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Préposition

French Prepositions

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-01-15

A preposition is a word or phrase that expresses the relationship in time or space between two things. Prepositions are commonly used between two nouns, a verb and a noun, or two verbs.

For example

le livre sur la table - the book on the table

Je vais à la poste - I'm going to the post office.

J'ai décidé de travailler - I decided to work.

 

Lessons with more detail on Préposition

Definite articles contract with à and de in French (French Contracted Articles)
Dans/sur/sous/devant/derrière/entre = in/on top of/under/in front of/behind/between (French Prepositions of Location)
En/au/aux = In/to with countries and continents (French Prepositions)
À/en + [means of transportation] (French Prepositions)
Compound nouns formed with prepositions à/de/en in French
Compound nouns formed with [noun] + à + [infinitive] in French
Y can replace à + [thing/object/location] (French Adverbial Pronouns)
En can replace de + [phrase] (French Adverbial Pronouns)
Moi/toi/lui/elle/soi/nous/vous/eux/elles - advanced usages (French Stress Pronouns)
Using manquer (de) to say you/something miss or lack in French
Expressing large numbers -thousands/millions/billions - in French
En vs Dans with locations (French Prepositions of Location)
Chez = at someone's place (French Prepositions)
After/before versus in front of/behind (French Prepositions of Time and Place)
Expressing for + [duration] in French with either pendant/durant/depuis/pour (French Prepositions of Time)
En vs Dans with time (French Prepositions of Time)
Monter dans, descendre de = To get on, off transportation in French (prepositions)
À côté de, en face de, à l'extérieur de, à l'intérieur de, près de, loin de, au coin de (French Prepositions)
Differences between French and English usages - Using "dans" with streets and means of transportation (French Prepositions of Location)
À = To/in and De = From/of with cities in French (French Prepositions of Location)
Avoir besoin de = To need (French Expressions with avoir)
Je viens de + [ville] = I'm from + [city] in French
Expressing intervals of dates and times in French = from ... to ...
Pour + [infinitive] = In order to + [do] in French
Expressing distance in French with "à ... de ..." = (at) ... km from ... (French Prepositions)
De qui/dont/duquel = of/about whom, of/about which - with prepositional verbs with "de" (French Relative Pronouns)
Soit ... soit ... = Either ... or...
Which prepositions to use with celebration days - like Christmas - in French
Which prepositions to use with name days - like Saint Valentine's Day - in French
Using the compound past (Le Passé Composé) vs the present (Le Présent) in negative sentences with "depuis" (since/for) in French
Avant de + infinitive = Before + -ing in French
Expressing cause with "Pour (+avoir) fait" = For doing/having done in French
Expressing cause with "Pour (+être) allé" = For going/having gone in French
Venir de/d'/du/des = To come/be from with countries/states/regions and continents (French Prepositions)
Depuis que + [conjugated verb] = (Ever) since + [conjugated verb] in French
Quelque chose de + [adjectif] = Something [adjective] in French
En/Dans = in/to + regions/states/counties (French Prepositions)
Merci de / pour = Thank you for in French
By + [point in time] = d'ici [moment] in French
Duquel/de laquelle/desquels/desquelles with prepositional phrases with "de" (French Relative Pronouns)
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