Getting confused between “leur” and “leurs”? You’re not alone! But have no fear – this short guide will help you crack the code on these tricky French pronouns.
Think of “leur” and “leurs” like different keys…
“Leur” unlocks singular objects owned by multiple people.
“Leurs” unlocks multiple objects owned by multiple people.
Here’s an easy examples
“J’adore leur chien!” = I love their (one) dog.
“J’adore leurs pantalons!” = I love their pants! (belong to a group of people)
Remember
- Use “leur” for one thing owned by many owners.
- Use “leurs” for multiple things owned by many owners.
What about giving things to them?
Good catch! “Leur” also works for indirect objects referring to “them“, whether singular or plural. Like this: “Je leur ai donné un cadeau.” (I gave them a gift.)
Avoid Common Pitfalls
Some common mistakes and how to avoid them:
- Don’t use “leur” when referring to multiple items – use “leurs” instead.
- Check how many owners and things there are before choosing “leur“/”leurs“.
Exceptions
1. Transportation
when referring to vehicles or means of transportation owned by multiple people, you always use the plural possessive pronoun “leurs”, even if there is only one vehicle.
The rule goes:
- For a singular vehicle/means of transportation owned by multiple people, use “leurs”
- For multiple vehicles/means transportation owned by multiple people, also use “leurs”
So for example:
- Their car (owned by 2+ people): Leurs voiture
- Their bicycle (owned by 2 siblings): Leurs vélo
- Their motorcycles (owned by 4 friends): Leurs motos
The rationale in French is that a vehicle like a car or motorcycle, even if singular, can have multiple users (the multiple owners or their family members). So you always use the plural pronoun “leurs” in reference to transportation for joint ownership, regardless of quantity.
2. Collective Nouns
When referring to a collective noun representing a group of people acting as one, use “leur” even if there is only one entity of the noun. For example:
- L’équipe a marqué leur but. (The team scored their goal.)
- La famille organise leur réunion annuelle. (The family organizes their annual reunion.)
3. Abstractions
When referring to abstract concepts like time, money, or distance, use “leur” even if there is only one unit. For example:
- J’ai économisé leur argent pendant des mois. (I saved their money for months.)
- Il a gagné leur confiance facilement. (He gained their trust easily.)
- Nous avons perdu leur trace il y a une semaine. (We lost their trail a week ago.)
4. Time Expressions
When the “one thing” being possessed is a singular unit of time like “journée” (day), “semaine” (week), or “année” (year), use “leur” if the time span belongs to multiple people. For example:
- Ils profitent de leur journée libre ensemble. (They are enjoying their free day together.)
- J’ai hâte de célébrer notre nouvelle année. (I can’t wait to celebrate our new year.)
5. Some Idioms
Some idiomatic expressions use “leur” even if the literal meaning seems singular. For example:
- Je ferai de mon mieux pour leur faire plaisir.** (I will do my best to please them.)
Practice Makes Perfect!
Time to test your knowledge!
Hopefully this shed some light on these pesky pronouns for you! Let me know if you have any other French grammar mysteries you need help unraveling.
