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Below is a list of the most commonly used words, the scope of which is: Prepositions. The table below has 3 columns (Russian, French and pronunciation). Try to repeat the words after listening. This will help you improve your pronunciation and also remember the word better.

List of adjectives

Here is a list of sentences containing several of the vocabulary items shown above on the topic: Prepositions. Sentences are added to help you understand how the structure of an entire sentence can affect the function and meaning of individual words.

Prepositions with examples

This is a list of vocabulary directions. If you learn the following words by heart, it will make your conversations with the natives much easier and more enjoyable.

Vocabulary Directions

Daily Talk

French phrases

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Malgré des essais prometteurs, notre champion a échoué. Despite promising preliminary results, our champion failed.
Malgré - a simple preposition introduces an adverbial object of opposition
Ouvert de 9 heures à 18 heures. Open from 9 am to 6 pm.

de / à simple prepositions introduce an adverbial object of time
What is a preposition?
□ A preposition is an unchangeable word that connects other words in a sentence and shows how they relate to each other.
Posez ce dossier de candidature sur le bureau dans l'entrée. Place this personal file on the table in the reception area. An addition introduced by prepositions can be:
- noun: J "utilise une calculatrice à mémoire. I use an electronic adding machine
- pronoun: C’est à vous que je m’adresse. It is to you that I address myself;
- adjective: Quoi de neuf? What's new?
- infinitive: Un fer à repasser iron (un fer “something made of iron” and repasser “to iron”)
□ Simple prepositions: à in, on, après after, avant before, avec with, chez at, contre against, dans in, de of depuis with, during, derrière behind, dès with, devant in front of, en for, in, en outre in addition, envers in relation to, hormis except, hors out, pour for, so that, jusque to, malgré despite, par by, parmi among, sans without, sauf except, selon according to, sous under, sur on, vers k, etc.
□ Prepositions-participles: attendu in anticipation, excepté except, in compris including, sopsetap relatively, durant during, étant donné considering, moyennant by means of, suivant following, etc.
□ Complex prepositions play the same role as simple ones, but consist of several words (à cause de because of, à côté de next to, afin de with the purpose of, au-dedans de inside, au lieu de instead of auprès de at, faute de for lack, hors de out, jusqu'à before, quant à as for, etc.
Using prepositions
□ The adverbial object of place is introduced by the following simple and complex prepositions: à in, on, chez y, contre against, dam in, de from, derrière behind, devant in front, en behind, in, entre between, hors outside, autre except, par by , parmi among, pour for, sous under, suivant by, sur on, vers to, via through, au-dessus de above, autour de around, hors de outside, loin de far, près de okshho, à travers through, au- delà de for, le long de along, etc.
Je vais chez le coiffeur. I'm going to the hairdresser. Je ferai une pause entre Paris et Bordeaux. I will make a stop between Paris and Bordeaux.
□ The adverbial complement of time is introduced by the following simple and complex prepositions: à in, après after, avant before, dans through, de with, depuis during, dès since, durant during, en for, entre between, par in, pendant during , pour to, sous in, sur on, vers to, en attendant in anticipation, etc. Elle Va quitté depuis des années. She left him many years ago. Il gagne 1200 € par mois. He earns 1200 euros per month.
□ The adverbial addition of the image and method of action is introduced by the following simple and complex prepositions: à on, avec with, contre in comparison, dans in, de from, en from, ès (en les) in, moyennant by means of, par by means of, pour for, sans without, suivant by, sur on, à la manière de as, à l'aide de by, au moyen de by, etc.
Aller à cheval. To ride (on a horse). J "écoute avec attention. I listen carefully (with attention). Docteur ès sciences. Candidate of Sciences. Je le prends par la main. I take his hand.
The adverbial object of opposition is introduced by the following simple and complex prepositions: avec with, contre on the contrary, malgré despite, en dépit de in spite of, etc. Avec tout son travail, il n "a pas réussi. Despite all his efforts, he was not successful .
Il a réussi envers et contre tous. He achieved success against everyone and everything.
Malgré mon intervention, cela n’a pas fonctionné. Despite my intervention, it didn't work.
a et de
The following verbs are used with the preposition o before the infinitive: accoutumer to accustom to, s"appliquer to try, s"apprêter to prepare for, aspirer to strive for, autoriser to resolve, se borner to limit oneself, chercher to strive, se complaire to enjoy, consentir to agree, se décider to decide, exhorter to call, s"offrir to propose, penser to think about, renoncer to refuse, se résigner to submit, se résoudre to decide, se risquer to take risks, etc.
The following verbs require the use of de before the infinitive: appréhender to prohibit, s"aviser to come to your senses, brûler to burn with desire, se contenter to be satisfied, convaincre to convince, convenir to negotiate, décider to decide, désespérer to despair, dispenser to free, dissuader to dissuade, empêcher to interfere, entreprendre to undertake, éviter to avoid , frémir to tremble, se garder to beware, se hâter to hurry, manquer to miss, se mêler to interfere, persuader to persuade, presser to hurry, rougir to blush for, etc.
■ prêt à and près de
Prêt à is used to mean ready for. Nous sommes prêts à vous recevoir. We are ready to receive you.
Le cycliste est prêt à l "abandon. The cyclist is ready to quit the race.
Près de is used to mean close to, next to, near.
Il est près d'abandonner. He is ready to refuse.
Ib sont près de cent à participer à cette course. About a hundred people will take part in the race.
■ au travers and à travers
Au travers requires the preposition de after itself. Elle observe la rue au travers d"un rideau ajouré. She watches the street through the lace curtains.
À travers is used without a preposition.
Il marchait à travers champs. He walked straight

