Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| je | /ʒə/ /ʒ/ (informal) |
| moi | /mwa/ /mwe/ |
For example, je souhaite means "I wish" or "I want" when you are expressing wishes in a formal context.
Which one should you use?
je is the subject pronoun used specifically before a conjugated verb. In contrast, moi is a stressed pronoun used for emphasis or after prepositions. While je translates to "I", moi can translate to "me" or "I" in certain emphatic constructions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of France, particularly the north, the informal contraction ch'ui is used instead of je suis.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form je becomes j' when the following word begins with a vowel or a silent 'h'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using je when the pronoun is used alone or for emphasis. For example, if you want to say "Me!", use moi instead of je.
When do people say it?
When responding to a positive statement to mean "me too", use moi aussi instead of je aussi. When responding to a negative statement to mean "me neither", use moi non plus.
Did you know?
- The Latin ancestor of je was eo, which eventually shifted into the Old French je over centuries of phonetic evolution.
- The stressed pronoun moi is actually a 'tonic' form, meaning it is designed to carry the rhythmic weight of a sentence in a way that je cannot.
- The use of j' before a vowel is not just a spelling choice but a requirement to avoid a 'hiatus', which is a gap between two vowel sounds.
Examples in context
- Moi non plus !Neither am I!This sentence shows how to use moi to mean "me neither".Tatoeba #1156781 by sacredceltic, translation #1349966 by sacredceltic
- Je suis né là.I was born there.This sentence demonstrates the use of je to state where you were born.Tatoeba #1246591 by sacredceltic, translation #1211854 by CM
- Je vis à Tokyo.I live in Tokyo.This sentence shows how to use je to state where you live.Tatoeba #14429 by Aiji, translation #279745 by CK
- Je suis professeurI am a teacher
- Je m'appelle MarieMy name is Marie
- Je souhaite réserver une tableI would like to book a table
- J'ai faimI'm hungry
- Moi, je préfère le chocolatAs for me, I prefer chocolate
- On va au cinéma?Shall we go to the cinema?
- Ch'ui fatiguéI am tired
- 14195 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- ChloéJe veux manger une pizza.I want to eat a pizza.
- NathanEt moi, je préfère les pâtes.And me, I prefer pasta.
- ChloéEst-ce que je peux commander pour nous deux ?Can I order for both of us?
- NathanOui, je te laisse choisir.Yes, I'll let you choose.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries je, moi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, moi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
