Order of two object pronouns together

Level 2

When using two object pronouns, they follow a fixed order: (me/te/nous/vous) > (le/la/les) > (lui/leur) > (y) > (en).

How It Works

In French, when a verb has two objects replaced by pronouns, you must place them in a specific sequence. This sequence is usually:

1. me, te, se, nous, vous (1st/2nd person & 3rd person reflexive)
2. le, la, les (3rd person direct objects)
3. lui, leur (3rd person indirect objects)
4. y (place/location)
5. en (quantity/partitive)

Placement:
These pronouns usually sit right before the conjugated verb: Je te le donne. However, if there is an infinitive, they must go immediately before that infinitive: Je vais le lui dire (I am going to tell it to him).

The 3rd Person Exception:
Notice that while 1st/2nd person pronouns come before 'le/la/les', the 3rd person indirect pronouns (lui/leur) come after 'le/la/les'.

Forbidden Combinations:
You cannot combine a pronoun from Slot 1 with one from Slot 3. For example, to say 'He introduces me to him,' you cannot say 'Il me lui présente'; you must use 'Il me présente à lui.'

Affirmative Imperatives:
In positive commands, pronouns move after the verb with hyphens: Donne-le-moi!. Here, me/te become moi/toi, but they change to m'/t' before y or en (e.g., Donne-m'en). Also, remember to keep the 's' on 'tu' forms of -er verbs before y or en for sound: Vas-y !

Examples (6)

  1. Il me les a donnés.

    He gave them to me.

    Word by Word: He to-me them has given.

    Here, 'me' (Slot 1) comes before 'les' (Slot 2). Note the past participle agreement with the preceding direct object 'les'.

  2. Je le lui dirai demain.

    I will tell it to him tomorrow.

    Word by Word: I it to-him will-tell tomorrow.

    When both are 3rd person, the direct object 'le' (Slot 2) comes before the indirect object 'lui' (Slot 3).

  3. Je veux le lui donner.

    I want to give it to him.

    Word by Word: I want it to-him to-give.

    When an infinitive follows a conjugated verb, the pronouns are placed immediately before the infinitive.

  4. Donne-m'en un peu.

    Give me a little of it.

    Word by Word: Give to-me-of-it a little.

    In affirmative imperatives, 'moi' becomes 'm'' before 'en' or 'y'.

  5. Vas-y !

    Go there!

    Word by Word: Go-there!

    The 's' is added back to the 'tu' form of -er verbs before 'y' or 'en' for easier pronunciation.

  6. Il se les lave.

    He is washing them (his hands).

    Word by Word: He himself them washes.

    The reflexive pronoun 'se' (3rd person) occupies Slot 1, coming before the direct object 'les'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the 1st person order for 3rd person pronouns (saying 'lui le' instead of 'le lui').

    Je lui le donne.
    Je le lui donne.

    While 'me le' is correct, for 3rd person objects, the direct object (le/la/les) must come before the indirect object (lui/leur).

  • Combining Slot 1 and Slot 3 pronouns (like 'me' and 'lui') in the same sentence.

    Il me lui présente.
    Il me présente à lui.

    You cannot combine pronouns from Slot 1 (me, te, se, nous, vous) with Slot 3 (lui, leur). Instead, use a disjunctive pronoun after the preposition 'à'.

  • Forgetting to agree the past participle with the preceding direct object.

    Il me les a donné.
    Il me les a donnés.

    In compound tenses, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the direct object pronoun if it comes before the verb.

How It Connects

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

Order of two object pronouns togetherLevel 2

Learn This First

To learn double object pronoun order, you must first be comfortable identifying and using individual direct and indirect object pronouns, as well as the pronouns 'y' and 'en'. You also need to understand the standard rule that object pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb in French.