Prepositions of Place in French

Prepositions of place are words that indicate the location of something relative to something else. In French, these prepositions are essential for describing where objects, people, or places are situated.

1. Common Prepositions of Place in French

French PrepositionEnglish TranslationExample Sentence in FrenchEnglish Translation
àat, in, toJe suis à Paris.I am in Paris.
suronLe livre est sur la table.The book is on the table.
sousunderLa chaise est sous la table.The chair is under the table.
dansinLes clés sont dans le sac.The keys are in the bag.
devantin front ofIl est devant la maison.He is in front of the house.
derrièrebehindLe chat est derrière le canapé.The cat is behind the sofa.
entrebetweenLe parc est entre la banque et l’école.The park is between the bank and the school.
à côté denext to, besideElle est à côté de son frère.She is next to her brother.
près denearLa pharmacie est près de l’hôpital.The pharmacy is near the hospital.
loin defar fromIls habitent loin de la ville.They live far from the city.
au-dessus deaboveL’avion vole au-dessus des montagnes.The plane is flying above the mountains.
au-dessous debelowLe tableau est au-dessous de la lampe.The painting is below the lamp.
en face deopposite, facingL’hôtel est en face de la gare.The hotel is opposite the train station.
parthrough, byIl est passé par la fenêtre.He went through the window.

2. Using Prepositions of Place in Sentences

  • Preposition + Article: In French, prepositions often combine with definite articles (le, la, les) to form contractions.
    • à + le = au: Il est au cinéma. (He is at the cinema.)
    • à + les = aux: Ils vont aux magasins. (They are going to the stores.)
    • de + le = du: Elle revient du parc. (She is coming back from the park.)
    • de + les = des: Les élèves sortent des classes. (The students are leaving the classrooms.)

3. Examples of Prepositions in Context

  1. Le chien est sous la table.
    • The dog is under the table.
  2. Les élèves sont devant l’école.
    • The students are in front of the school.
  3. L’ordinateur est sur le bureau.
    • The computer is on the desk.
  4. La voiture est entre les arbres.
    • The car is between the trees.
  5. Il habite loin de la plage.
    • He lives far from the beach.

4. Tips for Mastering French Prepositions of Place

  1. Practice with Visuals: Use diagrams or pictures to practice describing locations.
  2. Memorize Common Phrases: Certain prepositions are frequently used in everyday language, such as à côté de and en face de.
  3. Use Real-Life Scenarios: Practice describing the location of objects in your room, places in your city, or landmarks.
  4. Combine with Verbs: Pair prepositions with verbs like être (to be), aller (to go), and se trouver (to be located) to create complete sentences.
    • La banque est à côté de la mairie. (The bank is next to the town hall.)

5. Exercises to Practice

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition:
    • Le livre est ___ la table. (sur)
    • Le jardin est ___ la maison et le garage. (entre)
  2. Describe the locations in a picture using prepositions of place.

Mastering prepositions of place will help you describe locations and give directions in French, an essential skill for communication!

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

French prepositions of place, such as “à,” “sur,” and “sous,” are used to describe the position of people or things in relation to a specific location or space. Choose the correct prepositions in the sentences of this exercise.

 

#1. 3 est ……… 2 et 4.

#2. Après l’école, ma petite soeur va …….. son amie.

#3. Je mets du café ……….. ma tasse.

#4. À 8 heures, les enfants vont …… l’école.

#5. Le chat se cache …….. le canapé.

#6. Toute ma vie, j’ai habité ……… Paris.

#7. Tu as toujours vécu …….. Mexique ?

#8. Tous les soirs, je mange …… restaurant.

#9. On peut marcher …… lac si tu veux.

#10. Il y a une peinture ……… canapé.

#11. Ma femme fait le repas ………. la cuisine.

#12. Ma petite soeur doit aller …….. toilettes.

#13. Sans ses lunettes, Sonia ne voit pas quand je suis …… elle

#14. Quand je vais en vacances, je vis ……….. mon oncle.

#15. J’aime lire ……. l’herbe.

#16. Pour lire mon ordinateur, je suis …….. mon écran.

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