Why Is “On” Used Instead of “Nous” in Spoken French?

Learners of French are usually taught that “nous” means “we.”
In spoken French, however, native speakers very often use “on” instead.

This usage is standard in modern French and essential to understand for anyone who wants to speak naturally.

Original Meaning of “On”

Historically, “on” is an indefinite subject pronoun meaning “one” or “people in general.”

Example:
On dit que ce restaurant est très bon.
(People say this restaurant is very good.)

In contemporary spoken French, “on” is also used to mean “we.”
This meaning is extremely common and fully accepted.

When Is “On” Used?

“On” is used mainly in spoken French:

• in everyday conversation
• in professional but informal contexts
• in spontaneous speech

“Nous” is still used:

• in written French
• in formal or academic contexts
• in official communication

In conversation, “nous” often sounds formal or unnatural, even though it is grammatically correct.

How Is “On” Conjugated?

Even when “on” means “we,” it is always conjugated using the third-person singular, like il / elle.

Examples of verb forms:

These sentence pairs have the same meaning.
The difference is usage, not meaning.

On va

• On va au bureau à huit heures.
• Nous allons au bureau à huit heures.

On est

• On est prêts pour la réunion.
• Nous sommes prêts pour la réunion.

On fait

• On fait une pause après le déjeuner.
• Nous faisons une pause après le déjeuner.

On prend

• On prend le train à dix-neuf heures.
• Nous prenons le train à dix-neuf heures.

Agreement with “On”

The verb is always singular.
Adjectives and past participles often agree with the real group being referred to.

Examples:

• On est fatigués. (mixed group or men)
• On est fatiguées. (group of women)

This is common and natural in spoken French.

Summary

In spoken French:

• “on” is commonly used to mean “we”
• it replaces “nous” in conversation
• it is conjugated like il / elle
• “nous” is mainly used in formal or written contexts

Understanding and using “on” correctly is a key step toward natural, accurate spoken French.

Quiz

Now let’s practice using “on” instead of “nous” with the following quiz.

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