12.8.1
Prepositions
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In, To, Of
Prepositions are words like 'in', 'to' or 'of'. They let you add more detail to a sentence.
'À' - 'at', 'to' or 'in'
- 'À' can be translated as 'at', 'to' or 'in' depending on how it's used.
- 'À' changes when followed by 'le' or 'les'.
- À + le → au - masculine singular.
- Je vais au ciné - I go to the cinema.
- À + la → à la - feminine singular.
- Je suis à la plage - I am at the beach.
- À + l' → à l' - before a vowel or 'h'.
- À + les → aux - masculine, feminine plural.
- À + le → au - masculine singular.
'En' can mean 'in' or 'to'
- 'En' is used instead of 'à' before countries that are feminine or start with a vowel.
- J'habite en France - I live in France.
- Je suis allé en Inde - I went to India.
- 'En' can be used to describe how long it takes to do something or when saying something happened at a specific time.
- J'y suis allé en janvier - I went there in January.
- Je l'ai fait en dix minutes - I did it in 10 minutes.
- 'En' can be used to say what something's made of.
- Un pull en laine - a wool jumper.
'De' can mean 'of' or 'from'
- 'De' can mean 'of'.
- Une verre d' eau - a glass of water.
- Une tasse de café - a mug of coffee.
- Like 'à', 'de' changes with 'le' and 'les'.
- De + le → Du - masculine singular.
- De + la → De la - feminine singular.
- De + l' → De l' - before a vowel or some 'h'.
- De + les → Des - masculine, feminine plural.
Verbs That Use 'A' or 'De'
Some verbs are only followed by 'à' or 'de'.
'À'
- (S')intéresser à - to be interested in.
- Aider à - to help.
- Écrire à - to write to.
- Rendre visite à - to visit (someone).
- Demander à - to ask (something of/to).
- Parler à - to speak to.
- Téléphoner à - to phone (someone).
- Faire attention à - to pay attention to.
- Répondre à - to reply.
'De'
- S'agir de - to be about.
- Manquer de - to lack.
- Profiter de - to make the most of.
- Avoir envie, besoin, peur de - to want, need, be scared of.
- Penser de - to have an opinion about.
- Dépendre de - depend on.
- Se méfier de - to not trust.
Jouer - to play
- The verb 'jouer' takes different prepositions depending on what the object is.
- Jouer à - to play (sport)
- Jouer de - to play (instrument).
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs11.1.3RE Present Participle11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'11.1.6Regular IR Verbs11.1.7Reflexive Verbs11.1.8ER Present Participles11.1.95 Common IR Verbs11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs11.1.11Irregular Present Participles11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'11.1.13Regular RE Verbs11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs11.1.165 Common RE Verbs11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern11.1.18Avoir11.1.19Être11.1.20Regular ER Verbs11.1.21IR Present Participle11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Jump to other topics
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs11.1.3RE Present Participle11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'11.1.6Regular IR Verbs11.1.7Reflexive Verbs11.1.8ER Present Participles11.1.95 Common IR Verbs11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs11.1.11Irregular Present Participles11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'11.1.13Regular RE Verbs11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs11.1.165 Common RE Verbs11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern11.1.18Avoir11.1.19Être11.1.20Regular ER Verbs11.1.21IR Present Participle11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Practice questions on Prepositions
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1
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- 3How do you say 'to reply to' in French?Multiple choice
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