Pronoun Position in French: A2 flashcards

Question 1

Rule: Where does the pronoun go after « aller », « vouloir », « pouvoir » or « devoir » + an infinitive?

Accepted Answer

Before the infinitive, when the pronoun is the object of the infinitive. This is the usual pattern after aller (to go), vouloir (to want), pouvoir (can), devoir (must), aimer (to like) and similar verbs.
Je vais appeler Paul. → Je vais l'appeler. (I'm going to call Paul. → I'm going to call him.)
Tu peux parler à Marie ? → Tu peux lui parler ? (Can you talk to Marie? → Can you talk to her?)
A few verbs, such as « voir » (to see) or « faire » (to make) + infinitive, work differently. They are studied later.

Question 2

Replace with a pronoun: Je veux voir ce film.

Accepted Answer

Je veux le voir. / (I want to see this film. → I want to see it.)

Question 3

Replace with a pronoun: Elle va téléphoner à ses parents.

Accepted Answer

Elle va leur téléphoner. / (She's going to phone her parents. → She's going to phone them.)

Question 4

Replace with a pronoun: Nous devons aller à la banque.

Accepted Answer

Nous devons y aller. / (We have to go to the bank. → We have to go there.)

Question 5

Replace with a pronoun: Tu peux acheter du pain ?

Accepted Answer

Tu peux en acheter ? / (Can you buy some bread? → Can you buy some?)

Question 6

Replace with a pronoun: Ils aiment regarder les matchs.

Accepted Answer

Ils aiment les regarder. / (They like watching the matches. → They like watching them.)

Question 7

Replace with a pronoun: Je viens de finir l'exercice.

Accepted Answer

Je viens de le finir. / (I've just finished the exercise. → I've just finished it.)

Question 8

Rule: Where do « ne » and « pas » go with a verb + infinitive + pronoun?

Accepted Answer

Around the conjugated verb. The pronoun stays before the infinitive. / Je ne vais pas l'appeler. (I'm not going to call him.)

Question 9

Make negative: Il veut le vendre.

Accepted Answer

Il ne veut pas le vendre. / (He wants to sell it. → He doesn't want to sell it.)

Question 10

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Tu vas inviter tes cousins ?

Accepted Answer

Non, je ne vais pas les inviter. / (Are you going to invite your cousins? → No, I'm not going to invite them.)

Question 11

Make negative: On peut y entrer.

Accepted Answer

On ne peut pas y entrer. / (We can go in there. → We can't go in there.)

Question 12

Rule: Where does the pronoun go in the passé composé?

Accepted Answer

Before « avoir » (to have) or « être » (to be).
J'ai vu le film. → Je l'ai vu. (I saw the film. → I saw it.)
Elle a parlé au directeur. → Elle lui a parlé. (She spoke to the manager. → She spoke to him.)

Question 13

Replace with a pronoun: J'ai acheté le journal.

Accepted Answer

Je l'ai acheté. / (I bought the newspaper. → I bought it.)

Question 14

Replace with a pronoun: Tu as téléphoné à ta grand-mère ?

Accepted Answer

Tu lui as téléphoné ? / (Did you phone your grandmother? → Did you phone her?)

Question 15

Replace with a pronoun: Nous sommes allés au musée.

Accepted Answer

Nous y sommes allés. / (We went to the museum. → We went there.)

Question 16

Replace with a pronoun: Il a mangé des frites.

Accepted Answer

Il en a mangé. / (He ate some chips. → He ate some.)

Question 17

Replace with a pronoun: Ils ont écrit à leurs amis.

Accepted Answer

Ils leur ont écrit. / (They wrote to their friends. → They wrote to them.)

Question 18

Replace with a pronoun: Tu as fini le livre ?

Accepted Answer

Tu l'as fini ? / (Have you finished the book? → Have you finished it?)

Question 19

Rule: Where do « ne » and « pas » go in the passé composé with a pronoun?

Accepted Answer

« ne » before the pronoun, « pas » after « avoir » or « être ». / subject + ne + pronoun + avoir / être + pas + participle / Je ne l'ai pas vu. (I didn't see it.)

