Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free

Looking up...

Explore

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • Community Collections
  • How to Say

Dictionaries

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German
  • Hindi
  • Italian

MY LEARNING

  • My Dictionary
  • My Collections List
  • Reviews

Resources

  • Learning Resources
  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

on

/ɔ̃/
pronoun★Beginner💡 one (indefinite pronoun)

“On dit que Paris est magnifique.”

They say Paris is magnificent.

formal

An indefinite pronoun used to refer to people in general or to oneself in a general sense.

On doit respecter les règles.

One must respect the rules.

On va au cinéma ce soir ?

Are we going to the cinema tonight?

💡

In informal speech, 'on' is often used instead of 'nous' (we).

informal

We (colloquial replacement for 'nous').

On y va !

Let's go!

💡

Common in spoken French but considered incorrect in formal writing.

Collocations

on dit quethey say thaton vawe're going

Synonyms

nousquelqu'unles gens

💡Pro Tip

Remember the conjugation

The verb following 'on' is always in the third person singular form, even though 'on' often means 'we'. For example: 'On va' (We go) uses the verb 'va' (he/she/it goes).

⚡Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In formal writing or speech, prefer 'nous' over 'on'. 'On' is primarily used in informal contexts.

📖Word Origin

From Old French 'om' (man, person), derived from Latin 'homo' (man, human being). The 'n' in 'on' is a result of liaison in pronunciation.

📝Usage Notes

'On' is always followed by a verb conjugated in the third person singular. It is one of the most frequently used pronouns in spoken French.

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.