Language/French/Grammar/When-Use-à-or-a
When use: Quand or Quant? | Ou or Où? | a or à? |
Summary
It is easy :)
First :
"a" is the verb to have "avoir" conjugated at the third singular person.
- Elle / Il a
So it is used with "Passé composé" for example.
- Elle a mangé / She has eaten
We can see that, after "a" there is a past participle
Then :
"à" is not a verb.
"à" is like "to" in sentences. (When used with the verbs, but not for places or gentive)
Note : "à" is in singular, in plural it is "aux"
- C'est à moi / It's mine
- Tu es à Orléans / You're in Orléans
- Je veux à boire / I want a drink
The good point is :
- There is no distonction between "à" and "a" at the oral. So if you talk to a french, don't worry about that ;)
Find the good answers below :
- Il est à/a toi.
- Il à/a déjà terminé?
- À/a tout à/a l'heure!
- Des choux à/a la crème.
- Il à/a presque tout à/a côté de lui.
a
a: form of the verb to have (avoir) at the 3rd person singular.
TIP: You can substitute with have at the past : "avait"
- Example: Il a trouvé une perle. ---> Il avait trouvé une perle.
à
à: preposition or part of a prepositional phrase (because of, from, etc.). It introduces an indirect object of the verb. TIP: You cannot replace with "avait".
- Example: Loulou est partie à Québec. ---> Loulou est partie
avaitQuébec