Disjunctive Pronouns - Moi, Toi, Lui, Elle, Nous, Vous, Eux, Elles

Disjunctive pronouns are independent. They do not need a verb to exist. Subject pronouns like je or tu are glued to their verbs. You can't just say je by itself. But you can definitely say moi! These pronouns are used to point, emphasize, or clarify. Imagine you are at a crowded party. Someone asks, "Who wants pizza?" You wouldn't yell je. You would yell moi! They act as a substitute for a noun when that noun is the focus. They are also the go-to choice after prepositions. Think of them as the pronouns that can survive on their own in the wild. They don't need the support of a full sentence structure to make sense.

1. 1Learning these is mostly about memorization, but there is a clear pattern. Most of them look quite different from their subject counterparts. Here is the list you need to master:
2. 2Je (I) becomes Moi (Me/Myself).
3. 3Tu (You) becomes Toi (You/Yourself).
4. 4Il (He) becomes Lui (Him/Himself).
5. 5Elle (She) stays Elle (Her/Herself).
6. 6Nous (We) stays Nous (Us/Ourselves).
7. 7Vous (You) stays Vous (You/Yourself).
8. 8Ils (They, masc.) becomes Eux (Them).
9. 9Elles (They, fem.) stays Elles (Them).
10. 10Notice that the feminine and plural forms (elle, nous, vous, elles) are easy. They don't change at all! It is the singular masculine and the general "me/you" that require your attention.

There are five main scenarios where these pronouns shine. First, use them after prepositions. Words like avec (with), pour (for), chez (at the home of), and sans (without) always take a disjunctive pronoun. For example, "Come with me" is Viens avec moi. Second, use them for emphasis. You can double up on pronouns to show contrast. Moi, j'aime le café, mais lui, il préfère le thé. This is like saying, "As for me..." Third, use them in short answers without a verb. "Who is there?" "Me!" becomes C'est moi !. Fourth, use them after the expression C'est or Ce sont. If you are identifying someone, use these. C'est lui le chef. Finally, use them in comparisons. "I am taller than you" is Je suis plus grand que toi.

Real-world scenarios make this clearer. Imagine a job interview. The recruiter asks who has the most experience. You might say, C'est moi ! to stand out. Or imagine ordering food with a friend. You tell the waiter, Pour moi, une crêpe, et pour elle, une galette. It keeps things organized and clear.

Do not use these as the direct subject of a verb. This is the most common trap. You cannot say Moi mange une pomme. That sounds like "Me eat an apple" in English. It’s a bit caveman-style. Even though you use moi for emphasis, you still need the subject pronoun je if there is a verb. Also, don't use them as direct or indirect object pronouns inside a standard sentence. For "I see him," you use Je le vois, not Je vois lui. Disjunctive pronouns are for specific "stressed" moments, not for every time you want to say "him" or "her."

One big mistake is using il after a preposition. Many learners say avec il instead of avec lui. It sounds very jarring to a native ear. Another classic error is mixing up lui and eux. Remember that lui is singular (him) and eux is plural (them, masculine). If you are talking about a group of guys, use eux. If you use lui, you’re only talking about one. Also, watch out for the "me and my friend" construction. In French, we say Mon ami et moi. Never say Moi et mon ami. It’s considered polite to put yourself last, just like in English, but you must use moi, not je.

It is helpful to compare these to Subject Pronouns. Subject pronouns (je, tu, il) are the "doers." They are functional. Disjunctive pronouns are "referential." They point to the person. Think of subject pronouns as the engine of a car. They make the sentence move. Disjunctive pronouns are the shiny paint job. They make the person stand out. Also, compare them to Object Pronouns (me, te, le). Object pronouns live inside the verb phrase. Disjunctive pronouns live outside of it or after a preposition. If there is a preposition like pour, the disjunctive pronoun is your only choice.