Nous/vous/eux/elles = Us/you/them - simple cases (French Stress Pronouns)

Take the fastest path to fluent French

Just as in English we have 'they' and 'them' (but note, only 'you'), French uses these so-called plural Stress Pronouns.

Learn how to use plural stress pronouns in French

Note that most are the same as the Subject pronouns, with the exception of eux.

Subject Pronoun Stress Pronoun
nous nous
vous vous
ils eux
elles elles

 

Simple uses of Stress pronouns

- extra emphasis

Vous aimez le vin alors qu'elles , elles détestent ça !You like wine whereas they hate that!

Tu vas chez Lisa pendant que nous, nous nettoyons la maison.You go to Lisa's place while we clean the house.

Je vais à la poste, et eux, ils vont au supermarché.I'm going to the post office, and THEY are going to the supermarket.

Note that in English, you would use intonation to mark emphasis.


single word responses

Qui veut du gâteau ? - Nous !Who wants cake? - Us!

Et ces filles? - Elles? Oh non!What about those girls? - Them? Oh no!

Qui est-ce? Eux!Who is it? Them!

- very simple sentences 

C'est nous, c'est vousIt's us, it's you

Pas eux!Not them!

Vous aussi!You too!



Eux is used whenever the group is masculine or mixed.
Only use elles when all members of the group are female.


See also the singular stress pronouns: Moi/toi/lui/elle = Me/you/him/her - simple cases (French Stress Pronouns)
and the more advanced lesson Moi/toi/lui/elle/soi/nous/vous/eux/elles - advanced usages (French Stress Pronouns)

NOTE: With eux and elles, technically you should say Ce sont... for it is but you will hear people use c'est. Use ce sont in writing, but you can use c'est in speech.
See C'est, ce sont = this is, these are (French Demonstrative Pronouns)

Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Vous aimez le vin alors qu'elles , elles détestent ça !You like wine whereas they hate that!
Tu vas chez Lisa pendant que nous, nous nettoyons la maison.You go to Lisa's place while we clean the house.
Je vais à la poste, et eux, ils vont au supermarché.I'm going to the post office, and THEY are going to the supermarket.
Qui veut du gâteau ? - Nous !Who wants cake? - Us!
Et ces filles? - Elles? Oh non!What about those girls? - Them? Oh no!
Qui est-ce? Eux!Who is it? Them!
C'est nous, c'est vousIt's us, it's you
Pas eux!Not them!
Vous aussi!You too!
Nous non plus !Us neither!
Pas nous!Not us!

pronoms disjonctifs


I'll be right with you...