ils
/il/masculine
In French, the English phrase "they" is translated using different pronouns depending on the gender of the group. The default form is ils. Wiktionary also lists eux-autres and elles.
Meaning: third-person plural pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ils | /il/ /il.z‿/ |
masculine |
| eux-autres | /ø.z‿otʁ/ (Canada) /ø.z‿ot/ |
|
| elles | /ɛl/ /ɛl.z‿/ |
feminine |
| iels | /jɛl/ /i.ɛl/ |
neologism, neuter, plural |
ils is used for masculine or mixed-gender groups, while elles is used exclusively for groups of only females.
Which one should you use?
The choice of pronoun depends on the composition of the group: use ils if the group is entirely male or contains at least one male. Use elles only if the group being referred to is entirely female. The form iels is a gender-neutral or non-binary option used to avoid gendered language.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the feminine form elles, any adjectives or past participles in the sentence must agree in gender with it. The form iels is a neologism used as a neuter plural pronoun.
How do you pronounce it?
/il/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Ils sont là ?Are they here?This sentence is useful for asking if the masculine or mixed group is present using ils.Tatoeba #5240676 by Iriep, translation #2244919 by CK
- Ils le sont ?They are?This sentence is useful for confirming the state of the masculine or mixed group using ils.Tatoeba #9020374 by Micsmithel, translation #1102965 by jamessilver
- Ils ont tort !They are wrong.This sentence is useful for stating that the masculine or mixed group is wrong using ils.Tatoeba #3271949 by Micsmithel, translation #3320578 by CC
- Les étudiants sont arrivés. Ils ont apporté leurs livres.The students have arrived. They brought their books.
- Mes amis sont venus. Ils sont très amusants.My friends came. They are very funny.
- Mes sœurs sont allées au cinéma. Elles ont regardé un film.My sisters went to the cinema. They watched a movie.
- 10022 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are watching their neighbors from the balcony.
- LucasIls partent en vacances ?Are they leaving on vacation?
- ChloéOui, ils partent demain.Yes, they are leaving tomorrow.
- LucasIls sont très pressés.They are in a big hurry.
- ChloéC'est vrai, ils ont beaucoup de valises.That's true, they have a lot of suitcases.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “they” translations and entries ils, eux-autres, elles, iels, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elles, iels, ils, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
