French Advanced Syntax
Object Pronoun Placement and Order (Y & EN)
The Core Rule: Pronouns Before the Verb
In French, all object pronouns—Direct Object (DO), Indirect Object (IO), and the adverbial pronouns Y (there/to it) and EN (some/any/of it)—are placed **immediately before the conjugated verb**.
Example: *J'achète **le livre*** (I buy the book) becomes *Je **l'** achète* (I buy it).
1. The Universal Pronoun Order (The Rainbow Rule)
When you have two or more pronouns, they must be placed in a very specific, unchanging order. Memorizing this order is key to advanced syntax.
2. LE, LA, LES (Direct Object)
3. LUI, LEUR (Indirect Object)
4. Y (Place/To It)
5. EN (Quantity/Of It)
Key Combination Rules:
- **Lui/Leur** never mix with **Le/La/Les**. For example, you cannot have *le lui*.
- **Y** and **EN** are usually last, with **Y** coming before **EN**.
Example: *Il **m'** **en** a donné.* (He gave some of it to me.)
2. Placement with the Imperative Mood (Commands)
The imperative mood is the only time object pronouns do not precede the verb. They are placed **after** the verb and linked with a hyphen.
| Rule | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **Affirmative Command** | Verb - Pronoun(s) | *Donne-**le**-**moi**!* (Give it to me!) |
| **Negative Command** | Ne + Pronoun(s) + Verb + Pas | *Ne **me** **le** donne pas!* (Do not give it to me!) |
Note: In affirmative commands, *me* and *te* change to *moi* and *toi* (except before *en* or *y*).
Pronoun Placement Worksheet Generator
Practice restructuring sentences by replacing the underlined nouns with the correct object pronouns.
Your generated worksheet will appear here. Click "Generate Worksheet" to begin.