Language/French/Grammar/Prepositions

Prepositions (les prépositions) are words which link two related parts of a sentence. In this lesson on "French Grammar → Prepositions", you will learn about useful French prepositions and how to use them in sentences. As an exercise, try to guess the meaning of each preposition and compose a sentence in French. 🇫🇷

After mastering prepositions, you might also be interested in exploring other aspects of French grammar. Check out our lessons on French vowels and consonants, the difference between "J'ai eu" and "j'avais", and phrases used as adverbs to further enhance your French language skills. Bonne chance!

à cause de

because of

• Je suis arrivé en retard à cause de lui = I arrived late because of him.

à côté de

next to

• J'habite à côté de l'église = I live next to the church.

à l'exception de

except

• J'ai répondu à toutes les questions à l'exception de la dernière = I answered all the questions except the last.

à partir de

from

• A partir de demain, je commence le régime = From tomorrow I start the diet.

à travers

through

• Il est passé à travers la foule = He passed through the crowd.

après

after

• Je suis juste après lui = I'm just after him.

au cours de

during

• Il s'en ai rendu compte au cours de la soirée = He realized during the evening.

au lieu de

instead of

• Tu devrais travailler au lieu de jouer = You should work instead of play.

de la part de

on behalf of

• Je vous contacte de la part de Monsieur Dupont = I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Dupont.

au sommet de

to the top

• Il est arrivé au sommet de la montagne = It got to the mountain top.

au-delà

beyond

• Le résultat de l'entreprise a été au-delà de ses espérances = The result of the company was beyond his expectations.

au-dessus

over

• l'avion est passé dessus de ma tête = the plane flew over my head.

autour de

around

• il a mis son écharpe autour du cou = he put his scarf around his neck.

avant

before

• Il était là avant vous = He was there before you.

avec

with

• Je passe mon dimanche avec ma famille = I spent my Sunday with family.

comme

as

• Comme il l'avais promis, il a fini son travail = As he had promised, he finished his work.

contrairement à

contrary to

• contrairement à ce que tu m'as dit, il n'y avait personne = contrary to what you told me, there was nobody.

contre

against

• Mets ce meuble contre le mur = Put this piece of furniture against the wall.

dans

in

• mets le lait dans le frigo = put the milk in the fridge.

depuis

for

• Il est à Paris depuis 2 ans = He has been living in Paris for 2 years.

derrière

behind

• Il est caché derrière la porte = He is hidden behind the door.

en dessous

under

• Le chat est en dessous de la table = The cat is under the table.

en face de

in front of

• rendez-vous en face de l'hôtel = go in front of the hotel.

en raison de

because of

• le pique-nique a été annulé en raison de la pluie = The picnic was canceled because of the rain.

entre

between

• On se voit entre midi et deux heures ? = See you between noon and two o'clock?

jusqu'à ce que

until

• Je suis resté jusqu'à ce qu'il arrive = I stayed until it arrived.

l'intérieur de

inside

• Il fait chaud à l'intérieur de la maison = It is hot inside the house.

malgré

despite

• Malgré toutes les difficultés, il a continué la course = Despite all the difficulties, he continued the race.

plus

more

• Il y a plus de monde aujourd'hui = There are more people today.

pour

for

• Il travaille pour lui = He works for him.

près de

near

• Il travaille près de chez lui = He works close to home.

sous

under

• L'objet est sous la table = The object is under the table.

sur

on

• L'objet est sur la table = The object is on the table.

vers

towards

• Je me dirige vers l'église = I head towards the church.

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Other Lessons

• Polite Form
• Differences in the use of numbers in French and English Addresses
• Differences in the use of numbers in French and English Order of cardinal numbers and adjectives
• Categories of Nouns in French
• The partitive article "du", "de l'", "de la" and "des"
• Relative Clause
• Omission of the article after sans, avec, en, sur, sous, par, ni
• Proper Nouns
• Auxiliary
• Déterminants