Double Pronoun Placement: Present Tense Topography

Combining Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns

The placement of single object pronouns is treated in direct object pronouns: singular, direct object pronouns: plural, and indirect object pronouns. When a verb governs both a direct object pronoun and an indirect object pronoun, the two pronouns must be placed before the verb in a fixed sequence.

Standard Order of Object Pronouns

Applying the Order

The table is read from left to right. Position 1 contains the indirect object pronouns of the first and second persons, as well as the reflexive pronouns. Position 2 contains the third‑person direct object pronouns. Position 3 contains the third‑person indirect object pronouns. The adverbial pronouns y and en occupy positions 4 and 5 respectively.

Examples of the correct sequence:
- Il me le donne. (He gives it to me.) → me (COI, column 1) + le (COD, column 2)
- Je le lui explique. (I explain it to him/her.) → le (COD, column 2) + lui (COI, column 3)
- Elle nous les montre. (She shows them to us.) → nous (COI, column 1) + les (COD, column 2)

For the order of y and en with other pronouns, see the adverbial pronoun y and the adverbial pronoun en.

Negation and Semi‑Modal Verbs

In negative sentences, the negative particle ne is placed before the entire pronoun group, and pas follows the conjugated verb: Je ne le lui ai pas dit. (I did not tell it to him/her.) For a complete review of negation, see basic negation.

When a semi‑modal verb is used, the pronoun group moves before the infinitive: Je vais le lui donner. (I am going to give it to him/her.) This placement rule is the same as for single pronouns (see direct object pronouns: placement).