This French 3 lesson explains double object pronouns step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on double object pronouns and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: When a French verb has two object pronouns, both stand before the verb in a fixed order: me/te/se/nous/vous, then le/la/les, then lui/leur, then y, then en. For example, Je te le donne means I give it to you. In the negative, ne goes before the first pronoun.
Level: French 3 (high school, ACTFL Intermediate Low) · Standards: ACTFL Intermediate Low, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational
Double object pronouns: the lesson
What is a double object pronoun?
Definition
A double object pronoun is a pair of pronouns that replace two complements of the same verb, usually a thing and a person. Both pronouns move in front of the verb and keep a fixed order.
Before and after
Léa prête sa raquette à Idriss. — Léa lends her racket to Idriss.
Léa la lui prête. — Léa lends it to him.
In what order do the pronouns go?
The five-car train
Car 1: me, te, se, nous, vous. Car 2: le, la, les. Car 3: lui, leur. Car 4: y. Car 5: en. A sentence may use two cars, but never in a different order.
| Pair | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| me/te/nous/vous + le/la/les | Mamadou nous les montre. | Mamadou shows them to us. |
| le/la/les + lui/leur | Camille les leur envoie. | Camille sends them to them. |
| me/te/nous/vous + en | Je t’en donne deux. | I give you two of them. |
| lui/leur + en | Nadia lui en offre un. | Nadia gives him one. |
| y + en | Il y en a six. | There are six of them. |
Common mistake
English says “give it to him”, so learners write Je lui le donne. Correct: Je le lui donne. With first and second person the order flips: Il me le donne, not Il le me donne. Me, te, nous and vous cannot sit next to lui or leur: say Il me présente à elle.
How do negation and the passé composé work?
Negation and past tense
Put ne before the first pronoun and pas after the conjugated verb: Je ne te le prête pas. In the passé composé the whole group stands before avoir or être: Elle ne me l’a pas envoyée. The participle agrees with a preceding le, la, les, never with me, te, lui, leur or en.
With an infinitive
Je veux te le dire. — I want to tell you. Elle va nous les rendre. — She will give them back to us.
Spoken French
In everyday conversation in France and Québec, many speakers drop ne: Je te le dis pas. Written French and exams still expect the full negation.
Zoé’s tip
Say the train out loud: “me-te-nous-vous, le-la-les, lui-leur, y, en”. Cars can be skipped, but they never swap places. The chant turns the order into a habit.
Key points to remember
- Both pronouns go directly before the conjugated verb (or before the infinitive).
- Fixed order: me/te/se/nous/vous, then le/la/les, then lui/leur, then y, then en.
- Me, te, nous or vous never combine with lui or leur; use à + a stress pronoun instead.
- In the passé composé the pronouns stand before avoir or être, and the participle agrees with a preceding le, la or les.
Stacking Two Pronouns Before the Verb: frequently asked questions
What is the order of two object pronouns in French?
The order is me/te/se/nous/vous, then le/la/les, then lui/leur, then y, then en. Example: Il me les prête. Skip any car you do not need, but keep the sequence.
Can I use me and lui together in one sentence?
No. Me, te, nous and vous never combine with lui or leur. Use the direct pronoun plus à and a stress pronoun: Elle me présente à lui.
Where do ne and pas go with two pronouns?
Ne goes right before the first pronoun and pas after the conjugated verb: Je ne le lui dis pas. In the passé composé, pas follows avoir or être.
Does the past participle agree with double pronouns?
It agrees in gender and number with a preceding le, la or les: Je te les ai rendues. It does not agree with me, te, lui, leur or en.
Where do double pronouns go with an infinitive?
They stand directly before the infinitive, in the usual order: Je vais la lui montrer. The conjugated verb stays in front of them.