French word

leur

Pronunciation

IPA/lœʁ/

Meaning

  • pronounthem

Example

Je leur ai donné un cadeau.

I gave them a gift.

Illustration for leur (them)

More examples

Je leur parle souvent.

I often speak to them.

Core concept

A single unstressed form links an action to them or marks a noun as belonging to them; its grammatical slot supplies the meaning.

Common phrases

  • leur parler

    speak to them

  • leur téléphoner

    call them

  • leur dire

    tell them

Similar words

lui: Refers to one person as the indirect object of an action.
les: Refers to several people or things as the direct object of an action.
eux: Refers independently to several people, especially after a preposition or at sentence end.

Definition in French

Signifie « à eux/à elles » ou indique la possession à la troisième personne du pluriel lorsqu'il est placé devant un nom ; son sens se déduit de sa position et du contexte.

Word origin

The modern form continues Old French leur and lor, derived from Latin illorum, and retains two related uses as an indirect pronoun and a possessive determiner.

Usage tips

  • Possessive leur stays leur with a singular noun and takes leurs with a plural noun, regardless of whether the owners are male or female.

Other meanings

  • theiradjective

Word lists with this word