Using Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Together

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Using direct and indirect object pronouns together (double object

pronouns)
Posted by Aurélie Drouard (/user/23)
In: Level B2 (/revision/grammar/by-cefr-level/cefr-b2), Pronouns (/revision/grammar/by-area/pronouns), Pronom
d'objet direct (/revision/glossary/pronoun-type/pronoms-d-objet-direct-direct-object-pronouns), Pronom d'objet indirect
(/revision/glossary/pronoun-type/pronoms-d-objet-indirect-indirect-object-pronouns), Pronom (/revision/glossary/lexical-
category-or-parts-of-speech/pronoun), Verbe transitif (/revision/glossary/transitivity/transitive-verb)
Questions on this lesson: 39 (/my-languages/French/view/714#QuestionAskForm)
These sentences use two pronouns:
Me/Te/Nous/Vous (Me/You/Us)
Je vous la donne.
I'm giving it to you.
Tu me l'as demandé.
You asked me it.
Vous nous les o rez.

You o er them to us.
Lui/Leur (Her/Him/Them)
Il les leur a apportés.

He brought them to them.
Tu les lui vends.
You sell them to her.
Nous les leur avons donnés.

We gave them to them.
Je la lui ai écrite

I wrote it to her.
()
/
There are two important patterns to notice in these sentences that are different to English.
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1) the two pronouns both go before the conjugated verb (or auxiliary in compound tenses):

Je vous donne cette carte. -> Je vous la donne.

I'm giving you this card. -> I'm giving it to you.

2) the order is not the same when using lui/leur as it is for me/te/nous/vous.
Je la lui donne vs. Je te la donne
I give it to him/her I give it to you.

The order is ALWAYS:
me/te/nous/vous (before) le/la/les/l' (before) lui/leur

This means sentences like I give it to him and I give him to it are indistinguishable in French because the
order is xed:

Je le lui donne.
You would need to know the context and if the sentence would be ambiguous, avoid using one of the
pronouns!

See also how to use direct and indirect pronouns:
Me, te, nous, vous = Me, you, us, you (direct and indirect object pronouns) (/revision/grammar/when-to-use-
me-te-nous-and-vous-as-me-you-us-and-you-direct-and-indirect-object-pronouns)
Replacing nouns with le, la, l', les = it, him, her, them (direct object pronouns) (/revision/grammar/when-to-
use-le-la-l-or-les-to-replace-nouns-direct-object-pronouns)
Replacing people with lui, leur = him, her, them (indirect object pronouns) (/revision/grammar/when-to-use-
lui-and-leur-to-replace-speci c-people-with-him-her-and-them-indirect-object-pronouns)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE RELATED FRENCH GRAMMAR TOPICS

Pronom d'objet direct (/my-languages/french/glossary/2)
Pronom d'objet indirect (/my-languages/french/glossary/3)
()
Pronom (/my-languages/french/glossary/15)
/
Verbe(/QUICKREG?CLKSRC=NOTEBOOK&NBADD=%2FMY-LANGUAGES%2FFRENCH%2FVIEW%2F714)
transitif (/my-languages/french/glossary/95)
EXAMPLES AND RESOURCES

Tu me l'as demandé.
You asked me it.
Je vous la donne.
I'm giving it to you.
Vous nous les o rez.

You o er them to us.
Il les leur a apportés.

He brought them to them.
Je la lui ai écrite

I wrote it to her.
Tu les lui vends.
You sell them to her.
()
Nous les leur avons donnés.

