Five Steps To Mastering The French Grammar Object Pronouns – Part 3

In the Parts 1 and 2 of this post, we have seen the workings of indirect and direct object pronouns in French grammar. The key point in all this is to understand how verbs interact either directly or indirectly with the object pronouns.

 

Fig.1. Le réseau qui ne vous laisse pas tomber

Fig.1. Le réseau qui ne vous laisse pas tomber

Here are two examples of advertising that uses the vous form with a direct object verb and an indirect object verb.

In Fig.1. Le réseau qui ne vous laisse pas tomber (The network that will not drop you / let you down), the verbal expression “laisser tomber” uses the direct object pronoun “vous.”

 

In Fig.2. C’est notre façon de vous dire merci (This is our way of saying thanks to you),
the verb “dire” uses the indirect pronoun “vous.”

C'est notre façon de vous dire merci

Fig 2. C’est notre façon de vous dire merci !

From the point of view of the speaker, the same “vous” is used directly or indirectly. And like all object pronouns in French, it goes in front of the verb. So, as we have seen previously, all you have to be concerned about is the third person forms le/la/l’/les/leur.

In this third and last part of the post, I want to look at the rest of my five step process to mastering this point of French grammar.  Let’s start by looking at the interaction with our native language.

Step 3: Watch out for interference from one’s native language

When we speak a foreign language, we usually have an accent because our native language influences the way we sound. The same applies to grammar.  Speakers of English tend to make certain kinds of mistakes in French because of interference between the pronoun systems of the two languages.   In fact, we’ve seen some of these mistakes in my previous posts. Here is a recap of things to watch out for.

Gender of the object pronouns

Interestingly, the  le/la object pronoun distinction in French corresponds exactly to the him/her distinction in English. No problem there. But remember that “to him” and “to her” are both lui in French.

Understanding the verb

The major source of problems is how English treats indirect and direct pronouns. English will use a preposition, usually “to” after a verb, to indicate an indirect object. However, English does something a bit unusual. With a few exceptions such as “to speak,” verbs in English can drop the “to” when followed by an indirect object. We can say things like “I gave him the gift” where “him” really means “to him.”  For example, “I showed her the apartment” is really “I showed the apartment to her.” The English form is confusing because it looks like a direct object.

We say:
I gave the money to Marie – I gave Marie the money.
I gave the money to her – I gave her the money – Je lui ai donné l’argent.
We’ll send the package to Josh – We’ll send Josh the package.
We’ll send the package to him – We’ll send him the package – Nous lui enverrons le colis

This construction, of course, is exactly the same for direct objects. You could say:

The father gives Mélissa to the groom – The father gives her to the groom – Le père la donne au fiancé.
I’ll see Brad tomorrow – I’ll see him tomorrow – Je le verrai demain.

When using French verbs, therefore, it is very important to determine whether the  verb calls for the indirect or direct object. Remember that the trick is to imagine the verb is followed by a noun. If a preposition such as “à” or something similar is required between the verb and the noun, the verb requires an indirect object. Here is a mistake I heard recently:

*On ne peut pas plaire tout le monde.

You can’t please everybody.

The correct form should have been:

On ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde.

This is also the origin of the mistakes “*je l’ai téléphoné” and “*je lui questionne.” The correct forms should be “je lui ai téléphoné” and “je le questionne.”
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Beware of the pronoun “for” or “to” with certain English verbs

Here is a mistake that English speakers make very often. In the following examples, we have the incorrect form, the correct form and the translation:

*Je cherche pour mon frère. – Je cherche mon frère. – I’m looking for my brother.
*Il attend pour une amie. – J’attends une amie. – I’m waiting for a friend.
*On demande pour Pierre. – On demande Pierre. – We’re asking for Pierre.
*Ils écoutent au professeur. – Ils écoutent le professeur. – They’re listening to the teacher.

These speakers will then attempt to say things like: (I’ve added the correct forms)
*Je cherche pour lui. – Je le cherche.
*Il attend pour elle – Il l’attend.
*On demande pour lui – On le demande
*Ils écoute à lui – Ils l’écoutent

WATCH OUT! These French verbs do not require the preposition “pour.”

