Hi,
I desperately need help with double object pronouns in French. Here are questions that I am working on and I can't make heads nor tails of them:
L'agence de voyages a envoyé les billets d'avion à mes parents.
Mes parents ont acheté de grandes valises rouges à ma sœur et à moi.
Nous avons demandé nos visas aux différents consulats.
J'ai donné mon appareil photo numérique (digital camera) à mon père.
Je vais apporter le cadeau que j'ai acheté à mon correspondant français.
J'ai proposé la visite des châteaux de la Loire à mes parents.
Mon amie a prêté son caméscope à ma sœur.
Mes grands-parents ont offert le Guide du Routard à mes parents.
If you can please help me by the end of the weekend, that would be fantastic as I really want to get this course done.
Let's begin by looking at the Object Pronouns separately first and then what to do when you them together (Une Revue). Then when you post, I need to see all your instructions, plus any model/example you were given (that is, if you have one). Then you should try yourself because then you'll learn more when it is corrected.
SINGLE OBJECT PRONOUNS:
I'll send each separately. First, Direct Object Pronouns, then Indirect Object Pronouns, and then Double Object Pronouns. This will all be before I look at your questions. That way you'll have a lot of Reference to refer to.
FRENCH DIRECT OBJECTS:
If you had a good English class explaining "direct objects" you are half way there! I'm not sure if I should begin at the VERY beginning, or. . . . .
DIRECT OBJECTS in French:
me (m') = me
te (t') = you, familiar & singular
le (l') = him, it (masc. sing. object)
la (l') = her it (any fem. sing. object)
se (s') = himself, herself (these are reflexive pronouns which you probably have not had yet)
nous = us
vous = you, singular & formal or plural
les = them (people OR things)
se (s') = themselves (reflexive)
PLACEMENT:
They go BEFORE the verb of which they are the direct object (except in affirmative commands) to PLAY SAFE, but
They go directly after the verb (in affirmative commands) and are linked to it by a hyphen (me and te change to MOI and TOI after the verb.)
In the negative imperative (command) the object pronouns are again in front of the verb.
When you get to indirect-object commands, let me know because some verbs that LOOK like they would take in indirect, do not. I won't explain that here because for the moment, you are only concerned with the d.o.
When you get to the past tense (passé composé) there is yet another thing to learn! One step at a time! You WILL get there!
Bonne chance = feel free to ask any other question you might have.
EXAMPLES:
Je l'étudie. = I study it (or him or her)
Nous ne la voyons pas. - We do not see h er.
Elle va les finir. - She is going to finish them.
Ne l'a-t-il pas lu? Hasn't he read it?
NOTE: the verbs écouter (listen to), regarder (look at), chercher (look for), attendre (wait for) and demander (ask for) take a direct object in French (because the prepositions are part of the verb).
Je les écoute. - I'm listening to them.
On la cherche. - They are looking for her. (or it)
Affirmative commands:
Finissez-le = Finish it.
Vendons-les. - Let's sell them.
Negative commands:
Ne le finissez pas. - Don't finish it.
Ne les vendons pas. - Let's not sell them.
Digest that first and ask any questions you have about what you still don't understand.
Sra (aka Mme)
# 2 Here are the Indirect Object Pronouns:
FRENCH INDIRECT OBJECTS:
INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS IN FRENCH:
me (m) = me, to, for, at, from me
te (t’) = you, to, for, at, from you (familiar, singular)
lui = him, to, for, at, from him (it - masculine singular)
lui = her, to, for, at, from her (it - feminine singular)
se (s’) = to, for, at, from himself (herself)
nous = us, to, for, at, from us
vous = you, to, for, at, from you (formal singular or plural)
leur = them, to, for, at, from them (people or things)
se (s’) = to, for, at, from themselves
Placement:
Like direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns are placed immediately before the verb of which they are the object (except in affirmative commands)
Examples:
Me parle-t-il? = Is he speaking to me?
Ne lui avez-vous pas écrit? = Haven’t you written to him/her?
In affirmative commands (imperative) only, the object pronoun is placed directly after the verb and is linked to it by a hyphen. The pronouns me and te change to moi and toi after the verb:
Parlons-lui - Let’s speak to him/her.
The negative imperative:
Ne lui parlons pas. - Let’s not speak to him/her.
Sra (aka Mme)
#3 Special Verbs with Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns:
FRENCH DIRECT & INDIRECT PRONOUNS:
SPECIAL VERBS:
DIRECT OBJECTS:
The verbs écouter ( to listen to), regarder (to look at), chercher (to look for), attendre (to wait for) and demander (to ask for) take a direct object in French (because they are hiding the prepositions “to, at, for” inside the infinitive.)
On la regarde. - They are looking at her.
Qui les cherche? - Who is looking for them?
INDIRECT OBJECT:
The verbs répondre (to answer/give an answer to), obéir (to obey/give obedience to), and désobeir (to disobey/give disobedience to) take an indirect object in French.
Je lui réponds. - I answer her/give an answer TO her.)
Elle leur obéit. - She obeys them/give obedience TO them.)
When you get to the passé composé, Past Participles of verbs conjugated with avoir and of reflexive verbs agree in gender and number with the PRECEDING direct object (if there is one).
Je les ai vus. - I saw/have seen them.
Elle s’est lavée. - She washed herself.
Since I don't know the Level of French, some of th is may be advanced at this time for you. Just keep it until you need it!
Sra (aka Mme)
I have flagged this so I can keep coming back to answer any questions as we go.
#4 Double Object Pronouns:
DOUBLE OBJECT PRONOUNS:
Double object pronouns, like single object pronouns are placed directly before the verb, except in the affirmative imperative.
ORDER OF OBJECT PRONOUNS BEFORE THE VERB:
me > le (l') > lui > y > en + verb
te > la (l') > leur > y > en + verb
nous > les >
vous >
EXAMPLES:
Il me les donne. - He gives them to me.
Vous l'ont-ils dit? = Did they tell it to you?
Ne la leur montrez pas. - Don't show it to them.
Je lui en parlerai. - I will speak to him about it.
Ne la leur montrez pas. - Don't show it to them.
Je lui en parlerai. - I will speak to him about it.
Ne l'y avez-vous pas vu? - Didn't you see him (or it) there?
Il n'y en a pas. - There aren't any.
NOTE: "y" and "en" follow all other object proouns.
Memorize the following frequent combinations:
me le
me la
me les
te le
te la le lui
te les BUT la lui
nous le les lui
nous la le leur
nous les la leur
vous le les leur
vous la
vous les
In the affirmative imperative (command), the object pronouns follow the verb and are connected to it, and to each other, by hyphens. The direct object precedes (goes "directly" in front of) the indirect object.
ORDER OF OBJECT PRONOUNS AFTER THE VERB IN AN AFFIRMATIVE COMMAND (IMPERATIVE):
-moi
-lui
-le -nous -y -en
VERB -la -vous
-les -leur
EXAMPLES:
Prêtez-les-moi. - Lend them to me.
Dites-le-nous. - Tell it to us.
Montrez-la-leur. - Show it to them.
Cherchez-les-y. - Look for them there.
NOTE: the combination moi + en = m'en
moi + y = m'y
EXAMPLES: Donnez-m'en . - Give me some.
Attendez-m'y. - Wait for me there.
Now, do you STILL need practice sentences?
I don't know if you have had thepassé composé.yet. Have you had BOTH with avoir and with être?
Sra (aka Mme)
#5 Now, finally I'll look at your questions.
Now I see you ARE working with the Passé Composé. BUT I need to see the directions you were given, any examaple and what you have TRIED (if anything.) These are not really questions, just sentences. I don't like "guessing" at what you are to do, but I assume you need each one done, replacing the nouns with the proper object pronouns?
I'll wait 'til I get further instructions from you. Here's my GUESS. Also, numbering them is very helpful.
1.
L'agence de voyages a envoyé les billets d'avion à mes parents.
The Subject is: L'aagence de voyages = so you don't change that.
The Verb is: a envoyé = so you will keep that but you'll have to put the Double Object Pronouns in front of the auxiliary/helping verb "a" and you might have to add something to the Past Participle "envoyé" if there is a preceding Direct Object.
