stressed pronouns (moi, toi, lui…) in French

Definition
Knowing the stressed pronouns in French is really very important.
Indeed, they are widely used.

Stressed pronouns are also called emphatic pronouns or disjunctive

pronouns. In French, they are called “pronoms toniques”.
They are used for emphasis.

A stressed pronoun is used to emphasize the person speaking or the

person being spoken of.
pronoms toniques
In French, the stressed pronouns are: moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux
and elles.
French stressed pronouns
French subject personal pronouns
Je Moi
Tu Toi
Il Lui
Elle Elle
Nous Nous
Vous Vous
Ils Eux
Elles Elles
Translation in English of the French stressed
pronouns:
Moi = Me
Toi = You
Lui = Him
Elle = Her
Nous = Us
Vous = You
Eux = Them
Elles = Them
Use
• In French, stressed pronouns can have several uses (to be used in different contexts). This
beginner's lesson focuses on the main use to be mastered at the beginner level: emphasizing the
person speaking or the person being talked about.

Example: Je suis français. = Moi, je suis français.

• Example with this sentence with the two french subject personal pronouns “je” and “tu”:

“Je parle et tu manges.”

To accentuate the “je” and “tu” with french stressed pronouns:

“Moi, je parle et toi, tu manges.”

Use
• Other examples to accentuate your subject with french stressed pronouns
from sentences with french subject personal pronouns (stressed pronouns
are in red):

1) Tu es français ? Oui, moi je suis français.

You are french? Yes, me I am french.

2) Elle, elle a un chat et lui, il a un chien.

3) Moi, je parle(speak) anglais et eux, ils parlent français.

4) Nous, nous ne parlons pas anglais.

Introduce someone : Membre de votre famille(family members)

“Voici ma famille :
Lui, c’est mon père.
Il s’appelle Gilbert.
Il a 60 ans. Il est agriculteur.
Elle, c’est ma mère.
Elle s’appelle Martine.
Elle a 57 ans. Elle est institutrice.
J’ai 2 soeurs.
Ma grande soeur a 30 ans.
Elle s’appelle Anaïs.
Ma petite soeur a 24 ans.
Elle s’appelle Manon.
Je n’ai pas de frère.
Eux, ce sont mes grands-parents.
Mon grand-père s’appelle Léo. Il a 81 ans.
Ma grand-mère s’appelle Janine. Elle a 78 ans.
Merci beaucoup