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Ainsi que = as well as, just as vs the way that in French

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-05-20
48 questions

The words ainsi que in French can mean different things depending on context as well as the structure of the sentence they're in.

Using "ainsi que" in French 

Ainsi que = as well (as)

J'étudie la géographie, l'histoire ainsi que le français.I study geography, history and French as well.

Dans notre ville, il y a un cinéma, un restaurant ainsi qu'une église.In our town, there is a cinema, a restaurant and a church as well.

Elle adore nager ainsi que courir.She loves swimming as well as running.

Ainsi que can mean as well (as) when an element is added to a list (like a more elegant and also).

ATTENTION:

Note that the French expression aussi bien que also means as well as, but in the context of comparing abilities, as in as efficiently as. 
Ainsi que and aussi bien que are therefore not interchangeable. 

L'Angleterre, la Russie, ainsi que la France, ont combattu l'Allemagne en 1914.England, Russia, as well as France, fought Germany in 1914.

L'Angleterre a combattu l'Allemagne aussi bien que la France en 1914.England fought Germany as well as (as efficiently as) France in 1914.

In the same vein, note that the expression aussi que does not exist in French.

 

Ainsi que = (just) as... 

A rarer occurence is when ainsi que is followed by a conjugated verb (in Mode indicatif) to express (just) as, as such:

Tout se passe ainsi que je l'avais prévu.Everything is happening as (I had) planned.

Literally, it says: 'Everything is happening just as I had planned it.'

 

Ainsi que = this way... that

ATTENTION: 

Do not confuse ainsi que with expressions using ainsi (thus) followed by que (that):

C'est en travaillant ainsi que tu réussiras.It's by working this way that you'll succeed.

-> Here it's the adverb ainsi followed by que.


C'est ainsi que ... = That's how ...

Et c'est ainsi que j'ai rencontré ta mère.And that's how I met your mother.

C'est ainsi que se termine cette histoire.That's how this story ends.

In this context, you can also use c'est comme ça/cela que..., but never c'est comment...

 

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Examples and resources

Tout se passe ainsi que je l'avais prévu.Everything is happening as (I had) planned.
C'est en travaillant ainsi que tu réussiras.It's by working this way that you'll succeed.
Et c'est ainsi que j'ai rencontré ta mère.And that's how I met your mother.
C'est ainsi que se termine cette histoire.That's how this story ends.
L'Angleterre a combattu l'Allemagne aussi bien que la France en 1914.England fought Germany as well as (as efficiently as) France in 1914.
L'Angleterre, la Russie, ainsi que la France, ont combattu l'Allemagne en 1914.England, Russia, as well as France, fought Germany in 1914.
Elle adore nager ainsi que courir.She loves swimming as well as running.
Dans notre ville, il y a un cinéma, un restaurant ainsi qu'une église.In our town, there is a cinema, a restaurant and a church as well.
J'étudie la géographie, l'histoire ainsi que le français.I study geography, history and French as well.
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