Now, here come the Object Nouns, which you are to change to the Object Pronouns. "les billets d'avion" = the Direct Object Noun which will become "les" / "à mes parents" = the Indirect Object Noun which will become "leur."
Putting the 2 together, follow the word order: les becore > les. Both go in front of "avoir" and because the preceding Direct Object is masculine plural, there will be an added "s" on the Past Participloe "envoyé"les billets d'avion à mes parents.
In other words, here is what I believe you had to do with the first sentence =
L'agence de voyages LES LEUR a envoyéS.
Now, I'll stop here to give you time to digest all this. When you are ready, try the next sentences you posted, ask any questions and I'll check both what you have done plus your questions.
This is a LOT to "digest" and I haven't proofread what I have written, because I'm losing the eyesight in one eye.
Sra (aka Mme)
No
2. Mes parents nous les ont achetés
3. Nous les leur avons demandés
Sra (aka Mme)
I'll send this to one of our French experts, SraJMcGin.
Here is what I think number 2 is : Mes parents achete les leur a mi soeur et a moi.
For number 3 I have: Nous avons demande les leur visas aux différents consulats.
Of course! I'll be happy to help you with your questions on double object pronouns in French. Let's go through each sentence step by step and explain how to handle the double object pronouns.
1. L'agence de voyages a envoyé les billets d'avion à mes parents.
- To understand double object pronouns in this sentence, we need to identify the direct object (les billets d'avion) and the indirect object (mes parents).
- In French, the order of the pronouns is indirect object pronoun + direct object pronoun.
- The indirect object pronoun "à mes parents" can be replaced by the pronoun "leur," and the direct object pronoun "les billets d'avion" can be replaced by "les."
- Therefore, the sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
L'agence de voyages les leur a envoyés. (The travel agency sent them to them.)
2. Mes parents ont acheté de grandes valises rouges à ma sœur et à moi.
- The direct object in this sentence is "de grandes valises rouges," and the indirect objects are "ma sœur et moi."
- Since there are multiple indirect objects, we need to use the pronouns "nous" (for "ma sœur et moi") and "leur" (for "à mes parents").
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Mes parents nous les ont achetées. (My parents bought them for us.)
3. Nous avons demandé nos visas aux différents consulats.
- The direct object here is "nos visas," and there are no indirect objects.
- We will simply replace "nos visas" with the pronoun "les."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Nous les avons demandés. (We asked for them.)
4. J'ai donné mon appareil photo numérique à mon père.
- The direct object here is "mon appareil photo numérique," and the indirect object is "à mon père."
- We can replace "mon appareil photo numérique" with the pronoun "le," and "à mon père" with "lui."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Je le lui ai donné. (I gave it to him.)
5. Je vais apporter le cadeau que j'ai acheté à mon correspondant français.
- The direct object here is "le cadeau," and the indirect object is "à mon correspondant français."
- We can replace "le cadeau" with "le," and "à mon correspondant français" with "lui."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Je vais le lui apporter. (I'm going to bring it to him.)
6. J'ai proposé la visite des châteaux de la Loire à mes parents.
- The direct object here is "la visite des châteaux de la Loire," and the indirect object is "à mes parents."
- We can replace "la visite des châteaux de la Loire" with "la," and "à mes parents" with "leur."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Je leur ai proposé la. (I proposed it to them.)
7. Mon amie a prêté son caméscope à ma sœur.
- The direct object here is "son caméscope," and the indirect object is "à ma sœur."
- We can replace "son caméscope" with "le," and "à ma sœur" with "lui."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Mon amie le lui a prêté. (My friend lent it to her.)
8. Mes grands-parents ont offert le Guide du Routard à mes parents.
- The direct object here is "le Guide du Routard," and the indirect object is "à mes parents."
- We can replace "le Guide du Routard" with "le," and "à mes parents" with "leur."
- The sentence with the double object pronouns would be:
Mes grands-parents le leur ont offert. (My grandparents gave it to them.)
Remember to pay attention to the gender and number of the objects in order to use the appropriate pronouns "le," "la," "les," "lui," and "leur." Double object pronouns can be tricky, but with practice, you'll get the hang of it.