French Stressed vs. Unstressed Pronouns

French stressed pronouns, the pronoms toniques, are the emphatic forms moi, toi, lui, elle, soi, nous, vous, eux, elles. They stand apart from the verb, unlike the ordinary object pronouns that cling to it. This guide from SPRACHCAFFE explains the two sets, when to use the stressed forms, and gives you an exercise with answers.

The stressed pronouns

Each subject pronoun has a matching stressed form:

Note that the third-person stressed forms differ from the subject forms: il → lui, ils → eux. The forms nous, vous, and elle(s) look the same as their subject pronouns; context makes the role clear

The unstressed pronouns are the object (clitic) pronouns that attach to the verb, usually right before it: me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les (direct), lui, leur (indirect), se (reflexive), plus y and en. They simply replace a noun, with no emphasis.

• Je te vois. → I see you.
• Il me parle. → He speaks to me.

The stressed pronouns stand on their own, away from the verb, and add weight or follow a preposition. You cannot use them as the plain subject or object of a conjugated verb (never "moi mange"); their jobs are the ones below.

When to use stressed pronouns

For emphasis (dislocation): the stressed pronoun doubles the subject. - Moi, j'aime le chocolat. → Me, I love chocolate. - Elle, elle chante très bien. → She sings really well.

To contrast two subjects: - Moi, je suis végétarien, mais lui, il mange de la viande. → I'm vegetarian, but he eats meat.

After a preposition: - Il est venu avec moi. → He came with me. - Je pense à toi. → I think of you. - C'est pour eux. → It's for them.

After c'est / ce sont: - C'est moi. → It's me. - Ce sont eux. → It's them.

In comparisons (after que): - Il est plus grand que moi. → He is taller than me.

In a compound subject, or standing alone: - Toi et moi, nous partons demain. → You and I are leaving tomorrow. - Qui veut du gâteau ? Moi ! → Who wants cake? Me!

With -même for "-self": - Je l'ai fait moi-même. → I did it myself.

More examples

• Moi, j'aime lire des livres. → I love reading books.
• Allez, tu viens avec moi ? → Come on, are you coming with me?
• Lui, il est très gentil. → He is very kind.
• Nous, nous allons au cinéma ce soir. → We're going to the cinema tonight.
• Eux, ils habitent à la campagne. → They live in the countryside.
• Elles, elles préfèrent les films d'horreur. → They prefer horror films.
• Moi, je suis désolé pour ce qui s'est passé. → I'm sorry for what happened.
• Et toi, tu viens ? → And you, are you coming?

Exercise: choose the right stressed pronoun

1. C'est ___ ! (me) → Who's there? It's me.
2. Je pars avec ___. (them, masculine)
3. Elle est plus rapide que ___. (him)
4. ___, nous adorons Paris. (we, emphasis)
5. Ce cadeau est pour ___. (you, singular)
6. ___ et ___, vous êtes amis. (you and I → he and I? use: "Lui et moi")

Answer key: 1. moi 2. eux 3. lui 4. Nous 5. toi 6. Lui et moi