elle lui a

she … him/her

→ elle
phrase Common #3,527
she … him/her This is the beginning of a past-tense sentence. Lui means “to him” or “to her,” though English verbs often take a direct object instead.
FR: Elle lui a envoyé un message.
EN: She sent him a message.

Elle lui a expliqué comment résoudre l'énigme.

She explained to him how to solve the riddle.

Elle lui a enseigné à jouer du piano.

She taught him to play the piano.

Elle lui a tricoté un chandail.

She knitted him a sweater.

Elle lui a acheté un chandail.

She bought him a sweater.

Elle lui a tendu l'argent qu'elle lui devait.

She handed him the money she owed him.

Elle lui a posé des questions, mais il a refusé de répondre.

She asked him questions, but he refused to answer.

Ouais, elle est tombée et elle lui a écrasé le bras.

Yeah, she fell and crushed his arm.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Elle lui a écrit pour lui dire à quel point il était formidable.

She wrote to him to tell him how great he was.

Elle lui a répliqué.

She replied to him.

Elle lui a écrit une longue lettre mais ne l'a pas postée.

She wrote him a long letter but didn't mail it.

Elle lui a acheté des sucreries.

She bought him some sweets.

Elle lui a recommandé de ne pas claquer tout son argent pour sa petite copine.

She advised him not to spend all his money on his girlfriend.

Elle lui a emprunté le livre.

She borrowed the book from him.

Elle lui a mis la tête au carré.

She squared his head.

Elle lui a flanqué un coup de pied dans le genou.

She kicked him in the knee.

— Hothead (1979)

Elle lui a recommandé de ne pas emprunter d'argent à ses amis.

She advised him not to borrow money from his friends.

Elle lui a envoyé un message.

She sent him a message.

Elle lui a offert sa gorge.

She offered him her throat.

— Night Watch (2004)

Elle lui a écrit une longue lettre mais il ne l'a pas lue.

She wrote him a long letter, but he didn’t read it.

Elle lui a pardonné.

She forgave him.

Et elle lui a répondu ?

And did she answer him?

— Mystic River (2003)

Elle lui a envoyé un grand sourire.

She gave him a big smile.

Elle lui a posé quelques questions.

She asked him a few questions.

Elle lui a tout dit au sujet de son enfance.

She told him everything about her childhood.

Elle lui a présenté ses excuses pour son retard.

She apologized to him for being late.

Elle lui a remis le dossier.

She handed him the file.

Elle lui a montré ma photo.

She showed him my picture.

Elle lui a escroqué toutes ses économies.

She swindled him out of all his savings.

Elle lui a acheté un chandail mais il en déteste la couleur.

She bought him a sweater but he hates the color.

Elle lui a fait un doigt d'honneur.

She flipped him off.

Elle lui a expliqué pourquoi elle ne pourrait lui rendre visite.

She explained to him why she wouldn’t be able to visit him.

Elle lui a pardonné d'avoir tué son père.

She forgave him for killing her father.

Elle lui a beaucoup manqué.

He missed her a lot.

Elle lui a acheté un gilet.

She bought him a cardigan.

Elle lui a recommandé de dire à sa copine qu'il l'aimait.

She recommended that he tell his girlfriend that he loved her.

Elle lui a remis le trophée.

She gave him the trophy.

Elle lui a recommandé d'arrêter de fumer, mais il a refusé de l'écouter.

She recommended that he quit smoking, but he refused to listen to her.

Elle lui a emprunté le sujet de son livre.

She borrowed the subject of his book.

— Anatomie d'une chute (2023)

Elle lui a tricoté un chandail pour son anniversaire.

She knitted him a sweater for his birthday.

Elle lui a présenté sa sœur.

She introduced him to her sister.

Le pardon qu'elle lui a accordé l'a libéré d'un poids immense.

The forgiveness she granted him freed him from an immense burden.

Elle lui a mordu un doigt.

She bit one of his fingers.

— The Little Thief (1988)

Elle lui a envoyé une lettre.

She sent him a letter.

Elle lui a conseillé où il devrait séjourner.

She advised him where he should stay.

Elle lui a épluché une pomme.

She peeled an apple for him.

Elle lui a expliqué pourquoi elle n'aimait pas ses parents.

She explained to him why she didn't like his parents.

Elle lui a jeté un regard noir.

She glared at him.

Elle lui a tapé dans l’œil.

She caught his eye.

Elle lui a indiqué où poser la valise.

She showed him where to put the suitcase.

Elle lui a offert un chandail pour son anniversaire.

She gave him a sweater for his birthday.

Elle lui a écrit pour lui dire qu'elle l'aimait.

She wrote to him to tell him she loved him.

Elle lui a refusé son pardon malgré ses excuses.

She refused to forgive him despite his apologies.

Elle lui a dit de ne pas s'exciter.

She told him not to get worked up.

Elle lui a tout pardonné.

She forgave him everything.

Elle lui a confectionné un nouveau manteau.

She made him a new coat.

Elle lui a volé beaucoup d'argent.

She stole a lot of money from him.

Elle lui a touché l'épaule.

She touched his shoulder.

Elle lui a fait manger ses légumes.

She made him eat his vegetables.

Elle lui a pardonné d'avoir perdu tout son argent.

She forgave him for losing all his money.

Elle lui a posé quelques questions, mais il a refusé de répondre.

She asked him a few questions, but he refused to answer.

Elle lui a envoyé un texto.

She texted him.

Elle lui a raconté une blague, mais il ne l'a pas trouvée drôle.

She told him a joke, but he didn’t find it funny.

Elle lui a serré la main.

She shook his hand.

Elle lui a confectionné un nouveau costume.

She made him a new suit.

Elle lui a refilé le travail.

She gave him the job.

Elle lui a foutu sur la gueule.

She beat him up.

Elle lui a dérobé beaucoup d'argent, alors maintenant, elle est en prison.

She stole a lot of money from him, so now she's in prison.

À l'anniversaire de M. Yee, elle lui a souhaité d'attraper des mouches.

At Mr. Yee’s birthday party, she wished him good luck.

— Lust, Caution (2007)

Elle lui a cassé ses lunettes.

She broke his glasses.

— The Little Sister (2025)

Elle lui a volé beaucoup d'argent, donc maintenant, elle est en prison.

She stole a lot of money from him, so now she’s in prison.

Elle lui a parlé de l'affaire.

She talked to him about the matter.

Elle lui a souri avec gêne.

She smiled at him sheepishly.

Elle lui a acheté un cadeau de Noël.

She bought him a Christmas present.