Introduction
Introduction
Disjunctive pronouns, also commonly called stressed pronouns, are used in cases of emphasis or isolation:
C’est moi.
I am here.
In English we when someone asks “who’s next in line” we reply with “me” - not “I”. This is because we are using “me” in a disjunctive way. It is the same with French, questions are answered with disjunctive pronouns.
They are also used when there is more than one subject of sentence*:
David et moi allons jouer au football.
David and I are going to play soccer.
In French disjunctive pronouns also serve as prepositional pronouns because they are used after prepositions:
Il pense à moi.
He’s thinking of me.
*This is actually similar to the informal use in English of “David and me” as the subject rather than “David and I” which is frowned upon by grammarians.
C’est moi.
I am here.
In English we when someone asks “who’s next in line” we reply with “me” - not “I”. This is because we are using “me” in a disjunctive way. It is the same with French, questions are answered with disjunctive pronouns.
They are also used when there is more than one subject of sentence*:
David et moi allons jouer au football.
David and I are going to play soccer.
In French disjunctive pronouns also serve as prepositional pronouns because they are used after prepositions:
Il pense à moi.
He’s thinking of me.
*This is actually similar to the informal use in English of “David and me” as the subject rather than “David and I” which is frowned upon by grammarians.
| Nominative | Dative | Disjunctive | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | First-person |
moi
me
I
myself
|
||
| Second-person |
toi
you
|
|||
| Third-person |
elle
her
it
feminine
|
lui
him
it
masculine
|
soi
it
|
|
| Plural | First-person |
nous
us
|
||
| Second-person |
vous
you all
you
formal
|
|||
| Third-person |
elles
them
feminine
|
eux
them
masculine
|
||