Replacing adjectives with le (direct object pronoun)

Posted by Aurélie Drouard

In: Level B1, Pronouns, Pronom d'objet direct

Questions: 2

We already know that the pronoun le can replace a masculine noun (Replacing nouns with le, la, l', les = it, him, her, them (direct object pronouns)) or a whole idea (Using le or l' to refer to previously mentioned ideas (direct object pronoun)).

Now look at these sentences:

Je suis content et elles le sont aussi.
I'm happy and they are too.

Cette fille est gentille mais ce garçon ne l'est pas.
This girl is nice, but this boy is not.

Ce canapé est confortable mais ces fauteuils ne le sont pas.
This couch is comfortable but these armchairs aren't.

Note that in sentences when you don't want to repeat an adjective, in French you'll need to use the object pronoun le to replace it.
You can't just omit it, and say  -> Ce canapé est confortable mais ces fauteuils ne sont pas (quoi?).  In French, something is missing here.

Note also that le becomes l'  in front of a vowel or a mute h.

ATTENTION: In this context, the pronoun le never agrees in gender or number.

Ces filles sont gentilles mais ces garçons ne le sont pas. 
These girls are nice but these boys aren't.

Q&A

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Paul

Kwiziq community member

17 June 2018

1 reply

le

Does "Ils sont fatigués et je l'est aussi" have the same meaning as "Ils sont fatigués et je le suis aussi"?

Chris

Kwiziq community member

18 June 2018

18/06/18

Ils sont fatigués et je l'est aussi is wrong because the verb "est" does not match the subject "je". The second sentence is correct:

Ils sont fatigués et je le suis aussi. -- They are tired and I'm (tired) too.

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

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