VocabLibre

ils

Basic

pron

Editor's Note: "ils" is a fundamental French word (pron) that every beginner should master early. It ranks among the most frequently used words in French corpora.
Fr\u00e9quence du motCourant

Définition

Pronom personnel sujet masculin (ou mixte) de la 3e personne du pluriel.

Did You Know?

The French word "ils" has fascinating roots: Inherited from Vulgar Latin illī, which sounded il in Old French, to which a plural -s was added. While il was the nominative form from late Latin, el.... Exploring etymology is one of the best ways to remember French vocabulary.

Exemples

1.

« The word ils originates from Inherited from Vulgar Latin il... »

2.

« Understanding the ils requires knowledge of its etymology. »

3.

« Ils is used in various contexts today. »

Étymologie

Inherited from Vulgar Latin illī, which sounded il in Old French, to which a plural -s was added. While il was the nominative form from late Latin, els, eus was the oblique form ("them") that had evolved from late Latin illōs, and is the ancestor of modern French eux. In Old French, "they", being a nominative, was il from late Latin *illi, thus it didn't have the final -s, thus it was il used both for "he" and "they". The -s was added at the end of the 13th century in some regions, at the time t

Synonymes et Antonymes

Conseils d'Usage

masculine, plural, third-person

Mots Associés

Questions Fréquentes

Que signifie « ils » ?
Pronom personnel sujet masculin (ou mixte) de la 3e personne du pluriel.
Quelle est la nature grammaticale de « ils » ?
« ils » peut être utilisé comme : pron.
Comment utiliser « ils » dans une phrase ?
The word ils originates from Inherited from Vulgar Latin il... Aussi : Understanding the ils requires knowledge of its etymology.
Quelle est l'origine de « ils » ?
Inherited from Vulgar Latin illī, which sounded il in Old French, to which a plural -s was added. While il was the nominative form from late Latin, els, eus was the oblique form ("them") that had evolved from late Latin illōs, and is the ancestor of modern French eux. In Old French, "they", being a nominative, was il from late Latin *illi, thus it didn't have the final -s, thus it was il used both for "he" and "they". The -s was added at the end of the 13th century in some regions, at the time t
Quels sont les synonymes de « ils » ?
Synonymes courants : similar, comparable, related. Antonymes : opposite, contrary, inverse.

Comparer « ils »

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Ressources Associées

Data verified March 2026 · Source: Wiktionnaire, CNRTL & Corpus Frantext

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Équipe Lexicographique VocabLibre

Nos définitions sont compilées à partir de bases lexicographiques fiables, vérifiées par analyse linguistique computationnelle et mises à jour mensuellement.

Sources : Bases Lexicographiques Françaises · Données du Corpus Linguistique · Archives Étymologiques

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