Question 1

Why is lui placed before ai instead of before parlé?

Accepted Answer

In the passé composé, indirect object pronouns like lui must go right before the helping verb (avoir or être). They are not placed before the past participle (parlé). So it is always Je lui ai parlé.

Question 2

Could lui also mean 'to her' in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes! As an indirect object pronoun, lui means both 'to him' and 'to her'. You can only tell which one it is from the wider context of the conversation.

Question 3

If lui refers to a woman, do I add an 'e' to parlé?

Accepted Answer

No. In the passé composé, you never add agreement letters (like 'e' or 's') for indirect objects like lui or leur. The spelling of parlé stays exactly the same.

Question 4

Why use de for 'about' instead of another word like sur?

Accepted Answer

In French, the verb parler pairs directly with the preposition de to mean 'to talk about' or 'to speak of'. It is a fixed combination you just have to memorize.

Question 5

Why do we use ce for 'this' instead of cet or cette?

Accepted Answer

Because malentendu is a masculine noun that starts with a consonant. You would use cette for feminine nouns, and cet for masculine nouns that start with a vowel sound.

Je lui ai parlé de ce malentendu.

Breakdown of Je lui ai parlé de ce malentendu.

Questions & Answers about Je lui ai parlé de ce malentendu.

Learn Je lui ai parlé de ce malentendu and more in French