Grammar: Prepositions - Time, Place, Movement, Others

Grammar: Prepositions - Time, Place, Movement, Others

Section: Prepositions of Time

  • Prepositions of time describe when something happens. They include à (at), en (in), dans (in), pendant (during), depuis (since/for), jusqu’à (until), and après (after).

  • For example, “I go to school at eight” translates as “Je vais à l’école à huit heures”.

  • Use en before months and seasons, e.g. “I was born in January” is “Je suis né en janvier” and “I love walking in autumn” is “J’aime me promener en automne”.

  • Use dans for periods or durations in future, e.g. “We will have dinner in an hour” is “Nous dînerons dans une heure”.

Section: Prepositions of Place

  • Prepositions of place describe where something is. They include à (at, in), chez (at the house of), dans (in), sous (under), sur (on), devant (in front of), derrière (behind), près de (near), and loin de (far from).

  • For example, “He is in the garden” is “Il est dans le jardin” and “She is at the bank” is “Elle est à la banque”.

  • Use chez to mean at someone’s place or business, e.g. “We are at Paul’s” is “Nous sommes chez Paul”.

Section: Prepositions of Movement

  • Prepositions of movement describe the direction or path of an action. They include à (to), de (from), vers (towards), chez (to the house of), dans (into), par (through), and sur (onto).

  • For example, “I am going to the cinema” is “Je vais au cinéma” and “He came from the shop” is “Il vient de la boutique”.

Section: Other Prepositions

  • Other prepositions such as avec (with), sans (without), pour (for), par (by), de (of, from), and comme (as, like) might not fit neatly into the categories above but are still essential in forming complex sentences.

  • For example, “I am going to the shop for bread” is “Je vais à la boutique pour le pain” and “I see the world through your eyes” is “Je vois le monde par tes yeux”.

Note

  • Mastering prepositions in French contributes to fluency and natural expression. Don’t forget to practice them in the context of sentences to help solidify understanding.