Bonjour!
In our last lesson, we learned how to specify nouns by indicating possession with adjectives like mon and ton, and by pointing things out with ce and cette. This allows you to say cette table (this table) or mon livre (my book).
Today, we'll take the next logical step: describing where things are. You'll learn how to use prepositions of place, focusing on the essential words dans (in), sur (on), sous (under), devant (in front of), and derrière (behind). Mastering these will allow you to form simple but powerful descriptive sentences, like "The keys are on the table."
This lesson concludes our module on basic interactions and descriptions, giving you a solid toolkit for describing the world around you.
Part 1: The Core Prepositions of Place
Let's start with the five most fundamental prepositions for describing location. Getting the pronunciation right is key, as some can sound similar.
To begin, watch this short video. The presenter, Alexa, does an excellent job of clearly pronouncing each word and using gestures to show its meaning.
French prepositions (French Essentials Lesson 12)
In the video 'French prepositions' by Learn French With Alexa, you'll be introduced to the core prepositions of place. Pay close attention to her pronunciation, especially the difference between 'sur' and 'sous'.
Watch the segment from 00:37 to 02:14. Try to repeat the words aloud along with her: 'sur', 'sous', 'dans', 'devant', and 'derrière'.
Here is a summary of the prepositions you just heard:
- Sur - on / on top of
- Sous - under
- Dans - in / inside
- Devant - in front of
- Derrière - behind
This image provides a great visual summary of these prepositions and a few other useful ones.
Part 2: Building Sentences and Putting It into Practice
Now that you know the words, let's use them. The basic sentence structure is very similar to English:
Subject + verb (être) + preposition + location
- Le chat est sur la chaise. (The cat is on the chair.)
- Mes clés sont dans mon sac. (My keys are in my bag.)
To see more examples and solidify your understanding of this structure, the following guide is very helpful.
FALF Guide to French Prépositions de lieu | Grammar
The guide 'French Prepositions of Place' from French à la folie provides clear examples using 'le renard et la boîte' (the fox and the box).
Please read the introduction and the sections 'Basics: Où est le renard ?' and 'Basics: Constructing Sentences'. This will reinforce the sentence structure and show you the prepositions in action.
Now for some active practice. The next part of Alexa's video is a short game where you have to say where the cat is. It's a perfect way to test your recall and apply what you've just learned.
French prepositions (French Essentials Lesson 12)
Let's play a little game to practice. In the same video, Alexa will ask 'Où est le chat ?' (Where is the cat?). Try to answer before she does.
Watch from 02:44 to 05:33. Don't worry if you don't know every word she says; focus on identifying the correct preposition for each image.
Test your understanding!
Look at the image of the dog and doghouse above (French prepositions of place illustrated...). How would you write the following sentence in French?
"The dog is behind the doghouse."
Show answer
Le chien est derrière la niche. (la niche = the doghouse)
Part 3: Expanding Your Vocabulary with Compound Prepositions
You've probably noticed from the dog image that some prepositions are made of more than one word, like à côté de (next to) or à gauche de (to the left of). These are called compound prepositions.
There is one crucial grammar rule you must know when using them.
The Contraction Rule: de + le and de + les
When a preposition ending in de is followed by the definite article le (masculine singular) or les (plural), they must contract:
de + lebecomes dude + lesbecomes des
The forms de la (feminine singular) and de l' (before a vowel) do not change.
Examples:
- Je suis à côté de le parc. -> Je suis à côté du parc. (I am next to the park.)
- La banque est en face de les magasins. -> La banque est en face des magasins. (The bank is opposite the shops.)
- Il est près de la plage. (He is near the beach.) - No change.
This is a fundamental rule in French grammar. The following resource explains it very clearly.
FALF Guide to French Prépositions de lieu | Grammar
The 'FALF Guide to French Prépositions de lieu' has a section that explains this mandatory contraction rule.
Read the section titled 'Important Notes', focusing on the first two points: 'Contractions are Mandatory' and 'Prépositions de lieu are Invariable'.
Here are a few more high-frequency compound prepositions to learn:
- à côté de - next to
- près de - near
- loin de - far from
- en face de - opposite, facing
- à droite de - to the right of
- à gauche de - to the left of
Conclusion
Félicitations! You have completed the final lesson of this module. You can now describe objects, specify who they belong to, and state where they are located—an essential set of skills for basic communication.
Key Takeaways:
- The core prepositions of place are dans (in), sur (on), sous (under), devant (in front of), and derrière (behind).
- The basic sentence structure is Subject + être + Preposition + Location.
- Compound prepositions like à côté de require contractions when followed by
leorles:de + le = du,de + les = des.
Next Lesson Preview:
You have built a strong descriptive foundation in this module. Now, we will move into Module 4: Everyday Practical Scenarios. In our next lesson, you will learn the essential polite expressions used in daily life, such as s'il vous plaît, merci, and excusez-moi. This will shift our focus from describing the world to interacting within it.
À bientôt