John W

John W.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

John W

Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Please repost your question here. -- Chris.
John W.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
I find it confusing that Jean et moi can be translated as 'Jean and I' as well as 'Jean and me' (I thought the latter was incorrect English)
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi John,

Indeed, "John and me" is incorrect English, even though frequently heard in colloquial English. However, there does exist in English a kind of parallel to the French stress pronouns. Here is what I mean:

"Hey, you!" - "Who, me?" -- In this case "who, I" would be unnatural. In this case "I" is replaced by "me" which functions as a kind of stress pronoun for "I". This works for other persons as well:

I -- me
you -- you
he/she/it -- him/her/it
we -- us
you -- you
they -- them

It's curious, but in English the use of the stress pronouns also seems to depend on the position within the sentence:

"My brother and I are going out." -- correct.
"My brother and me are going out." -- incorrect.
"Me and my brother are going out." -- correct.
"I and my brother are going out." -- incorrect (or at least awkward).

So your question has more to do with English than with French.

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Marnie C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Chris, you would NEVER say "Me and my brother are going out".  That is incorrect.  The only way to say this is "My brother and I are going out".  "I and my brother are going out" IS awkward but it's not incorrect.

J. M.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
This just isn't true! See John McWhorter and a host of other linguists on this.
Marnie C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

He's American. Any English linguists in that host?   

My brother and I are subject pronoun(s), so when they are the subject, use I. My brother and me are object promoun(s). Use when they are the object.

 "My brother and I walked down the street." Or "My brother and me walked down the street." ? Knockout "my brother" and see how it sounds. "I walked down the street." Or "Me walked down the street." 

M. M.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

This is true in American English, as well. "Me" is an object pronoun, not a subject pronoun. "My brother and me" used as a subject is always incorrect, even if people commonly say it either by choice or by ignorance of the rule. 

Marnie C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you Melisa.  I sometimes hear "me and him went to the  movie..."  Again, object pronouns, not subject!

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...