Difference ON in French and meaning

What Does On Mean in French?

The French subject pronoun “On” is not very easy to explain because it translates in many different ways in English.

In today’s French “On” mostly means “we”, and if you have to remember one thing from this lesson, this is it: on means we, and it always takes a “il” verb form.

However, “on”could also mean “one” (it’s the traditional translation for the French “on”), and in the right context, it may also mean “people”, “they” even “I, you, he or she…”. It is often used in French where English would prefer the use of a passive construction.

The good news about “on” however is that you don’t have to use it. You can stick with “nous” 

However if you want to understand the French when they speak, you need to understand “on”.

So let’s take a closer look at “on”.

On means We

I know it’s unlikely that you learned this in school, because it is a relatively new thing.

And it is informal French, modern French, stuff that school and traditional French methods tend to ignore, or are reluctant to teach.

However nowadays, “on” is almost always used instead of “nous”. And you need to master “on” 

So, let me use “on” in some simple sentences, to describe my life.

1. Olivier et moi, on est mariés – Olivier and I, we’re married
2. On est français et on est aussi américains – we are French and we also are American.
3. On habite en Bretagne, en France – We live in Brittany, in France
4. On est à côté de la mer, c’est chouette – We are close to the sea, it’s cool
5. On fait du tennis, du jogging et de la natation – we practice tennis, jogging and swimming
6. On a une fille qui s’appelle Leyla – We have a daughter named Leyla
7. On écrit des livres audio qui enseignent le français moderne – 
8. On voit souvent notre famille – we often see our family
9. On voyage souvent : on a de la chance – we travel often: we are lucky
10. On a une vie simple et on est heureux – we have a simple life and we are happy