/
We gave them to them.
Q&A FORUM 14 questions, 25 answers
Question subject 150
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Michael (/user/135284) C1 Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

(/user/135284)
Les lui, Les leur...when using passe compose...does the past participle change?
Hi,
I am seeing the past participle agreeing in number, adding "s" when I see les lui or les leur
What do I need to know about the status of the past participle in an example such as... "Nous les leur
avons montrés."
Thank you
Asked 1 week ago
Like Answer 1 (/questions/view/les-lui-les-leur-when-using-passe-compose-does-the-past-participle-

0 change#AnswerAddForm)
()
Cécile (/user/57) Kwiziq team member Correct answer

/
Hi Michael,
(/user/57)
The Kwiziq lesson you are looking for is -
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/special-cases-when-the-past-participle-agrees-in-number-
and-gender-when-used-with-avoir-in-le-passe-compose-conversational-pas
(https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/special-cases-when-the-past-participle-agrees-in-number-
and-gender-when-used-with-avoir-in-le-passe-compose-conversational-pas)
Hope this helps!
Like 0 1 week ago
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Murat (/user/73127) C1 Kwiziq community member

(/user/73127)
Pronunciation problem
Hi,
I'm curious of how to distinguish "Ils les leur envoient." and "Il les leur envoie" while listening? They sound
same in pronunciation.
Asked 1 month ago
Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/prononciation-problem#AnswerAddForm)
Chris (/user/38684) C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

(/user/38684)
They do. You need context to know what is being said.
Like 0 1 month ago

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Julianne (/user/105201) B2 Kwiziq community member

(/user/105201)
distinguish between indirect pronouns le and la
why is
'je vous la donne' the translation for 'I give it to you' when we don't know the gender of 'it'? shouldn't it be
'je vous le donne'
in the same manner why is 'je la lui a écrite' - i wrote it to her - not 'je le lui a écrit'?
Asked 6 months ago
Like 0 Answer 2 (/questions/view/distinguish-between-indirect-pronouns-le-and-la#AnswerAddForm)
(/user/57)
Hi Julianne,
In the case of
'Je vous la donne' ,
it was in the context of 'cette carte' which is feminine and singular.
However, in -
'Je la lui ai écrite' ,
indeed we don't know what the 'la' refers to, but because it is the verb is écrire we assume that we are
talking about a card or a letter, hence the feminine singular form for
une carte/une lettre
Hope this helps!
Like 1 6 months ago

(/user/38684)
When you speci cally use the feminine form, it is with reference to some feminine noun mentioned
before in the context.
In the French sentence: Je la lui a écrite this might refer to la lettre, mentioned in a previous sentence.
()
Like 0 6 months ago
/
Ruth (/user/173698) B1 Kwiziq community member
(/user/173698)
Why “je vous le donne” but “je le lui donne”
Is there a reason why we say “je vous le donne” but “je le lui donne”?
Asked 6 months ago
Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/why-je-vous-le-donne-but-je-le-lui-donne#AnswerAddForm)
(/user/57)
Hi Ruth,
There is an order to follow ( also known as ‘the football team’ ) when you have more than one pronoun in
an a rmative or negative sentence and if you take a look at the following link -
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=french+pronouns+football+team&client=safari&hl=en-
gb&prmd=inv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjokeGCuaLkAhXtURUIHcagDlMQ_AUoAXoECA
(https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=french+pronouns+football+team&client=safari&hl=en-
gb&prmd=inv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjokeGCuaLkAhXtURUIHcagDlMQ_AUoAXoECA
It wil give you a clear idea of where diffferent pronouns have to be placed in relation to each other. You
may not have encountered all of them yet.
I will enquire iif we can add something similar on one of the lessons but in the meantime I hope this
helps!
Like 0 6 months ago

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/
Tanusree (/user/131715) A0 Kwiziq community member
(/user/131715)
How can we know when the tense is in simple form , continuous form or perfect form
?
Asked 1 year ago
Like Answer 4 (/questions/view/how-can-we-know-when-the-tense-is-in-simple-form-continuous-form-or-

0 perfect-form#AnswerAddForm)

(/user/38684)
I am not sure I understand the question completely but I'll give it a try. In French there is no distinction
between simple and continuous form. These are peculiar to English. In French you would just use the
simple form:
Je mange. = I eat. = I am eating.
I don't know what you mean by "perfect form"?
Like 0 1 year ago
I mean to say present perfect form as in " I have returned from o ce"
(/user/131715)
Like 0 1 year ago

