French Grammar: Commands with Object Pronouns
Creative Commons Image via The LEAF Project
…
Identify:
French Grammar: Commands with Object Pronouns
la grammaire française: l’impératif avec les pronoms
Study:
You can attach certain Direct Object Pronouns, Indirect Object Pronouns, Reflexive Pronouns, and the Adverbial Pronouns [Y] and [EN] to command forms!
It’s important to pay attention to whether a command is affirmative or negative, since this will affect the order in which the object pronouns are placed. In some cases, it affects the form of the pronoun, also.
Affirmative Commands:
If you’re using affirmative commands (Do!), the pronouns are attached directly to the end of the verb, connected by a hyphen. Note that the pronouns “me” and “te” become “moi” and “toi”, except before “en”. No matter what, “moi” and “toi” always come last.
Écris-lui!
Write to her!
Dépêche-toi!
Hurry up!
Voici la lettre. Lis-la, s’il te plaît.
Here is the letter. Read it, please.
Quelles belles chaussures! Achetons-les!
What beautiful shoes! Let’s buy them!
Donnons-leur l’argent.
Let’s give the money to them.
Le livre? Mettez-le sur mon bureau, s’il vous plaît.
The book? Put it on my desk, please.
Écoutez-moi!
Listen to me!
Remember that, for ‘-er’ verbs and the verb “aller”, the tu form of the Command drops the final ‘-s’, except before “y” or “en”.
Achète-le!
Buy it!
BUT:
Achètes-en!
Buy some!
AND:
Regarde-le!
Look at him!
BUT:
Regardes-y!
Look in there!
Negative Commands:
If you’re using negative commands (Don’t!), the pronoun goes directly before the verb.
Ne le fais pas, s’il te plaît.
Don’t do it, please.
N’en mange pas, s’il te plaît.
Don’t eat any of it, please.
Ne lui disons pas.
Let’s not tell him.
Vos vêtements! Ne les laissez pas dans la salle de bains!
Your clothes! Don’t leave them in the bathroom!
Commands with Double Object Pronouns
Commands can include up to two object pronouns (but never more than two!). In commands that include two object pronouns, those pronouns are always placed in the following order:
me, te, se, nous, or vous
before
le, la, l’, les
before
lui, leur
before
y
before
en
In Affirmative Commands with double object pronouns, those pronouns are always attached by hyphens to the end of the verb. Here again, “me” becomes “moi” and “te” becomes “toi”. HOWEVER, when “me” and “te” are followed by “en”, they become “m’ “ and “t’ “.
Passe-le–moi!
Pass it to me!
Va t’en!
Go away!
Donnons-la–leur!
Let’s give it to them!
Dites-le–lui!
Tell it to her!
Mettez-les–y!
Put them there!
In Negative Commands with double object pronouns, those pronouns come before the verb, but still follow the order indicated above.
Ne me le prends pas!
Don’t take it from me!
Ne la leur donnons pas!
Let’s not give it to them!
Ne me l’apportez pas!
Don’t bring it to me!
Adapt:
Réveille-toi et habille-toi!
Wake up and get dressed!
Donne-le moi tout de suite! Ne me le donne pas demain!
Give it to me right now! Don’t give it to me tomorrow!
Téléphonons-lui!
Let’s phone him!
Achètons-la-leur! Mais ne leur en disons pas!
Let’s buy it for them! But let’s not tell them about it!
Apportez-les-lui, s’il vous plaît. Ne les leur apportez pas.
Bring them to him, please. Don’t bring them to them.
Coupez-les très fins. Ne les coupez pas en grands morceaux.
Cut them very fine. Don’t cut them into big pieces.
