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French Grammar

5. Prepositions

5.1 Prepositions of Place

  • Introduction

  • 1. Pronouns
  • 1.1 Personal Pronouns

  • 1.2 Genitive

  • 2. Nouns
  • 2.1 Articles

  • 2.2 Plurals

  • 3. Verbs
  • 3.1 Être & Avoir

  • 3.2 Types of Verbs

  • 3.3 Tenses

  • 3.4 Useful Verbal Phrases

  • 4. Numbers
  • 4.1 Cardinal Numbers

  • 4.2 Ordinal Numbers

  • 4.3 Uses of Numbers

  • 5. Prepositions
  • 5.1 Prepositions of Place

  • 6. Adjectives
  • 6.1 Formation of Adjectives

  • 7. Word Order
  • 7.1 Declarative Sentences

  • 7.2 Interrogative Sentences

  • 8. Adverbs
  • 8.1 Formation of Adverbs

  • Introduction

  • 1. Pronouns

  • 1.1 Personal Pronouns

  • 1.2 Genitive

  • 2. Nouns

  • 2.1 Articles

  • 2.2 Plurals

  • 3. Verbs

  • 3.1 Être & Avoir

  • 3.2 Types of Verbs

  • 3.3 Tenses

  • 3.4 Useful Verbal Phrases

  • 4. Numbers

  • 4.1 Cardinal Numbers

  • 4.2 Ordinal Numbers

  • 4.3 Uses of Numbers

  • 5. Prepositions

  • 5.1 Prepositions of Place

  • 6. Adjectives

  • 6.1 Formation of Adjectives

  • 7. Word Order

  • 7.1 Declarative Sentences

  • 7.2 Interrogative Sentences

  • 8. Adverbs

  • 8.1 Formation of Adverbs

À

À as a preposition of place can either mean “to/in/at” some place, e.g  à Paris (in/to Paris), au restaurant (at/in a restaurant), à la gare (at the station), aux toilettes (to / in the bathroom)

au

Au is a combination of à + the definite article le:

Tu ne vas pas au travail?

You’re not going to work?

Use the preposition à + le = au with masculine countries to say “in/to”:

Vous êtes au Canada?

You’re in Canada?

à la/l’

The preposition à + the definite article la or l’ are always written separately as:

Camilla va à la station de métro (f).

Camilla is going to the metro stop.

Je suis à l’arrêt de bus.

I’m at the bus stop.

aux

Aux is a combination of à + the definite article les:

Ils vont aux toilettes.

They’re going to bathroom.

Use the combination of the preposition à + les = aux with plural countries to say “in/to”:

Je vais aux État-Unis avec Janine.

I’m in the US with Janine. 

En 

Use the preposition en to say “you’re in town or you’re going to town”:

Je suis en ville.

I am in the city.

The preposition en is used with aller when you say you “go by” a means of transport: 

Je vais en bus au centre-ville.

I’m going by bus to the city center.

The preposition en is used with feminine countries to say “in/to”:

On va aller en Espagne l’été prochain.

We’re going to Spain next summer. 

Dans

Dans is a preposition of place which usually means “in” when followed by a determiner (le/la…)+ noun:

Les garçons sont dans la rue.

The boys are in the street. 

De

The preposition of place de means “from” e.g.:

On vient de la station.

We’re coming from the station. 

du

Du is a combination of the preposition de + the definite article le. De combines with the definite articles le and les similarly to the preposition à: 

Je viens du restaurant.

I’m coming from the restaurant.

de la

The preposition de + the definite article la are always written separately as de la:

On vient de la maison.

We’re coming from the house.

de l’

The preposition de + the definite article l’ are always written separately as de l’:

Elle vient de l’étranger.

She’s coming from abroad.

des 

Des is a combination of the preposition de + the definite article les: 

Nous venons des toilettes.

We’re coming from the bathroom.

Sous

Sous is a preposition of place meaning “under”:

Marie est sous la douche.

Marie is in/under the shower. 

Sur

Sur is a preposition of place meaning “on”:

Il y a un savon sur la baignoire.

There is soap on the bathtub. 

Chez

Chez is a preposition of place meaning “at/to a place”:

Il y a trois serviettes oranges chez nous.

There are three orange towels at our place.

Pour

Pour is a preposition meaning “for”:

Il y a du beurre pour le pain?

Is there any butter for the bread?

Learn French
Beginning 6. Adjectives
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