Chapitre Sept
Les compléments d’objet indirect
Exercice 7.17 - 7.20
Les compléments d’objet indirect
Indirect objects answer the questions “to whom” or “for whom.” When we are clarifying our indirect object for the first time in a conversation or writing, we will often use a person’s name, a defining title or relationship, or an emphatic pronoun (generally in the third person).
Je dis toujours la vérité à mes parents.
After the person has been established, we can replace their name, title, or pronoun with the corresponding indirect object pronoun.
Je leur dis toujours la vérité.
This functions in a similar way as it does in English where we use indirect object pronouns to say “to me, to you, to him, to her, to us, to them.” Indirect object pronouns are only used with transitive-indirect verbs. These verbs are generally identified with an à after them when you look them up in the dictionary.
Many are similar to their English equivalents:
There are some that don’t have the “to” in English:
Pronoun Placement
- To use les compléments d’objet indirect, remember to conjugate the verb based on the person doing the action just like always. Then, place the pronoun in front of the conjugated verb in a one-verb phrase:
Il me parle.
Elle nous envoie des textos. - If you have a two-verb phrase in the present or are using simple future tense, you can place the pronoun directly between the verbs.
Elle veut vous téléphoner.
Nous voulons lui écrire une lettre. - In the passé composé, the COI will come before the auxiliary verb.
Je t’ai téléphoné.
Il nous a offert un travail.
Recap of COI
- Answer the questions “To whom?” or “For whom?” with transitive-indirect verbs, those that take à
- Are used with people only, not other nouns (see section about y)
- Come before the conjugated verb except in two-verb constructions and simple future
- Often thought of as “verbs of exchange”
Indirect Object Pronouns
| Singular | Plural | |
| 1st person | me
to me |
nous
to us |
| 2nd person | te
to you |
vous
to you |
| 3rd person | lui
to him / to it lui to her / to it |
leur
to them
|
Exercice 7.17
Exercice 7.18
Exercice 7.19
Exercice 7.20
I always tell my parents the truth.
I always tell the truth to them.
to talk to
to write to
to give to
to send to
to offer to
to call someone
to answer
to obey
to forgive (someone)
pay a visit to
He speaks to me.
She sends text messages to us.
She wants to call you.
We want to write a letter to him (or to her).
I called you.
