In previous lessons, we learned how to use direct object pronouns (Beginning 2 lesson 3) and indirect object pronouns (Beginning 2 lesson 9). Direct object pronouns are used to replace direct object in a sentence, while indirect object pronouns are only used to replace object introduced by the preposition à. In French, in order to replace an indirect object that comes after a preposition other than à, we have to use another type of pronouns, called tonic pronouns or stressed pronouns. Generally, we say that tonic pronouns are used to emphasize a noun or pronoun that refers to a person. But there are different usages TONIC PRONOUNS REPLACE AN OBJECT THAT COMES AFTER A PREPOSITION Reminder: when the object coming after the verb is introduced by a preposition, this object is called indirect object. It means that indirect objects do not come right after the verb but are preceded by a preposition, as in the example below: Je travaille avec Timothée. Sarah va chez sa sœur. I work / I m working with Timothée. Sarah goes to her sister s house / apartment. In lesson 9, we learned that indirect objects coming after the preposition à in a sentence can be replaced by the appropriate indirect object pronoun (if this object has been already mentioned or is clearly known from the context) and is placed before the verb After a preposition other than à : in that case, the pronoun to use is the tonic pronoun and remains after the preposition. For example: Je travaille avec Timothée. Je travaille avec lui. I work with him. Sarah va chez sa sœur. Sarah va chez elle. Sarah goes to her house. In these two sentences, lui and elle are tonic pronouns and refers to the underlined indirect object.
TONIC PRONOUNS Here are the different French tonic pronouns that are commonly used to refer to a person. The table includes examples where the pronoun comes after the preposition: Tonic pronouns moi toi lui elle soi nous vous eux elles English equivalent me you him her one(self) us you them (masculine) them (feminine) Mon frère habite avec moi. My brother lives with me. Je suis arrivé(e) avant toi. I arrived before you. J ai discuté avec lui. I talked with him. Elle travaille chez elle. She works at home. Il faut rester chez soi. Everyone should stay home. Examples Est-ce que tu veux manger avec nous? Do you want to eat with us? C est un cadeau pour vous. It s a present for you. Je suis prêt à jouer contre eux. I m ready to play against them. Elles sont restées chez elles. They stayed at home. Note: soi is an unspecified pronoun equivalent to oneself. It can t be use when you refer specifically to someone. Specific case: You can also use être à + tonic pronoun to express the possession of something (informally): À qui est ce livre? Ce livre est à moi. Ce livre est à lui. C est à elle. Whose bag is this? This book is mine. This books is his. It s hers / It s her book.
OTHER USAGES OF TONIC PRONOUNS Tonic pronouns, which refers to people, also have other usages. They can be used in addition to or in place of subject or object pronouns in different ways: To emphasize the subject: in that way, it can also show the difference compared to other people (informal language) Je ne sais pas, moi. Moi, j aime ce film. Lui, il n aime pas le rock. (As for me), I don t know. (As for me), I like this movie. He doesn t like rock (him!) When the sentence has more than one subject Sarah et moi sommes amis. Toi et lui, vous m aidez beaucoup. Sarah and I are friends. You and he help me a lot. After c est or ce sont : Qui? Who? C est moi. C est toi. Ce sont eux. It s me. It s you. It s them. Note: even though it s not grammatically correct, it is common that French people say c est even though they refer to several people. For example, when speaking informally, some people might say c est eux instead of ce sont eux To simply answer a question (designating someone in the most direct way): Qui veux du gâteau? Moi! Qui a fait ça? (C est) lui. Who wants some cake? Me. Who did this? He did.
After conjunction such as et or ou : J ai faim, et toi? Qui a gagné? Toi ou lui? I m angry, and you? Who won? You or him? Comparison / after que : As we learned in Beginning 1 Lesson 27, if you want to make a comparison with someone by using a pronoun, you need to use a stressed pronoun. In a more general way, you can remember that tonic pronouns are used after the conjunction Tu es plus intelligent que moi. Je suis moins fort que toi. On est plus motivés que vous. You are more intelligent than me. I m less strong than you. We are more motivated than you. Special expressions: Moi seul Moi aussi Moi non plus Only me Me too Me neither Moi-même (by) myself (emphasis on oneself) J ai préparé le repas moi-même. I prepared the dinner by myself. After the preposition à (only for specific verbs): We learned that objects referring to people and coming after the preposition à can be replaced by indirect object pronouns. However, some specific verbs don t allow this. After these verbs, we have to use tonic pronouns when referring to people: Faire attention à S habituer à Penser à Renoncer à To pay attention to, to be careful of someone To get used to someone To think of / about someone To give up on someone, to renounce Il faut faire attention à lui. You have to be careful about him.
Je me suis habitué à elle. I got used to her. Je pense souvent à eux. I often think of them These were the main usages of French tonic pronouns. They are also used in some cases in imperative verbs constructions. This will be covered in a further lesson.