Updated 3 October 2026

Phrasebook

Pour in French: say who it is for and what it is for

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated 3 October 2026 · About the library

Practise pour for a recipient, an intended use and a goal in short exchanges. Includes picture cards, stressed pronouns and four questions.

A2
12 phrases
3 situations
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In short

Use pour plus a person for the recipient, plus a noun for an intended use, or plus an infinitive for a goal: pour Nora, pour les clés, pour économiser l’eau. After pour, use stressed pronouns such as moi, toi and eux.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

An elegant simple still life of a small gift wrapped in plain terracotta paper with a green ribbon and a bouquet of flowers, on a French apartment table. — The flowers are pour Nora. Illustration: Atelier

A present: who is it for?

Pour + person names the recipient. A name follows directly; a pronoun takes its stressed form.

Your friendCes fleurs sont pour qui ?Who are these flowers for?

YouElles sont pour Nora.They are for Nora.

Your friendEt ce petit cadeau ?And this little present?

YouC’est pour toi.It’s for you.

A box: what is it for?

Pour + noun can describe the use you have in mind. The box can still be empty.

Your friendTu gardes cette petite boîte ?Are you keeping this little box?

YouOui, c’est une boîte pour les clés.Yes, it’s a box for the keys.

Your friendEt le grand sac ?And the big bag?

YouC’est pour les courses.It’s for the shopping.

A reusable bottle: why take it?

Pour + infinitive gives a goal. In these sentences, the speaker performs both actions.

Your friendPourquoi tu prends cette gourde ?Why are you taking that reusable bottle?

YouJe la prends pour éviter les bouteilles en plastique.I’m taking it to avoid plastic bottles.

Your friendEt pourquoi tu fermes le robinet ?And why are you turning off the tap?

YouJe le ferme pour économiser l’eau.I’m turning it off to save water.

Give each object a recipient or purpose

Which pronouns follow pour?

Stressed pronouns

English	French
for me	pour moi
for you (tu)	pour toi
for him / her	pour lui / pour elle
for us	pour nous
for you (vous)	pour vous
for them	pour eux / pour elles

When do you use pour + infinitive?

Je prends le train pour arriver avant midi.

I’m taking the train to arrive before noon.

The arrival before noon is the traveller’s goal.

Le train a du retard. J’arriverai à midi et demi.

The train is delayed. I’ll arrive at half past twelve.

A plan can have a different result. Pour arriver still correctly explains the intended goal.

With the same person doing both actions, use the infinitive: Je téléphone pour confirmer ma réservation. A different subject can use pour que plus a clause: Je t’appelle pour que tu confirmes ta réservation. In the second version, you do the confirming.

What else does pour mean in French?

A planned duration and a price

French	English
Je pars pour trois jours.	I’m going away for three days.
J’ai acheté ce livre pour cinq euros.	I bought this book for five euros.

The French verb also matters. “Wait for Nora” is attendre Nora: J’attends Nora devant la gare. “Look for my keys” is chercher mes clés: Je cherche mes clés. Use pour when it adds the recipient, use or goal that you mean.