Marie lui envoie un message.

Marie sends him a message.

Breakdown of Marie lui envoie un message.

• Marie: Marie
• envoyer: to send
• le message: the message
• lui: him

Questions & Answers about Marie lui envoie un message.

What is the role of lui in the sentence Marie lui envoie un message?

Lui is the indirect object pronoun used to indicate the recipient of the message—meaning “to him” or “to her.” In a fuller sentence, it would replace a phrase like à Paul or à Marie.

Why is lui placed before the verb envoie instead of after it?

In French, object pronouns (both direct and indirect) are placed directly before the conjugated verb. Therefore, lui comes before envoie to signal that it is the indirect object of the verb.

Does lui indicate the gender of the recipient?

No, lui does not specify gender. It is used for both masculine and feminine singular indirect objects, so the exact gender must be inferred from context.

Why isn’t the preposition à visible in the sentence?

When an indirect object pronoun like lui is used, it inherently carries the meaning of à + noun (“to him” or “to her”). This is why the preposition à is omitted—its function is already embedded within the pronoun.

What is the function of un message in this sentence?

Un message serves as the direct object, which tells us what is being sent. Unlike the indirect object pronoun, the direct object follows the verb and does not require a preceding preposition.