Direct Object Pronouns in French: A2 flashcards

Question 1

Rule: What is a direct object?

Accepted Answer

A noun or noun phrase connected to the verb without a preposition. It often answers “whom?” or “what?”
Je regarde le film. (I'm watching the film.)
« le film » is a direct object.
Je parle à Paul. (I'm talking to Paul.)
« à Paul » is not a direct object because it follows the preposition « à ».

Question 2

Rule: What are the direct object pronouns?

Accepted Answer

me (me) / te (you, informal) / le (him, it) / la (her, it) / nous (us) / vous (you, formal or plural) / les (them)

Question 3

Rule: Where does a direct object pronoun go in the present tense?

Accepted Answer

Before the verb, not after it as in English.
Je vends mon vélo. → Je le vends. (I'm selling my bike. → I'm selling it.)
Nous finissons les exercices. → Nous les finissons. (We're finishing the exercises. → We're finishing them.)

Question 4

Rule: How do you choose between « le », « la » and « les »?

Accepted Answer

Look at the noun you replace: « le » for a masculine singular noun, « la » for a feminine singular noun, « les » for any plural noun. They replace people and things.
Elle prépare le dîner. → Elle le prépare. (She's making dinner. → She's making it.)
Tu choisis la robe rouge ? → Tu la choisis ? (Are you choosing the red dress? → Are you choosing it?)
Je mets mes chaussures. → Je les mets. (I'm putting on my shoes. → I'm putting them on.)

Question 5

Replace the object with a pronoun: Elle regarde la télé.

Accepted Answer

Elle la regarde. / (She's watching TV. → She's watching it.)

Question 6

Replace the object with a pronoun: Nous cherchons nos billets.

Accepted Answer

Nous les cherchons. / (We're looking for our tickets. → We're looking for them.)

Question 7

Replace the object with a pronoun: Il lave la voiture.

Accepted Answer

Il la lave. / (He's washing the car. → He's washing it.)

Question 8

Replace the object with a pronoun: Tu connais mon cousin ?

Accepted Answer

Tu le connais ? / (Do you know my cousin? → Do you know him?)

Question 9

Replace the object with a pronoun: Il paie l'addition.

Accepted Answer

Il la paie. / (He's paying the bill. → He's paying it.)

Question 10

Replace the object with a pronoun: Ils invitent leurs amis.

Accepted Answer

Ils les invitent. / (They're inviting their friends. → They're inviting them.)

Question 11

Replace the object with a pronoun: Je ferme la fenêtre.

Accepted Answer

Je la ferme. / (I'm closing the window. → I'm closing it.)

Question 12

Replace the object with a pronoun: Tu vois la mer ?

Accepted Answer

Tu la vois ? / (Can you see the sea? → Can you see it?)

Question 13

Rule: When do you use « en » instead of « le », « la » or « les »?

Accepted Answer

« le, la, les » replace one specific thing, the one you are talking about.
« en » replaces an amount: some, any, one, two… If there is a number, it stays.
Tu as la clé de la voiture ? → Oui, je l'ai. (Do you have the car key? → Yes, I have it.)
Tu as une voiture ? → Oui, j'en ai une. (Do you have a car? → Yes, I have one.)
Tu veux du café ? → Oui, j'en veux. (Do you want some coffee? → Yes, I want some.)

Question 14

Rule: What do « me », « te », « le » and « la » become before a vowel or a silent h?

Accepted Answer

m', t', l' / Il m'appelle. Je t'aime. Je l'adore. (He calls me. I love you. I love it.) / « nous », « vous » and « les » don't change: Je les adore. (I love them.)

Question 15

Replace the object with a pronoun: J'écoute la radio.

Accepted Answer

Je l'écoute. / (I'm listening to the radio. → I'm listening to it.)

Question 16

Complete with a pronoun (Paul is inviting me): Paul ___ invite à dîner.

Accepted Answer

Paul m'invite à dîner.

Question 17

Replace the object with a pronoun: Elle aide son frère.

Accepted Answer

Elle l'aide. / (She helps her brother. → She helps him.)

Question 18

Complete with a pronoun (I can hear you well): Je ___ entends bien.

Accepted Answer

Je t'entends bien.

Question 19

Replace the object with a pronoun: Il achète l'ordinateur.

Accepted Answer

Il l'achète. / (He's buying the computer. → He's buying it.)

Question 20

Rule: How do you say “to wait for someone” in French?

