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A preposition is a phrase or phrase that describes the connection between two nouns. They’re quite common and crucial for efficient communication in any language, together with French. Understanding how you can use prepositions is crucial in studying a brand new language if you wish to focus on the place issues are, how they’re transferring, when occasions are occurring, and extra! 

You’ll discover that French has its personal nuances in relation to prepositions. Contemplate how native New Yorkers are identified to say they’re ready “on line” slightly than “in line.” In French, you’ll wish to watch out of your preposition selection—in lots of circumstances, you received’t be capable of depend on direct translations from English! 

Beneath, we’ll take an in depth have a look at these variations, perceive preposition operate and placement in sentences, and learn the way prepositions can be utilized to raise your conversations. If you wish to grasp French prepositions quicker with out the entire memorization, Rosetta Stone may help!

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Why are prepositions so necessary?

Prepositions are very generally used to specific quite a lot of issues, together with location. Let’s look once more on the instance from above:

• The guide is on the shelf. = Le livre est sur l’étagère.

The preposition “on” dictates your complete that means of the sentence. If I exchange “on” with a special preposition, the entire sentence modifications:

• The guide is underneath the shelf. = Le livre est sous l’étagère.
• The guide is removed from the shelf. = Le livre est loin des étagères.
• The guide is close to the shelf. = Le livre est près de l’étagère.
• The guide is subsequent to the shelf. = Le livre est à côté de l’étagère.

The prepositional phrase or phrase fully modifications the that means. Understanding the completely different prepositions is a basic a part of efficient communication in French.

What capabilities do prepositions serve in French?

Prepositions in French serve a number of capabilities that assist us talk relationships and ideas. Listed below are some helpful and customary capabilities of prepositions in French:

1. Origin and Vacation spot

Frequent prepositions of origin and vacation spot embody à (at/to), de (of/from), and vers (towards).

• Nous allons à la boulangerie. = We’re going to the bakery.

2. Motion

Some widespread prepositions of motion are par (by, by), à travers (throughout/by) and entre (between).

• Le practice passe par la gare. = The practice goes by the station.

3. Geographical Location

Prepositions like chez (on the home of/place of), près de (close to/close to to), and en (in) are generally used to explain locations and places in French.

• Le parc est près de la maison. = The park is close to the home.

4. Time

Prepositions of time in French embody pendant (throughout), jusqu’à (till), and depuis (since).

• J’habite en France depuis 2015. = I’ve lived in France since 2015.

5. Bodily Location

Prepositions like dans (inside/in), sur (on/on prime of), and sous (underneath) are used to explain bodily relationships between two nouns.

• Le verre est sur la desk. = The glass is on the desk.

6. Relationships

Prepositions like avec (with), sans (with out) and contre (towards) signify extra summary relationships between two nouns.

• Je dîne avec ma famille. = I’m having dinner with my household.

How do French prepositions differ from English prepositions?

French prepositions have a number of key variations from English prepositions.

First, French has fewer prepositions total than English. It is because many French prepositions have a number of meanings and translations. Context is necessary in deciphering the English translation. For instance, the preposition à can imply “in”, “at”, or “to”, relying on the context.

• J’habite à Paris. = I dwell in Paris.
• Je vais à Paris. = I’m going to Paris.
• Je suis à la banque. = I’m at the financial institution.

Second, French prepositions are far more literal than English prepositions. For instance, in French, you’ll by no means say you might be “on” (sur) the bus, as this could drive somebody to image you on prime of the bus. As an alternative, you say you might be “inside” (dans) the bus, as that is extra literal.

Third, when speaking about modes of transport, you’ll use both à or en to explain how you might be touring. Use à when speaking about particular person, out of doors modes of transportation like strolling, swimming or biking. Use en when speaking about automobiles, planes, trains and different automobiles you enter into. 

Subsequent is the French preposition chez. There isn’t any precise English equal, but it surely finest interprets to “on the home of” or “on the place of”, normally adopted by an individual. You should use chez to explain whose home or administrative center you might be visiting. It is usually generally utilized in restaurant names to explain the proprietor or chef.

• Nous allons chez nos dad and mom. = We’re going to our dad and mom’ home.
• Je vais chez le dentiste. = I’m going to the dentist(‘s place).

As well as, speaking about going “to” or being “in” particular cities, international locations, areas, and so on. differs in French. Nation and area names are masculine or female, which modifications the way you speak about them. Some international locations are additionally plural, akin to the USA. For instance:

• Je vais au Sénégal. = I’m going to Senegal (masculine).
• Je vais aux États-Unis. = I’m going to the United States (plural).
• Je vais en France = I’m going to France (female).

When speaking about cities or islands, you merely use the preposition à to say “in” or “to”.

• Elle est à Paris. = She is in Paris.
• Elle va à Tahiti. = She goes to Tahiti.

Lastly, when utilizing prepositions in French, you will need to notice that you simply can not finish a sentence with a preposition. It is not uncommon in English to finish a sentence with “to”, “about” or “from,” however this isn’t the case in French. Whereas many prepositions in French finish in de, they must be adopted by a noun or pronoun. 

