Direct Objects

Compléments d’objet
direct (COD)
A direct object is a noun, whether person or
thing, that someone or something acts
upon. In the simplest sentences, the direct
object directly follows the verb, so it’s very
easy to see the effect that the verb has on
the noun.

Par exemple…
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Elle connaît She knows
Grégoire. Grégoire.

Je vois le chiot. I see the puppy.

Je lis un roman I’m reading a

historique. historical novel.

Characteristics of direct objects

1. Always used with transitive verbs
2. Never preceded by prepositions
3. Cannot be removed without altering the meaning of the sentence
4. Become the subject when sentence is turned around into the passive voice
5. Can always be found by asking "Whom?" or "What?"
Par exemple…

Whom does she   She knows Grégoire.

know?

What do I see?   I see the puppy.

What am I reading?   I’m reading a historical novel.

Direct object pronouns
In order to avoid repeating nouns in a series of sentences or when answering questions,
both French and English replace direct objects with direct object pronouns.

  En comparaison…

Elle voit Grégoire. Elle connaît Grégoire   She sees Grégoire. She’s known Grégoire
depuis 2 ans. for 2 years.

Elle voit Grégoire. Elle le connaît depuis 2   She sees Grégoire. She’s known him for 2
ans. years.

As you can see, the second version sounds much more natural, in both languages.

French direct object pronouns

m (m’, me   nou us
e moi) s

te (t’, toi) you   vou you

s

le (l’) him, it   les them

la (l’) her, it      

+ The first and second person singular pronouns have three forms each:

1. Normal forms: me and te
2. Contracted forms: m’ and t’, for use in front of a vowel or h muet
3. Stressed forms: moi and toi, for use in a particular imperative construction
+ The third person singular pronouns have two forms:

1. Normal forms: le and la
2. Contracted form: l’, for use in front of a vowel or h muet
  À noter :

 Le replaces any masculine noun, whether human or inanimate, while la replaces

any feminine noun.
 Le is also a neuter object pronoun
+ The plural direct object pronouns have just one form each.

Word order
In French, direct object pronouns generally precede the verb, whereas in English they follow
it – learn more.

Par exemple…

Je le connais.   I know him.

Nous la buvons.   We’re drinking it.

Tu m’aimes ?   Do you love me?

Elles vous   They see you.

voient.

Advanced word order

In compound tenses like the passé composé, direct object pronouns precede the auxiliary
verb.

Je l’ai dit.   I said it.

Nous t’avons   We saw you.

vu.

With semi-auxiliary verbs, direct object pronouns precede the infinitive.

Je dois le dire.   I have to say it.

Nous pouvons te   We can see you.

voir.