French Subject Pronouns and Être

A1.2 · Building identity

French Subject Pronouns and Être

By the end, you can identify yourself and other people with the natural French pattern—not a word-for-word copy of English.

Grammar map

Person or topic Subject or topic Identity form Example Pronunciation / note Natural English
I je suis Je suis étudiant / étudiante. I am a student.
you — singular tu es Tu es français / française. You are French.
he / she / on il / elle / on est Il est médecin. / Elle est médecin. He/She is a doctor.
we nous sommes Nous sommes amis / amies. We are friends.
you — formal or plural vous êtes Vous êtes étudiants / étudiantes. You are students.
they ils / elles sont Ils sont professeurs. / Elles sont professeures. They are teachers.

Notice the pattern

The subject pronoun is normally required in French, and the present form of être changes with the subject.

A profession after être normally has no article. Identity words can also change to show gender and number.

Build identity sentences

Read each model aloud, then replace the identity word with one that is true for you or someone you know.

I

Je suis étudiant / étudiante.

I am a student.

you — singular

Tu es français / française.

You are French.

he / she / on

Il est médecin. / Elle est médecin.

He/She is a doctor.

we

Nous sommes amis / amies.

We are friends.

you — formal or plural

Vous êtes étudiants / étudiantes.

You are students.

they

Ils sont professeurs. / Elles sont professeures.

They are teachers.

Practice

  1. Copy the first-row identity sentence exactly.
  2. Copy the second-row model, then replace its identity word with one that is true.
  3. Change the first-row idea to the we model in row four.
  4. Translate the third-row example into natural English.
  5. Does French use a separate word that changes like English am / is / are? Answer from the pattern note.
  6. Write two true identity sentences: one about you and one about another person or group.
Check your answers
  1. 1 → Je suis étudiant / étudiante.
  2. 2 → A model is Tu es français / française.
  3. 3 → Nous sommes amis / amies.
  4. 4 → He/She is a doctor.
  5. 5 → French uses a separate, changing form of être with each subject.
  6. 6: Answers vary. Check the subject or topic, identity pattern, and any gender or number choices.

Create a three-person identity set

Write and say three accurate lines: one about yourself, one about another person, and one about a group. Check the person or topic form, gender and number choices, and the identity pattern.

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