French grammar
Lui, leur
Say who you bought or are giving a present to.
From the scene Je lui ai acheté un cadeau (I bought her a present)
In short
Lui = to him / her, leur = to them. They go before the verb: je lui ai acheté un livre.
Your turn
Which one goes with to them?
Options: je lui ai acheté un livre · leur · lui
Show answer
to them → leur
How it works
To say who receives something, put an indirect object pronoun (the ‘to whom’ word) before the verb: lui (to him / her) or leur (to them).
Good to know
If you put the person first for emphasis, you still add the pronoun: à Diego, je lui ai acheté un livre.
Good to know
In a plain sentence the name alone is enough: j'ai acheté un livre à Diego.
to him / her lui
Nuria
Presque. Pour ma mère... je vais lui offrir un pull.
Almost. My mum — I'm going to give her a jumper.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Presque. Pour ma mère... je vais (blank) offrir un pull.
Options: leur · je lui ai acheté un livre · lui
Show answer
Nuria
Presque. Pour ma mère... je vais lui offrir un pull.
Almost. My mum — I'm going to give her a jumper.
to them leur
Javi
Et tes cousins ? Qu'est-ce que tu leur as acheté ?
And your cousins? What did you buy them?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et tes cousins ? Qu'est-ce que tu (blank) as acheté ?
Options: leur · lui · je lui ai acheté un livre
Show answer
Javi
Et tes cousins ? Qu'est-ce que tu leur as acheté ?
And your cousins? What did you buy them?
I bought him a book je lui ai acheté un livre
Nuria
À Diego, je lui ai acheté un livre de foot.
I bought Diego a football book.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
À Diego, (blank) de foot.
Options: leur · je leur ai acheté des chocolats · je lui ai acheté un livre
Show answer
Nuria
À Diego, je lui ai acheté un livre de foot.
I bought Diego a football book.
I bought them chocolates je leur ai acheté des chocolats
Nuria
Je leur ai acheté des chocolats du marché.
I bought them chocolates from the market.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) du marché.
Options: Je leur ai acheté des chocolats · Lui · Je lui ai acheté un livre
Show answer
Nuria
Je leur ai acheté des chocolats du marché.
I bought them chocolates from the market.
Common mistake
Not lui or les here. To them (the cousins).
Je leur ai acheté des chocolats du marché.
I bought them chocolates from the market.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| to him / her | lui |
|---|---|
| to them | leur |
| I bought him a book | je lui ai acheté un livre |
| I bought them chocolates | je leur ai acheté des chocolats |
More lines from the story
- NuriaMais il faut l'emballer. Tu m'aides, s'il te plaît ?But it needs wrapping. Will you help me, please?
- JaviTu as déjà acheté les cadeaux de Noël ?Have you already bought the Christmas presents?