Editing Language/French/Grammar/Position-of-direct-and-indirect-object-pronouns

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<div style="font-size:300%"> Position of direct and indirect object pronouns</div>
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==Rule==
Direct and indirect object pronouns are closely linked with the verb to which they are most closely related in declarative, negative and interrogative sentences.

==Examples==
When the verb is a main verb they appear immediately before it:

{| class="wikitable"
!French
!English
|-
|L'Etat me paie
|The state  pays me
|-
|Les gens ne me remarquent pas
|People don't  notice me
|-
|Elle le croit
|She believes  it
|-
|A son âge, vous ne la referez  pas
|You won't  change her, at her age
|-
|Il lui a soufflé quelques mots
|He whispered  a few words to her
|-
|Tu me donnes une idée
|You've given  me an idea
|-
|Ça leur apprendra à mentir
|That will  teach them to lie
|}

When the verb is accompanied by the auxiliary verbs avoir or être, direct and indirect object pronouns appear immediately before the auxiliary:

{| class="wikitable"
!French
!English
|-
|Il m'a vu
|He saiv me
|-
|M'a-t-il vu?
|Did he see  me?
|-
|Vous ne les avez pas goûtés?
|Didn't you  taste them?
|-
|Il lui avait proposé un voyage
|He had  suggested a trip to her
|-
|Je vous suis très  reconnaissant
|I am very  grateful to you
|}



*Il leur a raconté beaucoup d'histoires passionnantes
He told them a lot of fascinating stories
*Nous l'avons déjà traduite, cette lettre
We have already translated this letter



NB: The past participle agrees with a preceding direct object in these cases, but not with the indirect object.


Note also that pronouns ending in -e (me, te, se, le) and -a (la) are shortened to the consonant alone before verbs beginning with a vowel: elle m'aide, je t'ai déjà remercié, je te l'ai dit, etc.

==Video: Ask a French Teacher - When Do I Use Direct Object and Indirect Object Pronouns in French?==
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRxnVG3am-Y</youtube>

==Related Lessons==
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Adjective—adjective_compounds|Adjective—adjective compounds]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Gender-of-compound-nouns|Gender of compound nouns]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/subjects-objects-pronouns|subjects objects pronouns]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Past-Tense|Past Tense]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Differences-in-the-use-of-numbers-in-French-and-English-hundreds-thousands-millions-billions|Differences in the use of numbers in French and English hundreds thousands millions billions]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Pronominal-verbs-used-reflexively|Pronominal verbs used reflexively]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Agreement-with-a-preceding-direct-object-pronoun-when-the-participle-is-followed-by-infinitives|Agreement with a preceding direct object pronoun when the participle is followed by infinitives]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Auxiliaries|Auxiliaries]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/The-plural-of-compound-nouns|The plural of compound nouns]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Abstract-versus-concrete-nouns|Abstract versus concrete nouns]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be|How to Use Be]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/"J'ai-eu"-or-"j'avais"|"J'ai eu" or "j'avais"]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plural-forms-of-adjectives-—-Adjectives-which-end-in-eau|Plural forms of adjectives — Adjectives which end in eau]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Conjugation-group-3-—-verbs-with-infinitives-which-end-in-—re|Conjugation group 3 — verbs with infinitives which end in —re]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plural|Plural]]