This French 3 lesson explains imperative with pronouns step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on imperative with pronouns and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: In an affirmative French command, object pronouns follow the verb and are joined to it by hyphens: Donne-le-moi ! The direct pronoun comes first, then the indirect one, then y or en. In a negative command, pronouns return before the verb in their normal order: Ne me le donne pas !
Level: French 3 (high school, ACTFL Intermediate Low) · Standards: ACTFL Intermediate Low, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational
Imperative with pronouns: the lesson
What happens to pronouns in a command?
Definition
The imperative gives an order, advice or an invitation, with tu, nous or vous and no subject pronoun. When the command is affirmative, object pronouns move behind the verb and hyphens link every element.
Affirmative order
Verb, then the direct pronoun (le, la, les), then the indirect one (moi, toi, lui, nous, vous, leur), then y, then en. Before en, moi and toi shrink to m’ and t’.
| Affirmative | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Donne-le-moi. | Ne me le donne pas. | Give it to me. / Don’t. |
| Montre-la-lui. | Ne la lui montre pas. | Show it to her. / Don’t. |
| Envoyez-les-nous. | Ne nous les envoyez pas. | Send them to us. / Don’t. |
| Donne-m’en deux. | Ne m’en donne pas. | Give me two of them. / Don’t. |
| Vas-y. | N’y va pas. | Go there. / Don’t. |
Common mistake
English says “give me it”, so learners write Donne-moi-le or Donne-moi-en. French needs Donne-le-moi and Donne-m’en. Another trap: do not keep affirmative word order in a negative command, as in Ne donne-le-moi pas.
How do tu-commands behave before y and en?
The tu-form of an -er verb loses its final s: Parle ! But before y or en the s returns, so the sounds link: Parles-en ! — Talk about it! Vas-y ! — Go ahead!
What are the irregular commands?
Three verbs have their own forms: être — sois, soyons, soyez; avoir — aie, ayons, ayez; savoir — sache, sachons, sachez. Examples: Soyez-y à huit heures. — Be there at eight. Ayez-en toujours deux. — Always have two of them. Reflexive verbs follow the same logic: Lève-toi ! but Ne te lève pas !.
Reading the pattern
Écris-le-lui. — Write it to him. Ne le lui écris pas. — Do not write it to him. The same three words appear in both sentences; only their place and the hyphens change. Check the verb first, then decide whether the command is affirmative or negative.
On the touchline
Fans and coaches in France shout Allez-y ! to encourage a team, while teenagers use Vas-y ! as a friendly “go ahead” or “come on” in everyday talk.
Zoé’s tip
Translate with “to”: “give it to me” is donne-le-moi, because “it” comes before “to me” in both languages. For a negative command, just build the ordinary sentence and wrap ne … pas around it.
Key points to remember
- Affirmative commands: verb, then le/la/les, then moi/toi/lui/nous/vous/leur, then y, then en, all with hyphens.
- Negative commands use the normal order: ne + me/te/nous/vous + le/la/les + lui/leur + y + en + verb + pas.
- Me and te become moi and toi after the verb, but m’ and t’ before en: Donne-m’en.
- Être, avoir and savoir have irregular imperatives: sois, aie, sache.
Giving Orders With Pronouns Attached: frequently asked questions
Where do pronouns go in an affirmative command?
They follow the verb, joined by hyphens, with le/la/les before moi/toi/lui/nous/vous/leur, then y, then en. Example: Envoie-la-lui !
Where do pronouns go in a negative command?
They stand before the verb in the normal order, between ne and the verb: Ne la lui envoie pas ! Hyphens disappear.
When do I use moi and toi instead of me and te?
Use moi and toi when the pronoun comes after the verb: Dis-moi ! Use me and te before the verb: Ne me dis pas ! Before en, use m’ and t’.
Why does Vas-y have an s but Va does not?
The tu-form of aller and -er verbs drops s when alone, but the s returns before y or en to avoid a clash of vowel sounds. That gives Vas-y and Parles-en.
What are the imperatives of être and avoir?
For être: sois, soyons, soyez. For avoir: aie, ayons, ayez. They come from the subjunctive, so they differ from the present tense.