French Verbs and Indirect Object Pronouns

In French, à plus a person can usually be replaced by an indirect object pronoun:

   J'ai donné le livre à mon frère - Je lui ai donné le livre
   I gave the book to my brother - I gave him the book

   Il parle à toi et à moi - Il nous parle
   He's talking to you and me - He's talking to us

However, a few French verbs and expressions do not allow a preceding indirect object pronoun. Instead, you have two choices:

1. Keep the preposition à after the verb, and follow it with a stressed pronoun (for people) or indefinite demonstrative pronoun (for things):

   Fais attention à ton prof - Fais attention à lui
   Pay attention to your teacher - Pay attention to him
   Wrong: xx Fais-lui attention xx

   Je pense à mes sœurs - Je pense à elles
   I'm thinking about my sisters - I'm thinking about them
   Wrong: xx Je leur pense xx

   Je songe à notre jour de mariage - Je songe à cela.
   I'm dreaming about our wedding day - I'm dreaming about it
   Wrong: xx Je lui songe xx


2. Replace the indirect object with y, which can always precede the verb. This is most common when the indirect object is a thing, but it can also be used for people:

   Fais attention à la leçon - Fais-y attention
   Pay attention to the lesson - Pay attention to it

   Pense à ton prof - Pense à lui, Penses-y
   Think about your teacher - Think about him


French verbs that don't allow a preceding indirect object pronoun

   en appeler à     to appeal to, address

   avoir affaire à     to have to deal with

   avoir recours à     to have recourse to

   croire à     to believe in

   être à     to belong to

   faire appel à     to appeal to, address

   faire allusion à     to allude to

   faire attention à     to pay attention to

   s'habituer à     to get used to

   penser à     to think of, about

   recourir à     to have recourse to

   renoncer à     to give up, renounce

   revenir à     to come back to

   rêver à     to dream of

   songer à     to think, dream of

   tenir à     to be fond of, care about

   venir à     to come to