In French, a direct object is a noun that receives the action of the verb directly, without a preposition. The French term is complément d’objet direct, often abbreviated as COD. To avoid repeating the noun, we use direct object pronouns to replace it.

A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun (ie a naming word). Nouns can be either proper nouns (like names of people or places, eg Marie-Antoinette, Paris, Versailles, Richelieu) or common nouns (like names of things eg bike, potato, idea).

The “pro” in pronoun means “on behalf of” or “instead of.” So a pronoun acts “on behalf of” a noun. It acts “instead of” a noun.

Using a proper noun, you might say “Je vois Pierre” (I see Pierre). Using an object pronoun, you would say “Je le vois” (I see him). Or you might say “Je vois le livre” (I see the book) using a common noun, but “Je le vois” (I see it) using an object pronoun.

These pronouns answer the question who? or what? after the verb.

Here are the direct object pronouns in French:

Pronoun	Meaning
me / m’	me
te / t’	you (informal)
le / l’	him, it (masculine)
la / l’	her, it (feminine)
nous	us
vous	you (formal or plural)
les	them (masculine or feminine)

Position of the Pronoun

The direct object pronoun goes before the conjugated verb.

Examples:

• Tu me vois.
  You see me.
• Je te comprends.
  I understand you.
• Il le lit.
  He reads it. (referring to a masculine noun)
• Elle la regarde.
  She is watching her. (or: She is watching it, if it’s a feminine noun)
• Nous vous écoutons.
  We are listening to you.
• Je les entends.
  I hear them.

Contractions Before a Vowel

When the pronoun ends in a vowel and the verb begins with a vowel or silent h, contraction (known in French as “élision”) occurs:

• Tu m’aimes.
  You love me.
• Il t’écoute.
  He is listening to you.
• Je l’invite.
  I am inviting him / her / it.

With Two Verbs

When a sentence includes a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive, the pronoun goes before the infinitive, not the conjugated verb.

• Je vais le faire.
  I’m going to do it.
• Elle veut nous aider.
  She wants to help us.
• Tu peux les prendre ?
  Can you take them?

Negative Sentences

In a negative sentence, ne and pas go around both the pronoun and the verb.

• Je ne le vois pas.
  I don’t see him / it.
• Ils ne nous comprennent pas.
  They don’t understand us.
• Tu ne m’entends pas.
  You don’t hear me.

Choosing Between le, la, and les

Choose the pronoun based on the gender and number of the noun it replaces.

• Le replaces a masculine singular noun:
  J’achète le livre. → Je l’achète.
  I’m buying the book. → I’m buying it.
• La replaces a feminine singular noun:
  Il voit la voiture. → Il la voit.
  He sees the car. → He sees it.
• Les replaces any plural noun, masculine or feminine:
  Elle prend les clés. → Elle les prend.
  She takes the keys. → She takes them.

More Usage Examples

• Elle me parle.
  She talks to me.
• Nous t’aimons.
  We love you.
• Il vous invite.
  He invites you.
• Je la connais.
  I know her / it.
• Ils les regardent.
  They are watching them.
• Tu ne la comprends pas.
  You don’t understand her / it.
• Je vais te chercher.
  I’m going to pick you up.
• Elle veut les voir.
  She wants to see them.