French Prepositions – A Complete List & Exercises with Answers

The French language is renowned for its complexity and nuances, and one area that often poses a challenge to learners is the proper use of prepositions. Prepositions are essential elements of any language, as they help convey relationships between words and guide us in understanding the context of a sentence. Mastering the intricacies of French prepositions is important in order to speak fluently.

In French, prepositions play a crucial role in structuring sentences and determining the connections between nouns, pronouns, and verbs. They are the invisible threads that weave meaning into sentences. While not all prepositions can be listed here, we'll look into some of the most common and frequently used ones.

 

Most Common French Prepositions

1. À: This preposition is multifaceted and incredibly versatile. It can denote location, direction, time, or manner. When used to indicate location, it often corresponds to the English “at” or “in,” depending on the context. For example, “Je suis à la maison” translates to “I am at home” When indicating direction, it can mean “to” or “towards,” such as “Je vais à l'école” (I am going to school).

2. De: This preposition carries the meaning of “of,” “from,” or “about.” It is indispensable for expressing possession, origin, or the content of something. For instance, “Le livre de Marie” means “Marie's book” or “The book of Marie.”

3. En: En is a versatile preposition with various meanings, including “in,” “on,” “by,” and “while.” It is often used to indicate the means of transportation or the time taken to perform an action. For example, “Je voyage en avion” translates to “I am traveling by plane.”

4. Pour: When translated, “pour” is typically equivalent to “for.” It is used to express purpose, intention, or the recipient of an action. “Je prépare le dîner pour mes amis” means “I am preparing dinner for my friends.”

5. Sur: This preposition means “on” or “upon” and is frequently used when referring to physical placement. For instance, “Le chat est sur la table” translates to “The cat is on the table”.

6. Sous: “Sous” is the counterpart to “sur” and means “under” or “beneath.” For example, “Le trésor est sous le lit” means “The treasure is under the bed.”

7. Par: “Par” can convey various meanings, including “by,” “through,” or “because of.” It is often used to indicate the agent or cause behind an action. “La lettre a été envoyée par le facteur” means “The letter was sent by the mail carrier.”

8. Chez: This preposition denotes the idea of “at someone's place” or “at the home of.” For example, “Je vais chez mon ami” means “I am going to my friend's place.”

9. Sans: “Sans” means “without” and is used to express the absence or exclusion of something. For instance, “Je vais au cinéma sans mon frère” translates to “I am going to the cinema without my brother.”

10. Vers: “Vers” indicates direction or an approximate time. It can be translated as “towards” or “around.” “Il part vers Paris” means “He is heading towards Paris.”

 

List of French Prepositions

Here is a more comprehensive list of French prepositions:

1. à (to, at, in)
2. après (after)
3. avant (before)
4. avec (with)
5. chez (at the home of, at)
6. contre (against)
7. dans (in, into)
8. de (of, from)
9. depuis (since, from)
10. derrière (behind)
11. devant (in front of)
12. en (in, on)
13. entre (between)
14. envers (towards)
15. environ (around, about)
16. hors de (outside of)
17. jusque (until, up to)
18. malgré (despite)
19. par (by, through)
20. parmi (among)
21. pendant (during)
22. pour (for)
23. sans (without)
24. selon (according to)
25. sous (under)
26. sur (on)
27. vers (towards)
28. à cause de (because of)
29. à côté de (next to, beside)
30. à droite de (to the right of)
31. à gauche de (to the left of)
32. à l'égard de (with regard to)
33. à l'intérieur de (inside of)
34. à l'extérieur de (outside of)
35. au bord de (at the edge of)
36. au bout de (at the end of)
37. au-dessous de (below, beneath)
38. au-dessus de (above)
39. au lieu de (instead of)
40. au milieu de (in the middle of)
41. autour de (around)
42. auprès de (close to, near)
43. autour de (around)
44. à travers (through)
45. au sein de (within)
46. en bas de (at the bottom of)
47. en dehors de (outside of)
48. en face de (facing, opposite)
49. en raison de (due to)
50. en haut de (at the top of)
51. loin de (far from)
52. près de (near)
53. quant à (as for)
54. grâce à (thanks to)
55. d'après (according to)
56. au sujet de (about, concerning)
57. à propos de (about, concerning)
58. vis-à-vis de (in relation to)
59. via (via)
60. au sein de (within)
61. excepté (except)
62. hormis (except for, save)
63. moyennant (by means of)
64. nonobstant (notwithstanding)
65. outre (besides)
66. suivant (according to)
67. vis-à-vis (regarding)

This list includes many common and some less common prepositions to provide a more thorough understanding of French prepositional phrases.

 

Exercises with French Prepositions

Here are some exercises with French prepositions along with their answers:

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Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Preposition

1. Il est ___ la maison.
2. Je vais ___ Paris.
3. Le livre est ___ la table.
4. Elle voyage ___ train.
5. Nous habitons ___ France.
6. Je parle ___ mon ami.
7. Le cadeau est ___ la boîte.
8. Ils viennent ___ Italie.
9. Il travaille ___ une banque.
10. Elle est née ___ 1990.

Click to see the answers

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Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences Using the Correct Preposition

1. I am going to the cinema.
2. She is in the garden.
3. We are talking about the book.
4. They come from Spain.
5. The keys are on the table.
6. He lives in Germany.
7. The cat is under the bed.
8. We are going to the beach.
9. The meeting is at 3 PM.
10. The letter is in the envelope.

Click to see the answers

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Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Preposition

1. Elle habite (à / en / dans) Londres.
2. Les enfants jouent (sur / dans / à) le parc.
3. Je pense (à / sur / de) toi.
4. Il est assis (à / dans / sur) la chaise.
5. Nous allons (à / en / dans) Italie cet été.
6. Il parle (avec / sur / à) son frère.
7. L'école est (sur / à / en) la droite.
8. Ils mangent (avec / à / de) leurs amis.
9. Le chien dort (sous / sur / à) la table.
10. Elle lit un livre (en / dans / sur) français.

Click to see the answers

These exercises should help reinforce your understanding and use of French prepositions.

 

See also our article about French Prepositions Used Specifically for Countries and Cities here.