Subject pronouns (je, tu, il...)
CEFR A1
Every French sentence with a conjugated verb needs a subject pronoun, the word that says who is doing the action — like English "I", "you", "he".
| French | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | Je parle français. (I speak French.) |
| tu | you (one person, informal) | Tu es gentil. (You are kind.) |
| il / elle | he / she | Il habite ici. (He lives here.) |
| nous | we | Nous sommes amis. (We are friends.) |
| vous | you (formal, or more than one) | Vous êtes prêts ? (Are you ready?) |
| ils / elles | they (masc./fem.) | Elles sont contentes. (They are happy.) |
"Je" becomes "j'" before a vowel sound: "j'habite" (I live), "j'aime" (I like). "Il" and "elle" also stand for "it" when talking about a thing: "Le café ? Il est chaud." (The coffee? It is hot.)
What this unlocks
- A1Tu vs. vous — informal and formal "you"
- A1Avoir ("to have") in the present tense
- A1Regular -er verbs in the present tense
- A1Aller ("to go") in the present tense
- A1Prendre — an irregular verb you need daily
- A1Vouloir and pouvoir — wanting and being able
- A1Faire — to do, to make, and the weather
- A1Devoir — must, and the obligation verbs
- A1Reflexive verbs — se lever, se sentir, se reposer
- A2Direct object pronouns (le, la, les)
- A2Stressed pronouns (moi, toi, lui, eux)
Knowing the rule is not the same as producing it.
This page explains the pattern. The track drills it: the point arrives inside a mini-dialogue, then production marked against a CEFR descriptor, then a module test that returns you to your two weakest sessions if you miss it.