How to Use Indirect Objects in French

French indirect objects can be tricky for English speakers.

This guide will help you understand and use them correctly, improving your French communication skills.

What Are Indirect Objects in French?

Indirect objects in French, or "compléments d'objet indirect" (COI), are recipients of an action. They answer the questions "to whom?" or "for whom?" and are usually introduced by the prepositions "à" or "pour".

For example:

• Je donne un livre à Marie. (I give a book to Marie.)
• J'achète un cadeau pour mon frère. (I buy a gift for my brother.)

Characteristics of Indirect Objects

1. Connected to the verb with a preposition (usually "à" or "pour")
2. Essential to the sentence's meaning
3. Can be identified by asking "to whom?" or "for whom?"

Indirect Object Pronouns

To avoid repetition, French uses indirect object pronouns. Here's a table of these pronouns:

| Person | Singular | Plural | |-------------|----------|--------| | First | me (m') | nous | | Second | te (t') | vous | | Third | lui | leur |

Examples:

• Je lui parle. (I talk to him/her.)
• Nous leur écrivons. (We write to them.)

Word Order with Indirect Object Pronouns

Unlike in English, French indirect object pronouns usually come before the verb:

• Je te donne le livre. (I give you the book.)
• Elle nous envoie un message. (She sends us a message.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing direct and indirect objects Some verbs take indirect objects in French but direct objects in English:

   • Je lui téléphone. (I call him/her.)

2. Forgetting to use the pronoun with certain verbs

   • Je pense à toi. → Je te pense. (Incorrect)
   • Je pense à toi. → Je pense à toi. (Correct)

3. Using the wrong preposition

   • Je parle à lui. (Incorrect)
   • Je lui parle. (Correct)

Practice Exercises

1. Replace the underlined words with the correct indirect object pronoun:

   • Je donne le livre à Marie. → Je ____ donne le livre.
   • Nous parlons à nos amis. → Nous ____ parlons.

2. Translate these sentences to French using indirect object pronouns:

   • I write to them every week.
   • She sends us flowers.

Conclusion

Mastering French indirect objects enhances your language skills.

Practice regularly to become more confident in using them correctly.