on

Impersonal and Informal on

Level 1

French uses on as a versatile subject pronoun. It acts as an informal 'we' or a general 'one/people.' Even when it means 'we,' it always uses the 3rd-person singular verb form (like il or elle).

How It Works

The pronoun on is one of the most common words in French. While it is often translated as 'one' in textbooks, its primary role in modern conversation is to mean 'we.'

1. Conjugation Rule
Even if on refers to a group of people, the verb that follows it must be in the 3rd-person singular form. This is the same form used for il and elle.
Example: On parle français (We speak French / One speaks French).

2. Register and Usage

  • Informal: In daily life, use on for 'we.' Using nous for 'we' in a casual setting can sound very formal or stiff.
  • Impersonal: Use on to talk about general truths or 'people' in a vague sense. This is a common way to avoid the passive voice.
  • Nursery/Medical: In specific contexts, on can replace tu or vous to sound gentle or patronizing. A doctor might ask a patient: Alors, on a bien dormi ? (So, did we sleep well?).
  • Formal Variant: In formal writing, you may see l'on (e.g., si l'on veut). The 'l' is added for sound, but it is usually avoided before words starting with 'L' (like on lit) to avoid repetitive sounds.

3. Agreement Nuance
While the verb is always singular, if on clearly means 'we,' any adjectives describing the subject must agree in both gender and number with the people being referred to.
Example: On est fatigués (We are tired - masculine/mixed) or On est prêtes (We are ready - feminine).

4. Phonology
When on is followed by a verb starting with a vowel, a mandatory liaison occurs, where the 'n' is pronounced: On a [on-na].

Examples (4)

  1. On va au restaurant ce soir.

    We are going to the restaurant tonight.

    Word by Word: One goes to the restaurant this evening.

    In this casual context, 'on' is used instead of 'nous' to mean 'we.' Note the singular verb 'va'.

  2. En France, on mange beaucoup de fromage.

    In France, people eat a lot of cheese.

    Word by Word: In France, one eats much of cheese.

    Here, 'on' refers to people in general rather than a specific group of 'we'.

  3. On a trouvé tes clés !

    Someone found your keys! / We found your keys!

    Word by Word: One has found your keys!

    This shows how 'on' can replace an unknown 'someone' or a specific 'we'.

  4. On est contents de te voir.

    We are happy to see you.

    Word by Word: One is happy (plural) to you see.

    Notice that the verb 'est' is singular, but the adjective 'contents' is plural because 'on' refers to 'we'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the plural verb ending with 'on'.

    On parlons français.
    On parle français.

    Even when 'on' means 'we,' it must take the 3rd-person singular verb form (the 'il/elle' form), not the 'nous' form.

  • Using 'on' as an object pronoun.

    Il on voit.
    Il nous voit.

    'On' is strictly a subject pronoun. If you need to say 'us' (the object), you must use 'nous'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

onLevel 1Impersonal and Informal on

Learn This First

To understand 'on', you need to be familiar with third-person singular subject pronouns because 'on' shares their conjugation rules. Additionally, understanding the concept of formality in French pronouns is helpful since 'on' is frequently used as an informal substitute for 'nous'.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern