French Subject Pronouns: Je, Tu, Il, Elle, On, Nous, Vous, Ils, Elles
The foundation of every French sentence — including the tricky 'on' and 'vous'
Category: Pronouns
The Rule
French has 9 subject pronouns. Key differences from English: tu (informal you) vs. vous (formal/plural you), on (informal 'we' or generic 'one'), and gendered third-person plurals (ils vs. elles).
Why This Matters
English has one word for 'you' — French has two (tu and vous), and getting them wrong can be socially awkward. English also lacks the pronoun 'on,' which French uses constantly to mean 'we' in casual speech (On y va! = Let's go!). Understanding when to use tu vs. vous is a cultural skill, not just a grammar one.
Examples
• Tu viens ce soir ? — "Are you coming tonight?" [tu = informal, talking to a friend] • Vous êtes très aimable, Madame. — "You are very kind, Madam." [vous = formal singular] • On va au cinéma ? — "Shall we go to the movies?" [on = informal 'we' (very common)] • Elles sont parties ensemble. — "They (all female) left together." [elles = all-female group]
Common Mistakes
❌ Using tu with your boss on the first day. ✅ Use vous until invited to use tu (tutoyer). → In French culture, using tu with someone you should address as vous is considered rude or presumptuous. ❌ Ils sont parties. (mixed group) ✅ Ils sont partis. → For mixed-gender groups, always use ils (masculine) and masculine agreement (partis). ❌ On va au cinéma. On allons... ✅ On va au cinéma. → On always takes third-person singular conjugation, even when it means 'we.'
Quick Tip
When in doubt, use vous. The other person will invite you to use tu ('On peut se tutoyer') when they're ready. It's better to be too formal than too casual.
When in doubt, use vous. The other person will invite you to use tu ('On peut se tutoyer') when they're ready. It's better to be too formal than too casual.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: Using tu with your boss on the first day. → Correct: Use vous until invited to use tu (tutoyer).. In French culture, using tu with someone you should address as vous is considered rude or presumptuous.
Incorrect: Ils sont parties. (mixed group) → Correct: Ils sont partis.. For mixed-gender groups, always use ils (masculine) and masculine agreement (partis).
Incorrect: On va au cinéma. On allons... → Correct: On va au cinéma.. On always takes third-person singular conjugation, even when it means 'we.'
Quiz
Which pronoun would you use with a stranger at a formal dinner?