Usage note : her

When used as a direct object pronoun, her is translated by la (l’ before a vowel). Note that the object pronoun normally comes before the verb in French and that, in compound tenses like perfect and past perfect, the past participle agrees with the pronoun :

I know her

= je la connais

I’ve already seen her

= je l’ai déjà vue

In imperatives, the direct object pronoun is translated by la and comes after the verb :

catch her!

= attrape-la!

(note the hyphen)

When used as an indirect object pronoun, her is translated by lui :

I’ve given her the book

= je lui ai donné le livre

I’ve given it to her

= je le lui ai donné

In imperatives, the indirect object pronoun is translated by lui and comes after the verb :

phone her

= téléphone-lui

give them to her

= donne-les-lui

(note the hyphens)

After prepositions and after the verb to be the translation is elle :

he did it for her

= il l’a fait pour elle

it’s her

= c’est elle

When translating her as a determiner (her house etc.) remember that in French possessive adjectives, like most other adjectives, agree in gender and number with the noun they qualify ; her is translated by son + masculine singular noun (son chien), sa + feminine singular noun (sa maison) BUT son + feminine noun beginning with a vowel or mute ‘h’ (son assiette), and ses + plural noun (ses enfants).

For her used with parts of the body ⇒ The human body.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.