{"id":48,"date":"2024-02-21T18:40:46","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T23:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/1-17-structure-pronoms-sujets\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T14:34:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:34:35","slug":"1-17-structure-pronoms-sujets","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/1-17-structure-pronoms-sujets\/","title":{"raw":"Grammaire 2: describing people (subject pronouns, \u00eatre and ne...pas)","rendered":"Grammaire 2: describing people (subject pronouns, \u00eatre and ne…pas)"},"content":{"raw":"

On \u00e9tudie !<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

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(a) Les pronoms sujets<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

A \"subject pronoun\" (pronom sujet<\/strong>) is a short substitute for a subject noun.<\/p>\r\n

The man<\/span> is my friend \u2794 He<\/span> is my friend.\u00a0 My friends and I<\/span> go to Capilano University. \u2794\u00a0 We<\/span> go to Capilano University.<\/p>\r\n

Here are the French subject pronouns:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
personne<\/span><\/th>\r\nsingulier<\/span><\/th>\r\npluriel<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
1\u00e8re personne<\/span><\/th>\r\nje<\/span><\/td>\r\nnous<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2e personne<\/span><\/th>\r\ntu (casual, informal)<\/span><\/td>\r\nvous (formal)<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
3e personne<\/span><\/th>\r\nil, elle, iel, on<\/span><\/td>\r\nils, elles<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
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    \r\n \t
  1. In French, je<\/strong> (I) is not capitalized, except at the beginning of a sentence. Je<\/strong> also contracts to j'<\/strong> in front of a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) of mute h: Je<\/strong> suis, j<\/strong>'ai , j'<\/strong>habite (I am, I have, I live). This \u00e9lision<\/strong> (a type of contraction which was discussed in previous section) is used to ease the pronunciation of the pronoun and verb and is mandatory: je \u2192 j'<\/strong> when followed by a vowel\/mute h.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Tu<\/strong> is informal, whereas Vous<\/strong> is formal (see earlier section). Vous<\/strong> is also the plural form of tu<\/strong> and in this case, is neither formal nor informal.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In French, not only people but also things have gender. That is to say, things are either masculine or feminine. There is no separate pronoun for ''it''. Il<\/strong> is masculine, used for ''he'' or masculine ''it\"\". Elle<\/strong> is feminine, used for ''she'' or feminine ''it''.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. For a non-binary individual, iel<\/strong> is the alternative to the gender specific pronouns il<\/strong> and elle. <\/strong>While not officially accepted by the Acad\u00e9mie fran\u00e7aise<\/strong>, the term has seen increased use and has been adopted by the most recognized dictionary, Le Robert<\/strong>, in 2022.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  5. On<\/strong> can mean ''one'' or ''you'' in an impersonal way, like \"In Paris one eats baguettes\" or \"In Paris you eat baguettes\", where you means anyone\/people in general visiting or living in Paris. In most French dialects, on<\/strong> is used instead of nous<\/strong> in everyday conversation. Thus, the sentence, En France, on aime manger du pain<\/strong> could mean In France, we<\/span> like to eat bread <\/strong>or In France, one<\/span> likes to eat bread. <\/strong>For now, you are only expected to recognize the subject pronoun 'on'. You will use it later in the semester (semaine 12).<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Il, elle, ils, elles<\/strong>. These pronouns don't only have to refer to people, they also refer to things. For example, la table<\/strong> (the table) = elle<\/strong> (it); le fromage<\/strong> (the cheese) = il<\/strong> (it); les livres<\/strong> (the books) = ils<\/strong> (they); les tables<\/strong> (the tables) = elles<\/strong> (they).<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. If there is a mix of masculine and feminine people or objects, French always uses the masculine plural. A group of ten women and one man would use the masculine plural subject pronoun ils<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    (b) Le verbe \u00eatre<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
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    Use the verb \u00eatre<\/strong> (to be) to describe yourself and others. When forming a sentence in French, you must use the proper form of the verb with each subject. Since there are six different grammatical subjects, there are six forms in the present form. The basic form of the verb is the infinitive (l'infinitif<\/strong>). It correspond to the English form ''to (verb)''.<\/p>\r\n

    Changing the verb to the proper form is called conjugating the verb (la conjugaison du verbe)<\/strong>. You must memorize the correct forms (the conjugation) of the verb or people will have great difficulties understanding you.<\/p>\r\n

    As boring as it may seem, writing\/reciting it out several times is a good way to learn this important verb. You will learn a variety of verbs and conjugations throughout the course.<\/p>\r\n

    \u00caTRE<\/strong> (to be)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
    Pronoms sujets<\/th>\r\nFran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    je<\/td>\r\nsuis<\/strong><\/td>\r\nI am<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    tu<\/td>\r\nes<\/strong><\/td>\r\nyou are (familiar, singular)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    \r\n

    il<\/p>\r\n

    elle<\/p>\r\n

    on<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

    		\r\n

    est<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

    est<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

    est<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

    		\r\n

    he is,\u00a0it is<\/p>\r\n

    she is,\u00a0it is<\/p>\r\n

    one is, we are<\/p>\r\n

    <\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

    nous<\/td>\r\nsommes<\/strong><\/td>\r\nwe are<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    vous<\/td>\r\n\u00eates<\/strong><\/td>\r\nyou are (formal or plural)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    \r\n

    ils<\/p>\r\n

    elles<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

    		\r\n

    sont<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

    sont<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

    		they are (people or things)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[audio mp3=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2203\/2024\/02\/1.18-Conjugaison-du-verbe-Etre.mp3\"][\/audio]\r\n
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    As you listen to the track, pay special attention to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n