Prepositions in any language are words like “at,” “on,” “through,” “along,” “to,” etc., that in a sense modify the following noun. Prepositions are really important, and misusing them can result in the wrong meaning. Here are some of the most important prepositions in French:
- à=to, at, in (a city)
- au=to the, at the (m.s. noun follows)
- aux=to the, at the (m.pl. noun follows)
- dans=in, inside
- en=in, into
- de=of, from
- du=of the, from the (m.s. noun follows)
- des=of the, from the (m.pl. noun follows)
- jusqu’à=until, up to
- avec=with
- sans=without
- pour=for
- sur=on, about
- vers=towards
- avant=before
- après=after
- pendant=during
- contre=against
- depuis=since
- entre=between
- parmi=among
- près de=near
- comme=like
- sous=under
- devant=in front of
- derrière=behind
- hors=outside
- au-delà de=beyond
- selon=according to
- à travers=through
- à côté de=beside, next to
- au lieu de=instead of
- à cause de=because of
- autour de=around
- au-dessus=above
- au-dessous=below
- au long de=along
- sauf=except, but
- malgré=in spite of
Verbs with prepositions built inQuite a number of French verbs, when translated into English, have a preposition built in, so to speak. That means when you use it in a French sentence, you won’t need to add the preposition as you would in English.
- chercher=to look for
- demander=to ask for
- attendre=to wait for
- payer=to pay for
- écouter=to listen to
- descendre=to go down
- monter=to go up
- regarder=to look at
- enlever=to take off
- éteindre=to turn off
- sortir=to take out, to go out
