How to Say "We" in French - How To Say Guide

nous

/nu/formal

The English word 'we' can be translated into French as nous or on.

Meaning: generic we (the speaker and at least one other person, regardless of whether it's the person being addressed) (pron)

Ways to say it

“we” in French
French	IPA	Note
nous	/nu/ /nu.z‿/	formal
on	/ɔ̃/ /ɔ̃.n‿/	informal

Both forms refer to the speaker and at least one other person. While nous is the standard way to express 'we', the form on is extremely common in spoken French. Note that on also functions as a generic 'one' or 'people' to describe general statements, such as 'People say that…' (On dit que…).

Which one should you use?

The form nous is the standard way to say 'we'. The form on is used most frequently in informal speech. There is also an emphatic form, nous autres, which is used to emphasize inclusion or to create a contrast with others.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

nous is the most commonly used formal way to say 'we'. In contrast, on is the most common way to say 'we' in informal situations.

How does it change in a sentence?

When using nous, the verb must be conjugated in the first-person plural. When using the informal on to mean 'we', the verb must be conjugated in the third-person singular, just like il or elle.

How do you pronounce it?

/nu/

What mistakes should you avoid?

When using on to mean 'we', do not mistakenly conjugate the verb in the plural. You must use the singular form instead of the plural form.

Did you know?

In several regional dialects, speakers historically used je ('I') instead of nous ('we'), such as saying j'allons instead of nous allons.
Historically, using je to mean 'we' was often mocked by writers like Molière because it was perceived as a characteristic of peasant speech.

Examples in context

On y va ?
Shall we go?
This sentence shows how to use on to suggest a group action.
Tatoeba #10665563 by AutoBot, translation #241078 by Dejo
On s'y met ?
Shall we begin?
This sentence shows how to use on to suggest starting an activity.
Tatoeba #7157624 by Micsmithel, translation #54181 by CM
On a fait ça.
We did that.
This sentence shows how to use on to state a completed action.
Tatoeba #5350934 by Aiji, translation #2241070 by CK
Nous devons prendre une décision importante.
We have to make an important decision.
Nous autres, nous ne pensons pas ainsi.
We, on the other hand, don't think that way.
On va au cinéma ce soir ?
Are we going to the cinema tonight?
Nous devrions faire une fête chez nous.
We should throw a party at our place.
On est tous dans le même bateau.
We are all in the same boat.
16367 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Nathan and Manon are discussing a project at work.

Nathan

Nous devons finir ce rapport aujourd'hui.
We must finish this report today.
Manon

Je suis d'accord, c'est urgent.
I agree, it is urgent.
Nathan

Nous pouvons travailler ensemble cet après-midi.
We can work together this afternoon.
Manon

C'est une excellente idée, Nathan.
That is an excellent idea, Nathan.

Sources

Wiktionary, “we” translations and entries nous, on, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries nous, on, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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How to Say “We” in French