Exceptional prepositions in French
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HidePrepositions à, de and en
The prepositions à and de are combined with the articles le and les to make one compound word.
| Prepositions + Article | Examples |
|---|---|
à + le = au | J'habite au Mexique. (I live in Mexico.) |
à + les = aux | Elle est aux Etats-Unis. (She's in the States.) |
de + le = du | Parler du livre. (Speak about the book.) |
de + les = des | Parler des livres. (Speak about the books.) |
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Prepositions avant and devant
In general avant and devant are translated into English as “before”. In French, however, these prepositions can have a different meaning – so we use avant when we refer to time and devant when we refer to space.
| Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Temporal relationship | Quitter le cinéma avant la fin du film. Sophie se brosse les dents avant d’aller se coucher. | Leaving the cinema before the end of the film. Sophie brushes her teeth before she goes to bed. |
Spatial relationship | Attendre son ami devant le cinéma. Il attend tous les jours devant la boulangerie. | To wait for your friend in front of the cinema. He waits every day in front of the bakery. |
Prepositions afin/avant + Infinitive
If afin and avant are used in front of an infinitive, you have to regard that de is placed between the preposition and the infinitve:
- avant le repas → before the meal
- avant de manger → before the meal
Prepositions with verbs
Some French verbs can be followed by an infinitive and linked to it by either de or à, or no preposition at all:
| Verb + Preposition | Translation |
|---|---|
| apprendre à faire qc | learn to do something |
| arriver à faire qc | reach to do something |
| assister à qc | to attend something |
| chercher à faire qc | look to do something |
| choisir de faire qc | choose to do something |
| commander à qn de faire qc | order someone to do something |
| commencer à / de faire qc | beginning to do something |
| continuer à / de faire qc | continue to do something |
| décider de faire qc | decide to do something |
| défendre qc à qn | defend something from someone |
| demander à qn de faire qc | require something from someone |
| penser à qc / qn | think of someone/something |
| répondre à qc / qn | answer something/someone |
| téléphoner à qn | to call someone |
| voler qc à qn | steal something from someone |
Prepositions with adjectives
Just like verbs, some French adjectives can be linked to what follows by either à or de:
| Adjective + Preposition | Translation |
|---|---|
| être capable de faire | being able to do |
| être certain de faire | being certain to do |
| être content de faire qc | being satisfied to do something |
| être exclu de qc | being excluded from something |
| être heureux de faire qc | being happy to do |
| être impatient de faire | being impatient to do |
| être incapable de faire | being incapable to do |
| être nécessaire à qc | being necessary to do sth |
| être prêt à faire qc | being ready to do |
| être responsable de qc | being responsible to do |
| être satisfait de qc | being satisfied to do |
| être seul à faire qc | being alone with doing sth |
Exercises
- Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
- Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
Exercises
- Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
- Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions