Breakdown of Nous songeons à lui pour le projet.
nous
we / us (object pronoun)
pour
for
lui
him / to him / to her (indirect object)
le projet
the project
songer à
to think of
Questions & Answers about Nous songeons à lui pour le projet.
Why do we say songeons à lui instead of putting the pronoun before the verb, like nous lui songeons?
Normally, for verbs followed by à, you place the indirect object pronoun before the verb (like nous lui parlons). However, a special group of verbs—including songer à (to think about / consider)—doesn't allow this when referring to a person. Instead, you must keep the preposition à after the verb and follow it with a stressed pronoun, which is why it becomes songer à lui.
Since lui before a verb can mean "to him" or "to her," does à lui here also cover both genders?
No, it strictly means "him" in this context. When lui is an indirect object pronoun placed before a verb, it can indeed mean either "him" or "her." But after a preposition like à, it functions as a stressed pronoun, and the stressed pronoun lui is exclusively masculine. To say "We are considering her," you must use the feminine stressed pronoun: Nous songeons à elle.
What if we were considering it (like a new strategy) instead of a person? Do we still use a stressed pronoun?
No. The rule of keeping à and adding a stressed pronoun applies specifically to people. If you are thinking about or considering a thing, a place, or an idea, you replace the entire à + [thing] structure with the pronoun y placed directly before the verb. So, "We are considering it" translates to Nous y songeons.
Could I use penser instead of songer for this sentence?
Yes, penser à and songer à are often interchangeable, though songer can sometimes imply a more prolonged, careful consideration or daydreaming. Conveniently, penser à follows the exact same grammar rule for human objects. Therefore, Nous pensons à lui is also perfectly correct and carries essentially the same meaning.
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