French · Greetings & Essentials
"I" in French: je
je
Note: stressed: moi
I in French is je before a conjugated verb: je parle, je vais. Before a vowel sound it becomes j': j'arrive, j'habite. The stressed form is moi.
Self-intro
Je m'appelle Noah.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce je
Say it
zhuh
/ʒə/
zhuh. Soft zh as in measure; schwa uh. Before vowels, j' attaches: j'ai sounds like zhay.
"I" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| je | I Subject pronoun. | Subject pronoun. |
| j' | I (before vowel) Elision: j'aime. | Elision: j'aime. |
| moi | me / I (stressed) Moi, je… ; c'est moi. | Moi, je… ; c'est moi. |
| je suis | I am With être. | With être. |
How to use je in real life
- 1Self-intro
Je m'appelle Noah.
My name is Noah.
Je + verb.
- 2Plans
Je passe te voir après le cours.
I'll come see you after class.
Je passe.
- 3Preference
Je préfère le thé au café.
I prefer tea to coffee.
Je préfère.
Mistakes English speakers make with je
Incorrect: Moi vais au marché.
Correct: Je vais au marché. / Moi, je vais au marché.
Subject before the verb is je; moi is stressed.
Incorrect: Je arriver demain.
Correct: J'arrive demain.
Elide before a vowel: j'arrive.
Good to know
French often adds Moi, je… for emphasis or contrast. Learners overuse moi as a subject — keep je for the verb.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding who cooks
ChatPal
Qui fait les courses ?
Who's doing the shopping?
You
Je m'en occupe.
I'll take care of it.
ChatPal
Et qui cuisine ?
And who cooks?
You
Je cuisine si tu ranges.
I'll cook if you tidy up.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"I" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "I" in French
How do you say I in French?
Je (j' before a vowel).
When do I use moi?
For stress or after prepositions: avec moi; moi, je…
Why j'aime not je aime?
Elision before a vowel sound.
How do you pronounce je?
zhuh.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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