Prepositions of Place and Direction For Intermediate learners
What Are Prepositions of Place and Direction in French?
French prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other elements in a sentence. Prepositions of place and direction (prépositions de lieu et direction) specifically indicate where something is or where it is moving to/from.
We can divide them into prepositions of place (static position) and prepositions of direction (movement).
Prepositions of Place (static position)
These prepositions describe where something or someone is located, without implying movement.
Common Prepositions of Place
Here's the table of common prepositions of place:
Preposition | Meaning |
|---|---|
à | at, in, on (specific location) |
dans | in (inside a space) |
sur | on, upon |
sous | under |
devant | in front of |
derrière | behind |
entre | between |
près de | near |
loin de | far from |
à côté de | next to |
au-dessus de | above |
au-dessous de | below |
en face de | facing |
chez | at the home/business of |
Here are some examples:
Je suis à Paris.
I am in Paris.
Le chat est à la fenêtre.
The cat is at the window.
Les livres sont dans le sac.
The books are in the bag.
Le livre est sur la table.
The book is on the table.
Le chat dort sous la chaise.
The cat is sleeping under the chair.
Le bus s'arrête devant la gare.
The bus stops in front of the station.
La voiture est derrière la maison.
The car is behind the house.
La boulangerie est entre la pharmacie et la banque.
The bakery is between the pharmacy and the bank.
La poste est près de l'école.
The post office is near the school.
Mon appartement est loin de la gare.
My apartment is far from the station.
Elle habite à côté du cinéma.
She lives next to the cinema.
La valise est au-dessous du lit.
The suitcase is below the bed.
Le musée est en face du parc.
The museum is facing the park.
Je suis chez Marie.
I am at Marie's house.
Notes
Dans implies a clear boundary (box, room, building).
Sur implies contact with a surface.
à is often used with cities, small islands, and addresses.
Prepositions of Direction (indicating movement)
These prepositions describe motion toward a place. They answer the question: "Where to?".
Common Prepositions of Direction
Here's the table of common prepositions of direction:
Preposition | Meaning |
|---|---|
à | to |
dans | into, in |
vers | toward |
chez | to (someone's house/workplace) |
sur | onto |
par | through, via |
de… à | from… to |
Here are some examples:
Je vais à l'école.
I am going to school.
Elle entre dans la chambre.
She enters the room.
Le chien court vers son maître.
The dog is running toward its owner.
Je vais chez mon ami.
I am going to my friend's house.
Il monte sur la table.
He climbs onto the table.
Nous passons par le parc.
We go through the park.
Il va de Paris à Lyon.
He goes from Paris to Lyon.
Notes
Direction implies movement, unlike static place. For example:
Place: Le chat est sur le canapé.
The cat is on the sofa.
Direction: Le chat saute sur le canapé.
The cat jumps onto the sofa.
"vers" indicates approximate direction, not exact arrival.
Prepositions with Geographical names
Cities: Always use à
Je vais à Lyon.
I'm going to Lyon.
Countries and regions: The preposition depends on gender and number.
Type | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
feminine | en | en France |
masculine (consonant) | au | au Japon |
masculine (vowel) | en | en Iran |
plural | aux | aux Pays-Bas |
Il vit en Italie.
He lives in Italy.
Elle travaille au Canada.
She works in Canada.
Ils habitent aux États-Unis.
They live in the United States.
Preposition + Article Combination
In French, prepositions often contract with the definite article:
à + le → au
Je vais au cinéma.
I go to the cinema.
à + les → aux
Je vais aux magasins.
I go to the shops.
de + le → du
Je viens du marché.
come from the market.
de + les → des
Je reviens des vacances.
I come back from the holidays.
Movement Verbs vs. State Verbs
Some verbs imply movement (aller, entrer, monter, descendre, sortir), which usually require prepositions of direction. Other verbs are state verbs (être, rester, se trouver), which usually require prepositions of place.
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