Exceptional prepositions in French
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for free Course informationsWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Jérôme C.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Cédric H.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Dorine L.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
Lesson outline
HidePrepositions à, de and en
The prepositions à and de are combined with the articles le and les to make one compound word.
| Prepositions + Article | Examples |
|---|---|
à + le = au | J'habite au Mexique. (I live in Mexico.) |
à + les = aux | Elle est aux Etats-Unis. (She's in the States.) |
de + le = du | Parler du livre. (Speak about the book.) |
de + les = des | Parler des livres. (Speak about the books.) |
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Célia B.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Louis P.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Diego Andrés C. 
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Jonathan B.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Hafida M.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Paul T.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Nazareth P. 
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Yabina L. 
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Brian M.
23.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ester S. 
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Prepositions avant and devant
In general avant and devant are translated into English as “before”. In French, however, these prepositions can have a different meaning – so we use avant when we refer to time and devant when we refer to space.
| Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Temporal relationship | Quitter le cinéma avant la fin du film. Sophie se brosse les dents avant d’aller se coucher. | Leaving the cinema before the end of the film. Sophie brushes her teeth before she goes to bed. |
Spatial relationship | Attendre son ami devant le cinéma. Il attend tous les jours devant la boulangerie. | To wait for your friend in front of the cinema. He waits every day in front of the bakery. |
Prepositions afin/avant + Infinitive
If afin and avant are used in front of an infinitive, you have to regard that de is placed between the preposition and the infinitve:
- avant le repas → before the meal
- avant de manger → before the meal
Prepositions with verbs
Some French verbs can be followed by an infinitive and linked to it by either de or à, or no preposition at all:
| Verb + Preposition | Translation |
|---|---|
| apprendre à faire qc | learn to do something |
| arriver à faire qc | reach to do something |
| assister à qc | to attend something |
| chercher à faire qc | look to do something |
| choisir de faire qc | choose to do something |
| commander à qn de faire qc | order someone to do something |
| commencer à / de faire qc | beginning to do something |
| continuer à / de faire qc | continue to do something |
| décider de faire qc | decide to do something |
| défendre qc à qn | defend something from someone |
| demander à qn de faire qc | require something from someone |
| penser à qc / qn | think of someone/something |
| répondre à qc / qn | answer something/someone |
| téléphoner à qn | to call someone |
| voler qc à qn | steal something from someone |
Prepositions with adjectives
Just like verbs, some French adjectives can be linked to what follows by either à or de:
| Adjective + Preposition | Translation |
|---|---|
| être capable de faire | being able to do |
| être certain de faire | being certain to do |
| être content de faire qc | being satisfied to do something |
| être exclu de qc | being excluded from something |
| être heureux de faire qc | being happy to do |
| être impatient de faire | being impatient to do |
| être incapable de faire | being incapable to do |
| être nécessaire à qc | being necessary to do sth |
| être prêt à faire qc | being ready to do |
| être responsable de qc | being responsible to do |
| être satisfait de qc | being satisfied to do |
| être seul à faire qc | being alone with doing sth |
Exercises
- Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
- Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
Exercises
- Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
- Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
Fill in the blank about French exceptional prepositions
Quiz about the French exceptional prepositions
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
I. M.
She is a very nice person and a great teacher. She is able to make you learn grammar while speaking and writing. I think that's amazing to find a teacher like her because learning becomes funny and seems to be easy. I hope to learn french as well as she speaks it. I found a teacher and at the same time a friend who lives far form me,that speaks another language and that I couldn't have found in any other way. I absolutely recommend her!
Natalia L.
Irene is a great student, I have seen her French improving very fast. She is able to speak about many different topics and give her opinion in a very detailed way. We are working in improving her writing skills and I see how she is doing better and better very quickly. Congratulations for all your work Irene!
Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
J. V.
I was so pleased with my lesson with Katia. She speaks a clear French that is easy to follow and handles the technology brilliantly. She is a good listener and instantly types up vocabulary words, generating a list so I could reinforce and see what I had learned. I was really impressed. I highly recommend her for learning French.
Katia H.
Italian for you!
A. L.
Stefania is an experienced Italian teacher and native speaker. She designs her classes in a flexible and dynamic way and takes a communicative approach. She provided self-made teaching material and focusses on speaking, always considering her student's level and individual needs.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Scermino S.
Hi
I am Kelly, i teach frenhc in Switzerland and online. I've experience since many years.
I can help you for DELF/ DALF, pass an exam, or for professional goals.
J. .
Kelly is always on time, patient and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She is a good teacher and I recommend her. Kelly is always on time, is patient, and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She's a great teacher and I recommend her.
Kelly P.
Thanks Jo. I am also very happy to have you as a student.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
F. S.
Tiska has patience and is a very friendly and nice teacher. She always has a structure for each lesson and certainly accommodates when there is something specific I’d like to focus on. I definitely recommend her.
Tiska G.
Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
F. .
We are an Italian family residing in France for 3 months, we have two 10 year old children who have just started attending CM1. We asked Natalia to give the children two lessons a week to speed up their learning. We are super happy with the choice. Nous sommes une famille italienne résidant en France depuis janvier, nous avons deux enfants de 10 ans qui viennent de commencer la CM1. Nous avons demandé à Natalia de leur donner deux leçons par semaine pour accélérer leur apprentissage. Nous sommes super contents de Natalia. We are an Italian family living in France since 3 months, we have two 10 year old children who have just started attending CM1. We asked Natalia to give the kids two lessons a week to speed up their learning. We are super happy with this choice.
Fabrizio's children are learning French very fast, I have the impression that these lessons online have been helpful for them and I am sure they will master the language easily. They are very interested in learning.
Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
M. C.
Natalia is wonderful! I can't recommend her enough! She is thoughtful, considerate, patient, and flexible! I always look forward to her lessons and I have learned a lot in a short time. I can't wait to see how fluent I can become with her as my teacher!
Marissa is a very nice and motivated student. It is very pleasant to talk with her and to teach her. I hope to be able to accompany her throughout the whole process for the presentation of her exam, which she will undoubtedly pass with a good result.
english teacher
G. P.
Hadjer is a teacher in a middle school. Before that, she was working in a high school. In addition to school-based classes, she has taught English on many online platforms. Her teaching method is efficient and innovative, and the teaching materials she uses belong to the school. In her, you will find a well-prepared, expert, and friendly teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
A. .
I am very happy with Tiska's lessons, they are well-structured and interesting. She gives some homework, so I can continue my practice after the lesson. I strongly recommend her as a teacher.
Tiska G.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
M. K.
Hella is a very easy-going and open-minded person. She asked me to introduce myself and was in the process of determining my level of French, which was fine. Then she introduced herself and described her teaching model, which I found to be very sensible. We have also expressed the objectives. I believe I can reach them with Hella's help. Looking forward to our next lessons!
Hella K.
Hi! My name is Tiphaine, I'm french, I'm 37 years old and I live in Seville.
I grew up in the outside of Paris, I travelled all over the world and I live in Spain for 10 years now.
I'm a musician, a dancer and I love to cook and hike.
I'm a french teacher, and it's my passion! I speak 3 languages, and thanks to my learning I was able to live amazing experiences in many countries.
That's why I became a teacher, to be able to share with you my love for french language and culture and to guide you in your progress.
For me, each language is a way of seeing and interpreting the world, as glasses of different colors.
Understanding the way a language works is understanding how its people see things; it's such a exciting process, I can't wait to share it with you!
I have more than 8 years experience, in schools, companies and universities.
I work with people from all ages, beginners to advanced. I know most of french manuals.
I can prepare you to DELF and DALF exams. I also have a specialization in french for specific goals and french business.
I can offer you thematic courses, to improve your pronunciation, increase your vocabulary, prepare you for traveling or for a new job.
All my classes are in french, I adapt my vocabulary and speech speed according to your level.
I also adapt my method to your needs, personality, to take the best advantage of my classes and your french learning.
I use diversified ressources, from quizz to podcasts, videos, songs and games.
Whatever are your motivations, if you want to learn french in a pleasurable and rewarding way, book a class with me!
J. M.
The strategy of Tiphaine is simple but very effective. She assess each students by understanding their needs and goals first. What I enjoy most is I get to speak french with her more than I did in my other french classes. She also give life advices on the side. :)
Tiphaine R.
My name is Curtis Davies, I'm a native English speaker and professional language coach from Canada. I'm also the host of "The Real English Conversations Podcast". I’ve helped thousands of students improve their English skills since 2013, specifically with confidence, speaking fluency, and pronunciation to feel 100% comfortable communicating in English in any situation.
You can be sure that our lessons will be focused on the areas that you are most concerned about improving as we discuss interesting topics that you will enjoy talking about. Together, we can create a customized study plan that surely will help you reach your goals and finally feel good about your English communication.
I'm A personal trainer for English communication in Real-World situations. My lessons focus on helping you to improve your speaking fluency, pronunciation, confidence and to be prepared for everyday social interactions, casual conversations, communicating better in English at work, and even preparing you for an important interview or presentation.
What To Expect: Professional Help NOT just Conversation Practice
I'm a specialist that cares about YOU achieving your goals I will evaluate you first, then we work together as a team to create a FUN learning strategy or plan so 100% of your classes are exciting BUT focused on where you need the most practice and attention
G. P.
Curtis is a Canadian teacher with years of experience in teaching English. He is a real motivator and with him, you will improve lesson by lesson and reach your goals. His teaching techniques and strategies are based on his years of coaching and experience. If you want an English motivator, Curtis is the ideal teacher for you.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Curtis D.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
R. T.
Very helpfull teacher with excellent tips on how to improve your french. The informal style has a lot of merit and can help you aquire the language in a natural, unstructured and unforced fashion. Recommended for anyone who prefers a learn by doing approach.
Hella K.