moi / toi / lui / elle / nous / vous / eux / elles
Stressed Pronouns Moi, Toi, Lui, Elle, Nous, Vous, Eux, Elles
Disjunctive pronouns (moi, toi, lui, etc.) are 'stressed' pronouns that stand alone or follow prepositions. Unlike subject pronouns (je, tu), they aren't attached to a verb.
How It Works
Disjunctive pronouns (also called tonic or stressed pronouns) are essential because French subject pronouns like je or tu cannot stand alone.
1. The Forms:
- Moi (Me/I)
- Toi (You - informal)
- Lui / Elle / Soi (Him / Her / Oneself)
- Nous / Vous (Us / You - formal or plural)
- Eux / Elles (Them - masc. / Them - fem.)
2. Common Uses:
- After Prepositions: Used after words like avec, pour, or chez. (e.g., avec moi, chez lui).
- Emphasis (Reduplication): To highlight the subject. (e.g., Moi, je préfère le thé.)
- Compound Subjects: When 'I' or 'you' is part of a group. (e.g., Lui et moi sommes prêts.)
- After 'C'est': Used to identify people. (e.g., C'est elle.)
- Comparisons: Used after que. (e.g., Il est plus grand que toi.)
3. Pronunciation:
When a preposition ends in a consonant, a liaison often occurs, such as in chez eux (pronounced with a /z/ sound).
Examples (5)
- Qui veut du chocolat ? — Moi !
Who wants chocolate? — Me!
Word by Word: Who wants of the chocolate? — Me!
In short answers without a verb, you must use the disjunctive pronoun 'moi' instead of the subject pronoun 'je'.
- Je vais au cinéma avec lui.
I am going to the cinema with him.
Word by Word: I go to the cinema with him.
After a preposition like 'avec', the disjunctive form 'lui' is required.
- Moi, je n'aime pas le café, mais elle, elle adore ça.
Me, I don't like coffee, but her, she loves it.
Word by Word: Me, I not like not the coffee, but her, she adores that.
This 'double pronoun' construction is the standard way to create contrast or emphasis in spoken French.
- C'est moi qui ai gagné le match.
It is I who won the match.
Word by Word: It is me who has won the match.
After 'C'est', use 'moi'. Note that the verb 'ai' agrees with 'moi' (1st person).
- Mon frère et eux habitent à Paris.
My brother and they live in Paris.
Word by Word: My brother and them live at Paris.
When the subject is compound (a noun + a pronoun), the disjunctive form 'eux' is used.
Common Mistakes
Using a subject pronoun after a preposition.
Ce cadeau est pour je.Ce cadeau est pour moi.Subject pronouns (je, tu, il...) can only be used as the direct subject of a verb. After prepositions like 'pour', you must use disjunctive pronouns.
Incorrect verb agreement after 'C'est moi qui'.
C'est moi qui a fait ça.C'est moi qui ai fait ça.Even though 'C'est' is 3rd person, the verb following 'qui' must agree with the disjunctive pronoun (moi = 1st person singular).
Using 'je' in a compound subject.
Toi et je sommes amis.Toi et moi sommes amis.When 'I' is paired with another person using 'et', French requires the disjunctive 'moi'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand disjunctive pronouns, you first need to be familiar with the basic subject pronouns they correspond to. Additionally, since these pronouns are frequently used after prepositions like 'avec' or 'pour', understanding basic prepositional use is necessary. Finally, the distinction between formal and informal 'you' is preserved in these forms.
- jeFirst-person Singular Je
Disjunctive pronouns (moi, toi, etc.) are the stressed counterparts to subject pronouns (je, tu, etc.), and understanding the person/number system of subject pronouns is essential for mapping their disjunctive equivalents.
Level 1 - avecWith with Avec
One of the primary uses of disjunctive pronouns is following a preposition; 'avec' serves as a foundational example for this grammatical structure (e.g., 'avec moi').
Level 1 - tu vs vous formality concept
The distinction between 'toi' (informal) and 'vous' (formal/plural) mirrors the 'tu' vs 'vous' distinction in subject pronouns.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- c'est / il est / elle estIdentifying with C'est Versus Describing with Il/elle Est
Disjunctive pronouns are specifically used after 'c'est' to identify people.
Level 1 - soiIndefinite Reflexive Pronoun Soi
Soi is the indefinite version of these pronouns, used for 'oneself' or 'himself' in general statements.
Level 4 - Linking a silent consonant to the next vowel
Liaison is mandatory between certain prepositions and disjunctive pronouns starting with a vowel (e.g., chez eux).
Level 1 - c'est...quiEmphasizing the Subject with C'est...qui
This emphatic structure frequently uses disjunctive pronouns to highlight the person performing the action.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice moi / toi / lui / elle / nous / vous / eux / elles in Bubblegum
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