Le patron ne trouve pas son micro. Apportez-le-lui !

Questions & Answers about Le patron ne trouve pas son micro. Apportez-le-lui !

Why is the order le-lui in Apportez-le-lui?
In affirmative commands (telling someone to do something), pronouns attach to the end of the verb with hyphens. The direct object (le, la, les) always comes before the indirect object (moi, lui, nous, etc.). So le (it) comes before lui (to him).
What do le and lui replace in this sentence?
le means 'it' and replaces son micro (masculine singular). lui means 'to him' and replaces le patron. We use an indirect object pronoun for the boss because the French verb structure is apporter quelque chose à quelqu'un (to bring something to someone).
Why are there two hyphens in Apportez-le-lui?
In affirmative commands, you must use a hyphen to attach every pronoun that follows the verb. Because you have two pronouns here (le and lui), you need two hyphens to string the verb and both pronouns together.
How would the pronouns work if this were a negative command ('Do not bring it to him!')?
In negative commands, the pronouns move back in front of the verb and lose their hyphens. The order for two third-person pronouns stays the same, so it becomes Ne le lui apportez pas !

Learn Le patron ne trouve pas son micro. Apportez-le-lui and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Practice with interactive exercises
  • Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • Learn at your own pace — completely free