It is important to try to get away from thinking in English. Otherwise you end up speaking anglicized French. But more importantly, you are not thinking in French. Once you start using the object pronouns with a French perspective, all kinds of uses suddenly become apparent.  Here is an example with the verb “trouver” (to find):

– Je ne comprends pas pourquoi elle sort avec cet homme. Qu’est-ce qu’elle lui trouve ?
– Elle le trouve beau et sympathique.

– I don’t understand why she dates this man. What does she see in him?
– She finds him handsome and nice.

That same verb “trouver” can also be used in:
On lui a trouvé un joli appartement.
They found a nice apartment for her.

Here is something that you will hear on the telephone:
Je vous reviens tout de suite.
I’ll be right with you.

Step 4: Train the ear to decode unscripted speech with many authentic examples

Enough grammar.  There are more complexities and subtleties in the use of French object pronouns that could take up a few more pages. But my approach is to learn by examples.  What I usually recommend at this point is that the learner build up a little bank of authentic examples that illustrate certain uses of the point of grammar in question.

This list becomes a sort of memory tool that you look at from time to time for inspiration and ear training. This, of course, is the whole idea of my language calendar.

Here is a sample list of a few useful phrases that illustrate specific uses of the object pronouns.

On ne sait pas ce que la vie nous réserve. (We don’t know what life has in store for us.)
On leur rend visite souvent, à nos parents. (We often go to visit our parents.)
Je lui mets la main à l’épaule. (I put my hand on her shoulder.)
Un jeune ne prend la parole que si on la lui donne. (A young person only speaks when given the floor.)
Je la connaissais bien; sa mère me l’avait présentée. (I knew her well; her mother introduced us.)
Ne quittez pas, je vous le passe. (Hold on, here he is) (in a telephone conversation)
Je vais le voir. (I’m going to see him.)
J’allais lui parler. (I was going to speak to her)
Elle va tout leur dire. (She is going to tell them everything.)
Ça va lui faire plaisir. (He’ll really enjoy it.)
Ils veulent nous dire bonjour. (They want to say hello us.)
Mon frère me manque beaucoup. (I really miss my brother.)

Step 5: Have a look at the formal or literary uses

In addition to all these common uses of the object pronouns, there are a few things that are rare in ordinary speech but may be seen in literary and formal writing.

Here are two pairs of sentences where the first is an ordinary way of speaking and the second is a more formal and compact way of speaking.

Je ne savais pas qu’elle était malade. (I didn’t know that she was sick.)
Je ne la savais pas malade.

On trouve qu’elle n’a pas de défauts.  (We cannot find any shortcomings in her.)
On ne lui connaît pas de défauts.

Here are two very elegant sentences:

Les compliments que lui a valus sa réussite l’ont particulièrement touché.

The compliments that his success elicited touched him deeply.

Je reconnais les conséquences de mes gestes et j’espère qu’on me les pardonnera.

I admit the consequences of my acts and I hope that they will be forgiven.

Conclusion: French direct and indirect object pronouns are not difficult

French grammar is not a very exciting subject, I’ll admit. The problem is that if you want to speak French well, you have to get those grammar patterns into your head. That’s the goal of the five step process.  With the many examples given here, I hope that you have gotten the correct impression that the system is not that complicated at all. Quite the contrary, most of it is straightforward. It’s just that there are a few areas that are a little tricky.

My advice is, as always, to focus on the difficult areas with good model or template phrases like that ones I’ve given. Repeat those phrases as many times as you until the patterns roll off your tongue. Then vary those phrases by changing the pronouns and any other words.

Your understanding of this feature of French and your ability to use it spontaneously should improve quickly.

Stanley Aléong is a polyglot, author, musician and language coach in French, English and Spanish. He likes to share his passion for languages and believes that anybody can learn to speak a foreign language well with the right methods and tools. He has also invented a cool visual learning tool called the Language Wall Chart Calendar that is based on his own learning experience. Reach him at info@langcal.com.

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Five Steps To Mastering The French Grammar Object Pronouns – Part 3 — 1 Comment

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