Using object pronouns le/la/les vs lui/leur in affirmative commands in the imperative mood (L'Impératif) in French

In French, object pronouns are usually placed before a verb. In L'Impératif, it is not the case.

Position of object pronouns in L'Impératif Présent in French

Look at these sentences in L'Impératif:

Appelle-les !Call them!

Verse-le dans un verre.Pour it in a glass.

Envoie-lui un paquet !Send him/her a package!

Parlez-leur !Speak to them!

Note that in L'Impératif, the direct object pronouns le, la, l', les and the indirect object pronouns lui, leur are placed after the verb with a hyphen in between.


ATTENTION:
It's often very confusing for students to know which pronoun to use in affirmative commands.

Look at these two examples:

Nous écrivons à notre tante -> Nous lui écrivons -> Écrivons-lui !
We're writing to our aunt -> We write to her -> Let's write to her!

BUT

Tu arrêtes Paul -> Tu l'arrêtes -> Arrête-le !
You're stopping Paul -> You're stopping him -> Stop him!

 

Here is the rule:

- If the verb is normally followed by à+ person in French (i.e., followed by an indirect object pronoun),such as in écrire à [quelqu'un] (to write to [someone]) or montrer à [quelqu'un] (to show [someone]), then you use lui or leur.

- If the verb isn't followed by any preposition (i.e. followed by a direct object pronoun), such as arrêter [X] [quelqu'un] (to stop [someone]), you use le/la or les.

See also Using le/la/l'/les = it/him/her/them (French Direct Object Pronouns) and Using lui/leur = him or her/them (French Indirect Object Pronouns)

Special cases

Look at these examples:

Attends-le !Wait for him/it!

Regarde-les !Look at them!

Regarde-la !Look at her/it!

Téléphone-lui !Phone him/her!

Note that quite a few verbs, such as regarder and attendre, are used without prepositions in French, i.e., regarder [x] [quelqu'un]; attendre [x] [quelqu'un], whereas they have one in English (i.e., to look at [someone], to wait for [someone]).

On the other hand, some English verbs without prepositions will be followed by à in French, i.e., to phone [someone] = téléphoner à [quelqu'un].

When in doubt, check with a dictionary.

 

See also Conjugate regular verbs in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif) and Conjugate irregular être/avoir/savoir in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif)

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Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Écris-leur !Write to them!
Parlez-leur !Speak to them!
Dites-le avec des fleurs !Say it with flowers!
Envoie-lui un paquet !Send him/her a package!
Attends-le !Wait for him/it!
Écrivons-lui !Let's write to her / to him!
Appelle-les !Call them!
Verse-le dans un verre.Pour it in a glass.
Regarde-la !Look at her/it!
Téléphone-lui !Phone him/her!
Regarde-les !Look at them!
Thinking...