Français — the pronoun 'on'
'On' is one of the most common French pronouns. Depending on context it means 'we' (in everyday speech), 'people in general', or 'someone'. Whatever it means, it always takes a 3rd-person singular verb: On mange.
How it works
'On' always behaves grammatically like il/elle: 3rd-person singular. In informal French it usually replaces nous (On va au cinéma = 'We're going to the cinema'), but it can also be impersonal (En France, on dîne tard = 'In France people eat dinner late') or mean an unknown person (On a sonné = 'Someone rang').
Examples
| Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| we (colloquial = nous) | On va au cinéma. | We're going to the cinema. |
| people in general | En France, on dîne tard. | In France, people eat dinner late. |
| someone (unknown) | On a sonné à la porte. | Someone rang the doorbell. |
| singular verb (always) | On est prêt à partir. | verb est (like il/elle), not sommes |
| plural agreement (on = we) | On est arrivés hier soir. | participle plural (arrivés) when on = we |
| feminine agreement | Nous, les filles, on est contentes. | adjective feminine plural (contentes) for a female 'we' |
Good to know
Watch the two-speed agreement: the verb stays singular (On est), but adjectives and past participles agree with the real people 'on' stands for. So a group of women says On est contentes et on est parties — singular verb, plural feminine adjective and participle. Avoid using 'on' and 'nous' in the same clause; pick one register.