French direct vs indirect object pronouns practice
Practice le, la, les, lui and leur in twelve French exercises. Learn verb constructions, elision, placement and agreement with contextual explanations.
Compare the patterns
Choose the form that fits
Check the explanation
How to choose: Direct vs indirect object pronouns
Look at the French verb construction, not the English translation. Direct objects have no linking preposition; common indirect-person complements use à.
Direct objects: le, la, les
Je vois Marie → je la vois. Le and la become l’ before a vowel or mute h. Les is plural for either gender.
Je les écoute, puis je leur réponds.
I listen to them, then I answer them.
Try it in context
Je vois Marie. → Je ___ vois.
Examples in context
Je les écoute, puis je leur réponds.
I listen to them, then I answer them.
La lettre ? Je l’ai écrite hier.
The letter? I wrote it yesterday; écrite agrees with the preceding feminine direct object.
A common trap
French écouter, attendre and chercher take direct objects even where English uses a preposition. Not every à + person becomes lui: penser à Marie becomes penser à elle. With avoir, a preceding direct object can trigger participle agreement; an indirect object does not.
How should I practice?
Read the whole context before choosing. Check the explanation, then retry the questions you missed. Your result measures this short practice set, not your overall French level.
Notice the same patterns in French stories or practice forms in the verb trainer.
Further explanation: French grammar reference.