Prepositions are words (or groups of words) that relate two elements in a sentence. These elements can be nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, etc.
A preposition consisting of a single word is a simple preposition. A preposition made up of several words is a compound preposition (or a prepositional phrase).
Prepositions are invariable, i.e., they do not change (as for gender or number).
Mastering the proper use of French prepositions can be difficult, as the same preposition may have a variety of meanings. Verbs should be memorized with the appropriate following preposition when required; some verbs do not require a preposition.
Use of Prepositions
Prepositions may take different roles:
A preposition used with a noun to modify a noun is the equivalent of an adjective:
un verre
à vin (a wine glass)
un verre de vin (a glass of wine)
A preposition used with a noun to modify a verb is the equivalent of an adverb:
Nous marchons avec hâte.
(We are walking hurriedly.)
Prepositions used before infinitives:
When a verb follows a preposition, the infinitive form is used:
Nous sommes contents de rentrer chez nous.
(We are happy to get home.)
Il est facile de manger du
gâteau.
(It is easy to eat cake.)
Il se résigne à
partir.
(He is resigned to leaving.)
Some verbs require the preposition à before the infinitive, such as:
aider
à (to help to)
apprendre à (to learn to)
s'attendre à (to expect to)
chercher à (to try to)
se décider à (to decide to)
encourager à (to encourage to)
se mettre à (to begin to)
passer du temps à (to spend some time in)
se plaire à (to like to)
suffire à (to be enough to)
tenir à (to insist on)
Apprenez-moi à
parler correctement.
(Teach me to speak correctly.)
Some verbs require the preposition de before the infinitive:
accuser
de (to accuse of)
achever de (to finish)
se contenter de (to be satisfied with)
se dépêcher de (to hurry to)
se garder de (to take care not to)
mériter de (to deserve to)
regretter de (to regret)
tâcher de (to try to)
se vanter de (to boast of)
venir de (to have just)
Les enfants
viennent juste de finir leur soupe.
(The children have just finished their soup.)
Je me garde
de lui dire un secret.
(I am careful not to tell him a secret.)
Some expressions are introduced by the preposition à: to indicate characteristics:
une maison au toit rouge
(a house with a red roof)
to describe means of transportation:
à pied (on foot), à cheval (on horseback)
with time expressions meaning until:
à demain (see you tomorrow), à lundi (till Monday)
and other time expressions: à temps (in time), à l'instant (right away)
with expressions of position, direction, or location:
à droite (on the right), à côté de (next to), à la campagne (in the country), à l'étranger (abroad)
and many other expressions:
à mon avis (in my opinion)
à cause de (because of)
au courant de (informed about)
à force de (by repeated efforts of)
à propos de (concerning)
à vrai dire (to tell the truth), etc.
Some expressions introduced by the preposition de:
d'abord (first), d'ailleurs (besides), de bonne heure (early), du côté de (in the direction of, near), de mon côté (on my part), de la part de (on behalf of), de rien/il n'y a pas de quoi (don't mention it/you are welcome), de temps en temps (from time to time)
Some common expressions introduced by the preposition en:
en haut (upstairs), en bas (downstairs), en arrière (in the back), en avant (in front), en fait (in fact), en face de (opposite), en famille (as a family, within the family), en plein air (in the open air/outdoors), en tout cas (in any case), en ville (in town), en train/avion/automobile (by train/plane/car)
Some common expressions introduced by the preposition par:
par ici (this way), par là (that way), par exemple (for example), par hasard (by chance), par jour/semaine/ mois, etc. (a day/week/month, etc.)
Other common prepositions:
autour de (around):
Le soleil tourne autour de la terre.
(The sun revolves around the earth.)
chez (at the place/house of):
Il fait bon chez moi.
(It feels good at my place.)
dans (in):
Il est interdit de fumer dans ce train.
(It is forbidden to smoke in this train.)
en (in, in time):
Le plombier répare l'évier en une
heure.
(The plumber fixes the sink in one hour.)
sans (without):
Il est difficile de vivre sans
argent.
(It is difficult to live without money.)
See Also: