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