French Prepositions 📑

Understanding prepositions in french

What is the general function of a preposition in a French sentence?

A preposition usually comes before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase, forming a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, noun, or adjective.

Which preposition is used for specific locations like cities or addresses?

à (e.g., Je suis à Paris.)

Which preposition is used for being inside an enclosed space?

dans (e.g., Le chat est dans la boîte.)

How do you say "on the table" in French?

sur la table

Which preposition means "under" or "beneath"?

sous

Which preposition means "in front of"?

devant

Which preposition means "behind"?

derrière

Which preposition means "between"?

entre

When do you use "chez"?

To/at a person's house (e.g., Je vais chez Marie.), or at a professional's office/business (e.g., Je vais chez le médecin.).

Which preposition is used for feminine countries or countries starting with a vowel?

en (e.g., Je vais en France.)

Which preposition is used for modes of transport that are enclosed (you sit inside)?

en (e.g., voyager en voiture)

How are "au" and "aux" formed?

au is a contraction of à + le. aux is a contraction of à + les.

Which prepositions of time mean "at" a specific time of day?

à (e.g., Le rendez-vous est à 8h.)

Which preposition is used for months, years, and seasons (except spring)?

en (e.g., en juillet, en 2025, en automne)

Which preposition indicates an action that started in the past and continues into the present?

depuis (e.g., J'étudie le français depuis trois ans.)

Which preposition indicates the duration of an action with a clear beginning and end that is now completed?

pendant (e.g., J'ai dormi pendant huit heures.)

Which preposition indicates a planned duration in the future?

pour (e.g., Je pars pour deux semaines.)

Which preposition means "before" a point in time?

avant

Which preposition means "after" a point in time?

après

Which preposition means "with" (accompaniment or tool)?

avec (e.g., Je parle avec mes amis., Il écrit avec un stylo.)

Which preposition means "without"?

sans (e.g., Elle boit son café sans sucre.)

Which preposition is used for the agent in the passive voice or to indicate a means/route?

par (e.g., Le livre a été écrit par un célèbre auteur., passer par le parc)

Which preposition indicates possession or origin ("of," "from")?

de (e.g., Le livre de Marie., Je viens de France.)

Which preposition is used after quantities (e.g., beaucoup, un peu)?

de (e.g., beaucoup de gens)

Which preposition indicates purpose or destination?

pour (e.g., J'étudie pour réussir., Ce cadeau est pour toi.)

When should you use "à" versus "en" for places?

Use à for cities (e.g., Je vais à Paris). Use en for feminine countries (e.g., Je vais en France) or countries starting with a vowel (e.g., Je vais en Italie). Use au (or aux) for masculine countries (e.g., Je vais au Canada) or plural countries (e.g., Je vais aux États-Unis).

What's the difference between "dans" and "en" when both can mean "in"?

dans implies inside a specific, often enclosed space (e.g., dans la maison, dans la voiture - for a specific car). en is for more general locations, materials, or modes of transport (e.g., en France, en or, en voiture - as a general means).

Explain the difference between "depuis," "pendant," and "pour" for duration.

depuis: Action started in the past and continues in the present (e.g., J'étudie depuis 2 heures - I've been studying for 2 hours and still am). pendant: Action that happened during a specific period, now completed (e.g., J'ai étudié pendant 2 heures - I studied for 2 hours). pour: Planned duration in the future (e.g., Je vais étudier pour 2 heures - I am going to study for 2 hours).