Full listing of French prepositions

To assist familiarize you with French prepositions, beneath is a listing of 42 widespread French prepositions, alphabetized in French with their English translations. 

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Frequent French prepositions by operate

Now that you simply’re accustomed to the above widespread French prepositions, we are going to have a look at how you can use them based mostly on their operate. This may enable you grasp when to make use of French prepositions based mostly on the context.

Beneath are 42 widespread French prepositions organized by operate:

Origin and Vacation spot

Many prepositions in French are used to debate the origin and vacation spot of nouns.

• Le bus va de Lyon à Paris = The bus goes from Lyon to Paris.

Motion

Along with describing the origin and vacation spot of a noun, there are a number of French prepositions to explain the motion of a noun.

• Je vais vers le café. = I’m going in direction of the café.
• Il va à travers le parc. = He’s going by the park.

Geographical Location

Along with describing motion, you can even use prepositions in French to explain geographical location. 

• Le restaurant est au nord de la bibliothèque. = The restaurant is to the north of the library.

Bear in mind, nevertheless, that in English we frequently drop off “to the” with these phrases, merely saying “north of”. In French you have to use your complete prepositional phrase “to the north of” adopted by a noun or pronoun.

Time

Prepositions in French may also be used to point a relationship in time between two nouns.

• J’étudie jusqu’à cinq heures. = I’m learning till 5 o’clock.
• Il travaille pendant la journée. = He’s working throughout the day.

It is very important notice that pour, pendant and depuis can all be translated to “for” relying on the context. Pour is mostly used to point “for” with future occasions, whereas pendant interprets to “for” with accomplished previous occasions. In any other case, pendant interprets to “throughout.” Depuis interprets to “for” with persevering with, current occasions, in any other case it interprets to “since.”

• Nous allons en France pour le week-end. = We’re going to France for the weekend.
• Nous sommes allés en France pendant deux semaines. = We went to France for two weeks.
• Nous habitons en France depuis deux ans. = We’ve lived in France for two years.

Bodily Location

One other use for French prepositions is to explain the bodily relationship between two nouns. For instance:

• Le chat est dans la boîte. = The cat is in (inside) the field.
• Le chat est devant la boîte. = The cat is in entrance of the field.

The desk beneath lists a number of prepositions of location in French.

Relationships

Prepositions’ primary operate is to point the connection between two nouns. The French prepositions mentioned within the earlier sections describe extra concrete relationships, akin to location and time. There are additionally prepositions that specific extra summary relationships. For instance:

• Elle a arrêté la voiture sans prévenir. = She stopped the automobile with out warning.

The next listing consists of prepositions that describe relationships, each concrete and summary.

When do prepositions change type?

Prepositions that finish in de want to alter type relying on the article of the noun that follows them. Moreover, the preposition à has type modifications. These modifications are just like contractions in English. For instance, “I’ve” can turn into “I’ve.” In French, nevertheless, these type modifications usually are not non-obligatory as they typically are in English.

When de is adopted by the particular article le or les, it should change. When adopted by la or l’, it doesn’t change. Have a look at the chart and examples beneath:

• Le practice est à gauche du bus. = The practice is to the left of the bus.
• Le chat est loin de l’araignée. = The cat is way from the spider.
• Le chien est à côté de la desk. = The canine is subsequent to the desk.
• La fille est près des garçons. = The lady is shut to the boys.

If de is adopted by an indefinite article (un/une) or one other phrase that begins with a vowel, it modifications to d’.

The identical sample exists with the preposition à. The contractions are barely completely different with the articles le and les. Once more, have a look at the desk and examples beneath:

• Je vais au café. = I’m going to the café.
• Il va à l’épicerie. = He’s going to the grocery retailer.
• Nous sommes à la Tour Eiffel. = We’re on the Eiffel Tower.
• Je vais aux toilettes. = I’m going to the restroom.

These patterns exist to enhance pronunciation. Mastering these will enable you talk extra successfully in French!

Utilizing prepositions to type questions

One last item to look at when utilizing French prepositions is how you can use them in query type. The phrase order is a bit completely different than in English, as prepositions should keep “connected” to the query phrase. For instance:

• D’où viens-tu ? = The place do you come from?

Discover the preposition de and the query phrase où (the place) are linked, whereas in English they aren’t. Have a look at the chart beneath for a listing of widespread query phrases that hook up with prepositions, referred to as interrogative expressions:

These expressions should keep “connected” to one another, in contrast to how we use them in English. Additionally notice that the query phrase pourquoi (why) is one phrase, though it originated as an interrogative expression.

Perfecting French prepositions begins with Rosetta Stone

Now that you simply’ve taken the time to learn this weblog publish about French prepositions, Rosetta Stone is right here that will help you follow and enhance! Keep in mind that language studying is a steady course of that requires time and endurance. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion will enable you enhance extra rapidly and achieve a deeper understanding of French prepositions with out memorization.

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Written by Ingrid Narum

Ingrid is a full-time French and EL trainer. She is at present studying Norwegian and Spanish.