Choose the correct sentence:
Replace 'aux voisins' in: 'Je parle aux voisins.'
Mistake: Tu as envoyé lui un SMS.
She smiles at us.
leur / Je / ai / rien / ne / dit
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It is both. It works for him and her.
No, 'leur' is only for plural.
Before the verb: 'Je ne lui parle pas'.
'Leurs' is a possessive adjective, not a pronoun.
No, only for people.
You must memorize the verb's construction.
Yes, it is standard in all registers.
That is a more advanced topic involving double pronouns.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
le/les
Spanish often uses redundant pronouns.
Dative case
German changes articles, French uses pronouns.
ni
No pronoun replacement, just particle addition.
Suffixes
Suffixes are integrated into the verb word.
Prepositional phrases
No pronoun replacement.
to him/her
French uses clitic pronouns.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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