Using the Subject Pronoun il

In French, il is the subject pronoun used for "he" or "it" when referring to a masculine noun or a general situation (like the weather). When describing what a person (he) or a masculine object does, or when talking impersonally (as in "It is raining"), use il at the start of the sentence.

Examples:

• Il est médecin. (He is a doctor.)
• Il est grand. (He is tall.)
• Il fait froid. (It is cold.)

Conjugating Verbs with il

Verbs change form (are conjugated) depending on the subject. Here are some verbs frequently used with il and their conjugations in the present tense:

Aller

Avoir

Devoir

Dire

Faire

Pouvoir

Savoir

Venir

Using il with Verbs in Sentences

When using il with these verbs, simply place the pronoun before the verb. Here are some examples:

• Il va à l'école. (He goes to school.)
• Il a un livre. (He has a book.)
• Il doit partir. (He must leave.)
• Il dit la vérité. (He says the truth.)
• Il fait ses devoirs. (He does his homework.)
• Il peut venir. (He can come.)
• Il sait nager. (He knows how to swim.)
• Il vient demain. (He is coming tomorrow.)

Using il is essential for talking about men, masculine nouns, or using impersonal constructions in French.