Question 20

Make negative: Je lui ai répondu.

Accepted Answer

Je ne lui ai pas répondu. / (I answered him. → I didn't answer him.)

Question 21

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Tu es allé à la poste ?

Accepted Answer

Non, je n'y suis pas allé. / (Did you go to the post office? → No, I didn't go there.)

Question 22

Answer with « non » and a pronoun: Elle a pris du dessert ?

Accepted Answer

Non, elle n'en a pas pris. / (Did she have some dessert? → No, she didn't have any.)

Question 23

Make negative: Ils l'ont compris.

Accepted Answer

Ils ne l'ont pas compris. / (They understood it. → They didn't understand it.)

Question 24

Rule: Where does the pronoun go in an affirmative imperative?

Accepted Answer

After the verb, joined with a hyphen. / You use the usual pronouns: le, la, les, lui, leur, nous, vous, y, en. / Only « me » and « te » change: they become « moi » and « toi ». / Regarde-le ! Parle-lui ! Aide-moi ! (Look at it! Talk to him! Help me!)

Question 25

Give an instruction to a friend: Tu prends le parapluie.

Accepted Answer

Prends-le ! / (You take the umbrella. → Take it!)

Question 26

Give an instruction with « vous »: Vous écrivez à vos parents.

Accepted Answer

Écrivez-leur ! / (You write to your parents. → Write to them!)

Question 27

Give an instruction to a friend: Tu m'appelles ce soir.

Accepted Answer

Appelle-moi ce soir ! / (You call me tonight. → Call me tonight!)

Question 28

Make a suggestion with « nous »: Nous invitons Marie.

Accepted Answer

Invitons-la ! / (We invite Marie. → Let's invite her!)

Question 29

Give an instruction to a friend: Tu te lèves.

Accepted Answer

Lève-toi ! / (You get up. → Get up!)

Question 30

Give an instruction with « vous »: Vous vous dépêchez.

Accepted Answer

Dépêchez-vous ! / (You hurry. → Hurry up!)

Question 31

Rule: What happens to the « tu » imperative of -er verbs and « aller » before « y » or « en »?

Accepted Answer

The -s that is normally dropped (Va ! Mange ! Go! Eat!) is added back before « y » or « en », and it is pronounced as a liaison [z].
Tu vas au parc. → Vas-y ! (You go to the park. → Go there!)
Tu achètes des fleurs. → Achètes-en ! (You buy some flowers. → Buy some!)

Question 32

Give an instruction to a friend with « y »: Tu vas à la boulangerie.

Accepted Answer

Vas-y ! / (You go to the bakery. → Go there!)

Question 33

Give an instruction to a friend with « en »: Tu manges des légumes.

Accepted Answer

Manges-en ! / (You eat vegetables. → Eat some!)

Question 34

Rule: Where does the pronoun go in a negative imperative?

Accepted Answer

Before the verb, as in a normal sentence, with the usual forms (me, te, not moi, toi). / Ne le regarde pas ! Ne me parle pas ! (Don't look at it! Don't talk to me!)

Question 35

Make negative: Achète-le !

Accepted Answer

Ne l'achète pas ! / (Buy it! → Don't buy it!)

Question 36

Make negative: Téléphone-lui !

Accepted Answer

Ne lui téléphone pas ! / (Phone him! → Don't phone him!)

Question 37

Make negative: Lève-toi !

Accepted Answer

Ne te lève pas ! / (Get up! → Don't get up!)

Question 38

Make negative: Vas-y !

Accepted Answer

N'y va pas ! / (Go there! → Don't go there!)

Pronoun Position in French A2

The rules

Where does the pronoun go after « aller », « vouloir », « pouvoir » or « devoir » + an infinitive?

Where do « ne » and « pas » go with a verb + infinitive + pronoun?

Where does the pronoun go in the passé composé?

Where do « ne » and « pas » go in the passé composé with a pronoun?

Where does the pronoun go in an affirmative imperative?

What happens to the « tu » imperative of -er verbs and « aller » before « y » or « en »?

Where does the pronoun go in a negative imperative?

Common mistakes

31 exercises

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