(/user/38684)
The perfect tense is constructed with avoir/être + past participle.
I return from the o ce. = I am returning from the o ce. = Je rentre du bureau.
I have returned from the o ce. -- Je suis rentré du bureau.
If you wanted to say "I have been returning from the o ce." (i.e. present perfect continuous form) you'd
use the imparfait in French:
I have been returning from the o ce. -- Je retournais du bureau.
Tenses in English and French don't always match 1:1.
Like 0 1 year ago
Merci!!!:)
(/user/131715) ()
Like 0 1 year ago
/


(/user/131715)
Hi..
Asked 1 year ago
Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/hi-4#AnswerAddForm)
Cécile (/user/57) Kwiziq team member

(/user/57)
answered ...
Like 0 1 year ago

Alexandra (/user/98409) C1 Kwiziq community member

(/user/98409)
I had the same problem as Shelley: de nitely ticked both "him" & "her" but got nearl;y
correct
Asked 1 year ago
Like Answer 1 (/questions/view/i-had-the-same-problem-as-shelley-de nitely-ticked-both-him-her-but-got-

0 nearl-y-correct#AnswerAddForm)
()

/
(/user/57)
Hi Lynn,
If you look at Aurélie's answer to Shelley it should shed light on your mark....
Like 0 1 year ago

Shelley C1 Kwiziq community member

(/user/95036)
Bonsoir. In the lesson samples, "Je la lui donne" is translated as "I give it to him/her."
However, in the mini quiz, I chose both "She shows it to
him" and "She shows it to her" as possible taranslations for "Elle la lui montre" and this was scored as
"nearly correct." Why is that?
Asked 1 year ago
Like Answer 3 (/questions/view/bonsoir-in-the-lesson-samples-je-la-lui-donne-is-translated-as-i-give-it-to-him-

0 her-however-in-the-m#AnswerAddForm)
Aurélie (/user/23) Kwiziq team member Correct answer
(/user/23)
Bonjour Shelley !
I've had a look at your Correction Dashboard, and it says that you ticked "She shows it to him" but not
"She shows it to her", and this question necessitated both these correct answers, hence the nearly
correct :)
For similar questions, in the future please use the "Report it" button in your Correction Board, as it links
directly to the speci cquiz take you're referring to, and makes it easier for us to answer you :)
Bonne journée !
Like 0 1 year ago

()
(/user/38684)
Your translations seem correct to me.
-- Chris
/
Like 0 1 year ago
Shelley C1 Kwiziq community member
(/user/95036)
Thank you so much for checking this for me. I guess the second check mark didn't take & I didn't notice
it; so sorry for the trouble. Thanks, too, for the reminder to use the Report an issue button.
Like 0 1 year ago

Eileen (/user/92704) A0 Kwiziq community member

(/user/92704)
Hi in example 6: Tu me l'as demandé. You asked me it, I think in English we’d probably
drop the ‘it’ but do you have to keep the l’ (le/la) in French?
Asked 1 year ago
Like Answer 2 (/questions/view/hi-in-example-6-tu-me-l-as-demande-you-asked-me-it-i-think-in-english-we-d-

0 probably-drop-the-it-but#AnswerAddForm)

(/user/38684)
Hi Eileen,
No, you can drop the direct object "le" and "it", respectively, but you incur a change in meaning both in
French as well as in English. "You asked me." is something slightly different from "You asked me about
it."
Tu me l'as demandé. -- You asked me about it. (That sounds better than just "it".)
Te m'as demandé. -- You asked me.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Like 0 1 year ago
()
Eileen (/user/92704) A0 Kwiziq community member
Thanks Chris. Yes, adding ‘about ‘ in English clari es it for me in French! Thanks
(/user/92704)
/
1 year ago
Like 0

Ana (/user/93322) C1 Kwiziq community member

(/user/93322)
Bonjour, where can I nd a quiz on this topic?
Asked 2 years ago
Like 0 Answer 2 (/questions/view/bonjour-where-can-i- nd-a-quiz-on-this-topic#AnswerAddForm)
Gruff (/user/1) Kwiziq team member Correct answer
(/user/1)
You'll be pleased to know our micro kwiz French tests have been restored. You can read more here:
https://french.kwiziq.com/blog/micro-kwizzes-back/ (https://french.kwiziq.com/blog/micro-kwizzes-
back/)
Like 0 2 years ago
Aurélie (/user/23) Kwiziq team member

(/user/23)
Bonjour Ana !
If the lesson is in your dashboard studylist then just test yourself against that to include a question on
this topic.
You can also add any lessons to your own notebook(s) if you want to focus on speci c things. Each kwiz
will test you against new questions for the topics in the list.
:) I hope that's helpful! Bonne journée !
Like 0 2 years ago
()
/
Mohammad (/user/65052) A2 Kwiziq community member

(/user/65052)
Bonjour Aurélie,
How can I make Negative of double object pronoun in present and passé composé ?? Glad to have your
reply. Rgds/ Mohammad Shibly
Asked 2 years ago
Like 0 Answer 3 (/questions/view/bonjour-aurelie-2#AnswerAddForm)

(/user/23)
Bonjour Mohammad ! You have to remember that double object pronouns will never be separated. As for
their position in the sentence, the same rule applies as with single object pronouns: - With simple tenses:
Subject + (ne) + ObPronoun + Verb + (pas) "Je ne *la lui* donne pas." - With conjugated verb + in nitive:
Subject + (ne) + Conj Verb + (pas) + ObPronoun + In nitive "Je ne vais pas *la lui* donner." - With
compound tenses: Subject + (ne) + ObPronoun + Auxiliary Verb (être or avoir) + (pas) + Past Participle
"Je ne *la lui* ai pas donné." I hope that's helpful! À bientôt !
Like 6 2 years ago
Nazanin (/user/53243) A1 Kwiziq community member
what a great answer it was so helpful for me too.

(/user/53243)
Like 0 2 years ago
Shrey (/user/125749) A1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

(/user/125749)
Bonjour Madame Aurélie !
Shouldn’t your last example be as-
Je ne la lui ai pas donnée. (With an accord ‘e’ after donné as it agrees with the direct object pronoun -la )
?
Like 0 3 months ago
()
/
Caroline (/user/60374) A2 Kwiziq community member

(/user/60374)
Which of the following is correct?
Le docteur a donné les médicaments aux malades Le docteur les leur a donnés OR donné ?
Asked 3 years ago
Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/which-of-the-following-is-correct#AnswerAddForm)
Aurélie (/user/23) Kwiziq team member Correct answer
(/user/23)
Bonjour Caroline !
"Le docteur les leur a donnéS" is the correct sentence, as "donnés" agrees with the direct object "les
médicaments" (masculine plural), following this agreement rule:
Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé
Composé (/revision/grammar/special-cases-when-the-past-participle-agrees-in-number-and-gender-
when-used-with-avoir-in-le-passe-compose-conversational-past)
I hope that's helpful!

À bientôt !
Like 3 3 years ago

()
Jason (/user/57745) C1 Kwiziq community member
(/user/57745)
Bernard l'envoie à elle - why is this incorrect? /
Just wanted to check why "Bernard l'envoie à elle" was incorrect to say Bernard sent something to her - is
it that "lui" is mandatory in this case?
Asked 3 years ago
Like 2 Answer 1 (/questions/view/bernard-l-envoie-a-elle-why-is-this-incorrect#AnswerAddForm)

(/user/23)
Bonjour Jason ! Yes, with ditransitive verbs, you need to use both indirect and direct object pronouns.
Have a look at our glossary article on (di)transitive verbs:
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/glossary/transitivity/transitive-verb
(https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/glossary/transitivity/transitive-verb) I hope that's helpful! Bonne
Année !
Like 1 3 years ago


(/user/38684)
La vs. le
Asked to translate "Bernard sends it to her" I would have expected something like "Bernard le lui envoit".
Instead, The answer given is "Bernard la lui envoit". Can you shed light on this?
Asked 3 years ago
Like 0 Answer 2 (/questions/view/la-vs-le#AnswerAddForm)

(/user/23)
Bonjour Claus !
In French, le, la, l' (it) and les (them) are used to replace objects.
The choice between le and la is depending on the gender of the prementioned object.
()
In this case, you were not given any clue as to what the object gender was (what was sent), therefore
both "Bernard la lui envoie (e.g. la lettre)" or "Bernard le lui envoie (e.g. le colis) were possible answers.
/
We could have offered either, but we went with la.
I hope that's helpful.
À bientôt !
Like 1 3 years ago
Meghna (/user/46325) C1 Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
(/user/46325)
Hi Aurélie My understanding is that in French the default is masculine. If de ned male - le/il/ils would
apply If de ned female - la/elle / elles would apply If mixed/not speci ed use male. In this case for the
question of Bernard sends it to her, wouldn't it be more logical to expect the 'le' response or both le and la
in the test?
Like 1 3 years ago

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Using direct and indirect object pronouns together (double object

These sentences use two pronouns:

Vous nous les o rez.

Il les leur a apportés.

Nous les leur avons donnés.

Je la lui ai écrite

Je vous donne cette carte. -> Je vous la donne.

Je la lui donne vs. Je te la donne

I give it to him/her I give it to you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE RELATED FRENCH GRAMMAR TOPICS

EXAMPLES AND RESOURCES

Vous nous les o rez.

Il les leur a apportés.

Je la lui ai écrite

Nous les leur avons donnés.

Q&A FORUM 14 questions, 25 answers

Question subject 150

Send email noti cations of new answers

ASK QUESTION (/QUICKREG?CLKSRC=QANDA_QUESTION&RETURNURL=%2FQUESTIONS%23QUESTIONASKFORM)

Michael (/user/135284) C1 Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Asked 1 week ago

Like Answer 1 (/questions/view/les-lui-les-leur-when-using-passe-compose-does-the-past-participle-

Cécile (/user/57) Kwiziq team member Correct answer

Hope this helps!

Like 0 1 week ago

SIGN IN TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER (/LOGIN?

Murat (/user/73127) C1 Kwiziq community member

Asked 1 month ago

Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/prononciation-problem#AnswerAddForm)

Chris (/user/38684) C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Like 0 1 month ago

SIGN IN TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER (/LOGIN?

Julianne (/user/105201) B2 Kwiziq community member

Asked 6 months ago

Like 0 Answer 2 (/questions/view/distinguish-between-indirect-pronouns-le-and-la#AnswerAddForm)

Cécile (/user/57) Kwiziq team member Correct answer

'Je vous la donne' ,

it was in the context of 'cette carte' which is feminine and singular.

'Je la lui ai écrite' ,

une carte/une lettre

Hope this helps!

Like 1 6 months ago

Chris (/user/38684) C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Ruth (/user/173698) B1 Kwiziq community member

Asked 6 months ago

Like 0 Answer 1 (/questions/view/why-je-vous-le-donne-but-je-le-lui-donne#AnswerAddForm)

Cécile (/user/57) Kwiziq team member Correct answer

Like 0 6 months ago

SIGN IN TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER (/LOGIN?

Like Answer 4 (/questions/view/how-can-we-know-when-the-tense-is-in-simple-form-continuous-form-or-

Chris (/user/38684) C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Je mange. = I eat. = I am eating.

I don't know what you mean by "perfect form"?

Like 0 1 year ago

Tanusree (/user/131715) A0 Kwiziq community member

Like 0 1 year ago

Chris (/user/38684) C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I have been returning from the o ce. -- Je retournais du bureau.

Tenses in English and French don't always match 1:1.

Like 0 1 year ago

Tanusree (/user/131715) A0 Kwiziq community member

Like 0 1 year ago