Accepted Answer

attendre quelqu'un / No preposition: the object comes straight after the verb, so you use le, la or les. / J'attends ma sœur. → Je l'attends. (I'm waiting for my sister. → I'm waiting for her.)

Question 21

Replace the object with a pronoun: Nous attendons le bus.

Accepted Answer

Nous l'attendons. / (We're waiting for the bus. → We're waiting for it.)

Question 22

Rule: How do you say “to look for something” in French?

Accepted Answer

chercher quelque chose / No preposition: the object comes straight after the verb, so you use le, la or les. / Il cherche ses lunettes. → Il les cherche. (He's looking for his glasses. → He's looking for them.)

Question 23

Replace the object with a pronoun: Je cherche mon portable.

Accepted Answer

Je le cherche. / (I'm looking for my phone. → I'm looking for it.)

Question 24

Rule: How do you say “to listen to someone” in French?

Accepted Answer

écouter quelqu'un / No preposition: the object comes straight after the verb, so you use le, la or les. / Tu écoutes le professeur ? → Tu l'écoutes ? (Are you listening to the teacher? → Are you listening to him?)

Question 25

Replace the object with a pronoun: Elle écoute ses parents.

Accepted Answer

Elle les écoute. / (She listens to her parents. → She listens to them.)

Question 26

Rule: How do you say “to look at something” in French?

Accepted Answer

regarder quelque chose / No preposition: the object comes straight after the verb, so you use le, la or les. / Nous regardons le ciel. → Nous le regardons. (We're looking at the sky. → We're looking at it.)

Question 27

Replace the object with a pronoun: Ils regardent les photos.

Accepted Answer

Ils les regardent. / (They're looking at the photos. → They're looking at them.)

Question 28

Rule: What do « me », « te », « nous » and « vous » replace?

Accepted Answer

The people speaking or being spoken to. Like « le, la, les », they go before the verb.
Marc m'aide. (Marc helps me.)
Je vous attends devant la gare. (I'm waiting for you in front of the station.)

Question 29

Answer with « oui » and a pronoun: Tu me vois ?

Accepted Answer

Oui, je te vois. / (Can you see me? → Yes, I can see you.)

Question 30

Answer with « oui » and a pronoun: Il te connaît ?

Accepted Answer

Oui, il me connaît. / (Does he know you? → Yes, he knows me.)

Question 31

Answer with « oui » and a pronoun: Tu m'écoutes ?

Accepted Answer

Oui, je t'écoute. / (Are you listening to me? → Yes, I'm listening to you.)

Question 32

Answer with « oui » and a pronoun: Tes parents vous invitent ce week-end ?

Accepted Answer

Oui, ils nous invitent ce week-end. / (Are your parents inviting you this weekend? → Yes, they're inviting us this weekend.)

Question 33

Answer with « oui » and a pronoun: Tu nous appelles demain ?

Accepted Answer

Oui, je vous appelle demain. / (Are you calling us tomorrow? → Yes, I'm calling you tomorrow.)

Question 34

Rule: Where do « ne » and « pas » go with a direct object pronoun?

Accepted Answer

Around the pronoun and the verb together. / subject + ne + pronoun + verb + pas / Je ne la trouve pas. Elle ne nous attend pas. (I can't find it. She isn't waiting for us.)

Question 35

Make negative: Je la connais.

Accepted Answer

Je ne la connais pas. / (I know her. → I don't know her.)

Question 36

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Tu regardes le match ?

Accepted Answer

Non, je ne le regarde pas. / (Are you watching the match? → No, I'm not watching it.)

Question 37

Make negative: Il m'écoute.

Accepted Answer

Il ne m'écoute pas. / (He listens to me. → He doesn't listen to me.)

Question 38

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Elle aime ses voisins ?

Accepted Answer

Non, elle ne les aime pas. / (Does she like her neighbours? → No, she doesn't like them.)

Question 39

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Tu prends le train ?

Accepted Answer

Non, je ne le prends pas. / (Are you taking the train? → No, I'm not taking it.)

Direct Object Pronouns in French A2

The rules

What is a direct object?

What are the direct object pronouns?

Where does a direct object pronoun go in the present tense?

How do you choose between « le », « la » and « les »?

When do you use « en » instead of « le », « la » or « les »?

What do « me », « te », « le » and « la » become before a vowel or a silent h?

How do you say “to wait for someone” in French?

How do you say “to look for something” in French?

How do you say “to listen to someone” in French?

How do you say “to look at something” in French?

What do « me », « te », « nous » and « vous » replace?

Where do « ne » and « pas » go with a direct object pronoun?

Common mistakes

27 exercises

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