il / elle

Third-person Singular Il and Elle

Level 1

Il (he/it) and elle (she/it) are subject pronouns used to replace masculine and feminine singular nouns. Unlike English, they are used for both people and objects.

How It Works

1. Basic Usage
These pronouns function as the subject of the sentence. In standard statements, they typically precede the verb, though they can be separated from it by negation (ne) or object pronouns (e.g., Il ne le voit pas).

  • Il: Used for males (he) or masculine objects (it).
  • Elle: Used for females (she) or feminine objects (it).
  • On: An informal pronoun that uses the same verb forms as il and elle, often meaning 'we' or 'one'.

2. Referring to Objects
If you are talking about un livre (a book - masculine), you use il. If you are talking about une voiture (a car - feminine), you use elle.

3. Impersonal 'Il'
French uses il as a 'dummy' subject for expressions where no one is actually performing the action. This is common in weather and time expressions, such as Il pleut (It is raining) or Il est midi (It is noon).

4. Phonology and Writing
Unlike the pronoun je, il and elle never undergo elision. You must always write the full word (e.g., il arrive). When il is followed by a vowel, the 'l' sound (which is always pronounced) links smoothly to the next word (enchaînement).

5. Questions and Inversion
In formal questions using inversion, the pronoun follows the verb. If the verb ends in a vowel, a euphonic -t- is added for sound, such as Parle-t-il ? (Does he speak?).

Examples (5)

  1. Il habite à Paris.

    He lives in Paris.

    Word by Word: He lives at Paris.

    Here, 'il' refers to a male person.

  2. Où est la chaise ? Elle est dans la cuisine.

    Where is the chair? It is in the kitchen.

    Word by Word: Where is the chair? She/It is in the kitchen.

    Since 'chaise' is a feminine noun, we use 'elle' to say 'it'.

  3. Il est trois heures.

    It is three o'clock.

    Word by Word: It is three hours.

    This is an impersonal use of 'il' to tell the time.

  4. Elle regarde un film.

    She is watching a movie.

    Word by Word: She watches a movie.

    Here, 'elle' refers to a female person.

  5. Regarde ce stylo ! Il est bleu.

    Look at this pen! It is blue.

    Word by Word: Look at this pen! He/It is blue.

    Since 'stylo' is a masculine noun, we use 'il' to say 'it'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'il' for all objects because English uses 'it'.

    Où est ma pomme ? Il est là.
    Où est ma pomme ? Elle est là.

    Because 'pomme' (apple) is feminine, you must use 'elle', even though it is an object.

  • Attempting to elide 'il' or 'elle' before a vowel.

    L'aime le café. / Ell'aime le café.
    Il aime le café. / Elle aime le café.

    Unlike 'je', these pronouns never drop their final letter before a vowel in writing.

  • Confusing 'il est' with 'c'est' when identifying people.

    Il est un professeur.
    Il est professeur. / C'est un professeur.

    Use 'il est' directly with a profession, or 'c'est' if you include an article like 'un'.

How It Connects

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il / elleLevel 1Third-person Singular Il and Elle

Learn This First

To use 'il' and 'elle' correctly, you must first understand that every French noun is either masculine or feminine, as these pronouns replace nouns based on their gender rather than just biological sex. It is also helpful to be familiar with the basic concept of subject pronouns in French.

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