A2BeginnerPronouns · Point 19 / 40

le, la, les, l'

To avoid repeating a noun, replace it with “le”, “la” or “les”, and put that little word right before the verb.

Pronoun	Pattern	Meaning
le	—	“le” replaces a masculine singular noun.
la	—	“la” replaces a feminine singular noun.
les	—	“les” replaces a plural noun.
l'	—	before a vowel, “le” and “la” become “l’”.

The pronoun goes right before the verb: “Je le prends”, “Vous la signez”. Before a vowel “le” and “la” become “l’”: “Je l’ai”.

Examples from our dialogues 5 · 5 with audio

Listen
Merci. Est-ce que vous l'avez en bleu aussi ?
Thank you. Do you have it in blue too?
Check The Full DialogueAsking for another size or colour

Listen
Je le fais tout de suite. Merci beaucoup.
I'll do it right away. Thank you very much.
Check The Full DialogueAsking for a day off

Listen
Pas de problème. Et nos manteaux, je les mets où ?
No problem. And our coats, where should I put them?
Check The Full DialogueHosting guests at home for the first time

Listen
Je l'aime bien. C'est tranquille, et il y a une épicerie juste à côté.
I like it. It's quiet, and there's a grocery store right nearby.
Check The Full DialogueGetting to know a new neighbour

Listen
Très bien. Voulez-vous que je l'emballe séparément ?
Very well. Would you like me to wrap it separately?
Check The Full DialogueBuying at the butcher shop

Je prends le.Je le prends.
In French the pronoun goes before the verb, not after as in English (“I take it”).

Shopping, paying, returning an item — the French of stores and customer service.

These dialogues use this point. They open on the dialogue page (audio, vocabulary to save).