Order of Pronouns in French

When multiple pronouns appear together in a sentence, French follows a strict and fixed pronoun order that does not change.

Pronoun Order Ladder

• me / te / se / nous / vous
• le / la / les
• lui / leur
• y
• en

Pronoun Order in Compound Tenses

Pronouns always come before the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.

The Core Pronoun Order Rule

When more than one pronoun is used, they always appear in the following order:

• Before a conjugated verb: Je le lui donne
• Before the infinitive: Je vais le lui donner
• Before the auxiliary in compound tenses: Je le lui ai donné

Position Relative to the Verb

Pronouns are placed before the verb in most sentences.

Common Mistakes

• Changing pronoun order based on meaning
• Placing pronouns after the verb in statements
• Mixing imperative and non-imperative order
• Forgetting y and en at the end

Reflexive Pronouns and Order

Reflexive pronouns follow the same order rules and usually appear in the first position.

What Is Pronoun Order?

In French, object pronouns must appear in a specific sequence before the verb. This order applies regardless of meaning and must be memorized.

Pronoun Order in the Imperative

Pronoun order changes in affirmative commands.

• Je le lui ai donné.
• Elle s’en est souvenue.
• Nous les y avons vus.

Example Sentences

• Je me le rappelle.
• Elle se l’explique.
• Nous nous y habituons.

Special Pronoun Combinations