Subject pronouns replace the subject of the verb. Unlike English, French uses 'tu' or 'vous' depending on how formal the situation is — knowing which to use is essential politeness.
The pronouns
Every verb must have a subject in French — even when the meaning is clear.
| Pronoun | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | Yourself. Becomes j' before a vowel. |
| tu | you | One person, informal (friend, family). |
| il / elle | he / she / it | A man, boy, or masculine noun / woman, girl, or feminine noun. |
| on | we / people / one | Informal 'we' in spoken French, or 'people in general'. Uses il/elle verb form. |
| nous | we | More than one, including yourself. A bit more formal than 'on'. |
| vous | you | More than one person, OR one person formally. |
| ils / elles | they | ils = all masculine OR mixed; elles = all feminine. |
Tu or vous?
Use 'tu' with friends, family, children, pets. Use 'vous' with strangers, older people, professional contexts — or when talking to more than one person. When in doubt, start with 'vous'.
You're talking to a stranger at the bakery. Which do you use?
Marie et Sophie — which pronoun replaces them?
Paul et Marie — which pronoun replaces them?
___ es français ? (speaking to a friend)
___ avons un chien. (my family and me)
___ parle français au Québec. (people in general)
Before a vowel, 'je' becomes…
___ habite à Lyon. (she)
You're writing an email to your new boss — which pronoun?
Les livres sont sur la table. ___ sont nouveaux.