Adverbs of Place For Intermediate learners
What Are Adverbs of Place (Les adverbes de lieu) in French?
Adverbs of place (les adverbes de lieu) indicate where an action happens or the position or direction of a person or thing.
They mainly answer the question:
Où ? (Where?)
D'où ? (From where?)
Où… vers ? (Where to?)
Il habite ici.
He lives here.
Elle va ailleurs pour travailler.
She is going elsewhere to work.
Le chat est dessus.
The cat is on top.
Common Adverbs of Place
Here are some of the most common adverbs of place used in everyday French.
Basic Location Adverbs
Adverbs that describe a simple position or location without movement.
ici (here)
là (there)
là-bas (over there)
ailleurs (elsewhere)
partout (everywhere)
nulle part (nowhere)
quelque part (somewhere)
Je reste ici ce soir.
I am staying here tonight.
Ils vivent là-bas depuis dix ans.
They have lived over there for ten years.
Elle cherche ses clés partout.
She is looking for her keys everywhere.
Il n'y a nulle part où s'asseoir.
There is nowhere to sit.
Mes clés sont quelque part.
My keys are somewhere.
Direction and Position Adverbs
Adverbs that indicate movement, direction, or physical position in space.
dessus (on top)
dessous (underneath)
devant (in front)
derrière (behind)
autour (around)
dedans (inside)
dehors (outside)
près (near)
loin (far)
Le sac est dessus.
The bag is on top.
Le chien dort dessous.
The dog is sleeping underneath.
La voiture est garée devant.
The car is parked in front.
Le chat est derrière.
The cat is behind.
Il y a des arbres autour.
There are trees around.
Il est déjà dedans.
He is already inside.
Les enfants jouent dehors.
The children are playing outside.
Elle habite près.
She lives nearby.
Il habite loin.
He lives far away.
Origin and Destination
Adverbs that express where someone or something comes from or where it is going.
d'ici (from here)
de là (from there)
d'ailleurs (from elsewhere / besides)
Je viens d'ici.
I come from here.
Regarde de là.
He comes from there.
Il vient d'ailleurs.
He comes from elsewhere.
Position of Adverbs of Place
In Simple tenses
Adverbs of place usually come after the verb.
Elle travaille ici.
She works here.
Ils mangent dehors.
They eat outside.
In Compound Tenses
In compound tenses, adverbs of place usually come after the past participle.
Elle est allée ailleurs.
She went elsewhere.
Ils ont mangé dehors.
They ate outside.
After the Direct Object
If the verb has a direct object, the adverb usually comes after the object.
Je mets le livre là-bas.
I put the book over there.
Elle a trouvé ses clés dedans.
She found her keys inside.
At the Beginning or End for Emphasis
Some adverbs can go at the start or end to emphasize location.
Ici, nous aimons lire.
Here, we like to read.
Nous aimons lire ici.
We like to read here.
Adverbs of Place Vs Prepositions of Place
Adverbs of place can stand alone, without a noun. Prepositions of place must be followed by a noun.
Il est devant. (adverb)
He is in front.
Il est devant la maison. (preposition)
He is in front of the house.
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