French 2 / Unit 9: Health, the Body and Commands
9.5 Pronouns with Commands
Notes
In affirmative commands, pronouns go after the verb, joined by hyphens. In negative commands, they stay before the verb.
- me → moi, te → toi after the verb: Donne-moi le livre. Lève-toi.
- Other pronouns do not change: Mange-le. Parle-lui. Regardez-les. Vas-y. Prenez-en.
- Negative: Ne le mange pas. Ne lui parle pas. N'y va pas. Ne me regarde pas.
- Add an s to the tu form before y or en for -er verbs: Vas-y. Manges-en.
- Example: Tu as mal à la gorge? Bois de l'eau! Bois-en beaucoup!
Practice
How do you say "Give me the medicine" to a friend?
In an affirmative command, me becomes moi after the verb.
What is the negative of "Mange-le!"?
In negative commands, the pronoun goes before the verb.
Which is correct for "Go there!" (to a friend)?
Add s to va before y: Vas-y.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 9 test.