[vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”French prepositions of place made simple” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h1″ font_weight=”default” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]
French prepositions of place, or les prépositions de lieu, help you describe where a person, place or object is located. When used with geographical names, the correct preposition can depend on whether you are referring to a city, country or continent, as well as its gender and number.
These rules may seem confusing at first, but this guide will help you understand and use French prepositions of place through clear explanations and practical examples.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”19194″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”1. Prepositions of place for countries” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]
1.1 Location
First, the preposition used with a country changes according to the gender of its name. But how can you tell whether a country name is feminine or masculine? In most cases, country names ending in -e are feminine, such as la France, la Pologne and l’Australie.
- For feminine countries : EN
For example : J’habite en France = I live in France.
- With masculine countries : AU
Je travaille au Portugal = I work in Portugal.
- For plural countries : AUX
Il est né aux Emirats Arabes Unis = He was born in the United Arab Emirates.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”0px” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1788329935553{background-color: #E8F0EB !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Exceptions: The following six countries end in -e but are masculine: le Belize, le Cambodge, le Mexique, le Mozambique, le Suriname and le Zimbabwe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
1.2 Country of origin
- For feminine countries starting with a consonant : we use the preposition DE
Son mari vient de Bolivie = Her husband comes from Bolivia.
- With masculine singular countries : DU
Elle vient de rentrer du Pérou = She just came back from Peru.
- For singular countries starting with a vowel or an h : D’
Il arrive d’Italie = He arrives from Italy.
- For plural countries : DES
Ils sont originaires des Pays-Bas = They come from the Netherlands.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”19198″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2. French prepositions of place for cities” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]Then, prepositions for cities are a bit easier as they don’t really have gender in French.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
2.1 City of location
In this instance, we use À.
J’habite à Amsterdam = I live in Amsterdam.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
2.2 Origin
For city you originate from, we use DE.
Je viens de Toulouse = I come from Toulouse.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”19227″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”3. Which prepositions for place for regions and states?” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”font-weight-500″ sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]As with other geographical names, French prepositions used with regions, departments and states generally depend on the gender of the place name. The choice of preposition also changes depending on whether you are describing where you are, where you are going or where you are coming from.
3.1 A gender rule for regions and states
- Regions or states ending in “e” (feminine) = EN
Vous allez en Provence et en Alsace = You’re going to Provence and Alsace
Je vais bientôt en Californie = I’m going soon to California
- Other letter (masculine) = AU
Ils vont au Texas et au Colorado = They go to Texas and Colorado[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
3.2 Exceptions for French prepositions of place with states and regions
Unfortunately, there is no single rule that applies in every case. With regions, departments and states, French generally uses en, au, aux or dans le, dans la, dans les rather than à.
The correct choice is often determined by established usage, so some combinations are best learned as complete expressions. Here are a few examples to remember:
- en Alaska
- dans le Connecticut / au Connecticut
- dans le Maine
- en Ohio
- en Utah
- dans l’Etat de Washington
Some preposition combinations simply need to be learned as complete expressions, so don’t feel discouraged if they take time to remember. If you’d like personalized guidance and more opportunities to use them in context, my online French lessons can help you make steady progress.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”19253″ img_size=”full”][insignia_section_heading title=”4. Particular case : French prepositions of place for islands” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]If you’ve been studying French for a while, you already know that the language has plenty of exceptions! Prepositions of place used with islands are no different. Here are the main patterns and exceptions to remember:
- Some islands use the same preposition as feminine countries : EN
Je voyage en Crète et en Corse = I’m travelling to Crete and Corsica.
- Islands can be masculine too : AU
J’habite au Japon = I live in Japon.
- Sometimes, islands won’t have any article : À / À LA
Je vais à Cuba et à la Réunion = I’m going to Cuba and La Reunion
- Finally, islands could be plural : AUX
Nous habitons aux Maldives = We live in the Maldives
To sum up, the preposition used with an island in French often depends on established usage and may need to be learned on a case-by-case basis.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”19225″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”5. General prepositions of place” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”font-weight-500″ sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]
French prepositions of place are used constantly in everyday language. They help you:
- describe where a person, place or object is located
- explain the position of one thing in relation to another
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5.1 Ten simple French prepositions of place
First, let’s see a list of common French prepositions of place.
- À = at / in
- Chez = at someone’s home
- Dans = in / inside
- Derrière = behind / at the back of
- Devant = in front of
- En = in / by
- Entre = between
- Sous = under
- Sur = on / on top of
- Vers = towards
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”0px” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1788330096884{background-color: #E8F0EB !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Note: When talking about modes of transport, a useful rule of thumb is to use à when travelling on foot or on something, and en when travelling inside a vehicle. For example:
- Je vais à vélo au travail = I go to work by bike
- Il va en voiture au bureau = He goes to the office by car
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5.2 Compound French prepositions of place
Once you feel confident with simple French prepositions of place, you can learn more complex ones. These can be very useful when asking directions in French.
- À côté de = next to
- À droite de = to the right of
- Tout droit = straight
- À gauche de = to the left of
- Au-dessus de = above / higher that
- Au-dessous de = below / underneath
- À l’extérieur de = outside of
- À l’intérieur de = inside of
- En arrière de = behind
- Autour de = around
- Au milieu de = in the middle of
- En dehors de = outside of
- En face de = across from / opposite
- Au bord de = on the edge of
- En avant = Onwards
- Loin de = far from
- Près de = close to
- En bas de = at the bottom of
- En haut de = at the top of
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”19200″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”0px” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1788330130550{background-color: #E8F0EB !important;}”][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”Keep Making Progress with French Prepositions” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”font-weight-500″ sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]French prepositions become much easier when you learn them as part of complete expressions rather than as isolated words. Pay attention to how they are used in context and try to reuse the same structures in your own sentences.
For some additional practice, explore TV5MONDE’s activities on French prepositions.
If you’d like personalized help with French grammar and the opportunity to use it in real conversations, I offer one-to-one lessons adapted to your level and goals.[/vc_column_text][insignia_button btn_text=”Start Your French Lessons” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.frenchwithagnes.com%2Fcontact-private-french-tutor%2F|title:Contact%20your%20Private%20French%20Tutor|target:_blank” button_size=”btn-medium” button_align=”text-center” enable_icon=”” text_font_weight=”font-weight-600″ btn_bg_color=”#5C977A” hover_bg_color=”#6FAF8F” border_color=”#5C977A” hover_border_color=”#6FAF8F”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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