A2 · The passive
on instead of the passive
One word for «one», «you», «they», the passive — and «we».
At a glance
- Remember
- «one», «you», «they», «it is said» and «we» are all on.
- Form
- on parle françaisFrench is spoken here
- Signal words
- on
- on dit
- on peut
- l’on
- Trap
- Wrong:On sont prêts à partir.Right:On est prêts à partir.
Your turn
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The form
The forms and what they mean
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in French.
negation
| French is spoken here | on parle français |
| they close at six | on ferme à six heures |
| I was told that… | on m’a dit que… |
| let’s go | on y va |
| no smoking here | on ne fume pas ici |
| we are ready | on est prêts |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
on takes the third person singular.
On ouvre à neuf heures.They open at nine.
An English passive with no agent usually becomes on.
On a volé mon vélo.My bike was stolen.
In conversation on replaces nous.
On part demain matin.We are leaving tomorrow morning.
After si, et, où and que, careful writing often has l’on, to keep two vowels apart.
Si l’on veut, on peut.If you want to, you can.
Example sentences
Ici on parle allemand et français.German and French are spoken here.
On m’a demandé de venir plus tôt.I was asked to come earlier.
On ne sait jamais.You never know.
On se retrouve devant la gare ?Shall we meet in front of the station?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
on is grammatically singular whatever it means. On sont does not exist, even when it stands for «we» and even when several people are speaking. The agreement may show up in an adjective or a participle — on est parties, if two women are talking — but never in the verb itself.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
on is a subject with no person behind it, and it takes the third person singular: on parle, on dit, on ferme à six heures.
English spreads that job over four different words, and picks between them by register. «One does not do that» is formal to the point of stiffness; «you don't do that» is the ordinary spoken form; «they say it will rain» is vague and slightly gossipy; and «it is said that» is the written passive. All four are on: on ne fait pas ça, on dit qu'il va pleuvoir.
Then it does a fifth job English has no equivalent for at all: in conversation it replaces nous. On y vais «let's go»on part demainis «we're leaving tomorrow» It is not casual or sloppy — it is what people say.
Where English uses a passive with no «by», French almost always uses on: «no smoking here» is ici on ne fume pas, «my bike was stolen» is on a volé mon vélo. After on the verb stays singular even when several people are meant, though an adjective may go plural: on est prêts.
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The verbs on this page, in every form: avoir · pouvoir · venir · ouvrir · parler · vouloir · demander · savoir