The preposition “de” - from, from, about.
It serves for education:
- indirect object to the verb:
Le père et la mère doivent tous s’occuper des enfants. The father and mother should both care for the child.
- agential complement in the passive voice after verbs expressing feeling:
Il est très estimé de ses collègues. He is respected by his colleagues.
- adverb complements: adverb + de + noun:
Il a acheté beaucoup de fleurs. He bought a lot of flowers.
Combien de jours as-tu passés à Berlin ? How many days did you spend in Berlin?
- additions to an adjective or participle:
Elle très contente de son travaille. She is very pleased with her job.
La pièse est innondée du soleil. The room is flooded with sun.
The preposition “De” merges with the definite article “le”, “les”, forming the fused article “du”, “des”:
Il parle du travail des collègues. He talks about the work of his colleagues.
When it forms the object of a noun, the preposition indicates:
- what the item contains:
J'ai bu une tasse de café avant d'aller au travail. I drank a cup of coffee before leaving for work.
- belonging, possession:
La maison de son grand-père était très vieille. His grandfather's house was very old.
Il a pris le cahier de son fils. He took his son's notebook.
- quantity, measure of something:
Achète un kilo de poires et un paquet de lait. Buy a kilo of pears and a carton of milk.
Prends aussi une bouteille de vin. Buy a bottle of wine too.

But:
After the words la plupart, le reste, la moitié, une partie, bien, the preposition “de” and the definite article are used:
Half of something, most, remainder, part, a lot of something.
La plupart des enfants fréquentent l’école maternelle. Most children go to kindergarten.
- price, weight, cost:
Un billet de 100 euros - 100 euro bill, un melon de 2 kilos - 2 kg melon
- abstract characteristic:
Un peintre de talent - A talented artist, un homme de coeur - a kind-hearted person.
- material, substance:
Il a obtenu la médaille d’or. He received a gold medal.
Elle porte un pulle de laine et un pantalon de cuir. She wears a wool jumper and leather trousers.
Instead of the preposition “de” to express the direct meaning, you can use the preposition “en”:
Le pull en laine - Woolen jumper, la médaille en or - gold medal, un pantalon en cuir - leather pants;
To convey a figurative meaning, only “de” is used:
Un caractère d’or - Golden character, une femme de coeur - a kind-hearted woman.
- definition to the addition, expressing various relationships: name, type, genre:
Une salle d’attente - Waiting room, salle de conférence - conference room - appointment;
Un chien de chasse - Hunting dog - species;
La musiaue de chambre - Chamber music - genre.
“De” is used after the negation of “rien” and the expression “quelque chose”:
Rien de grave. Nothing serious. Rien d'intéressant. Nothing interesting.
Dites-lui quelque chose de bon pour la consoler. Say something nice to her to calm her down.
When he introduces a circumstance, the "de" preposition expresses:
- origin, starting point, removal in time or space:
Elle est de Marseille. She (come) from Marseille.
Il revient de Belgique dans une semaine. He returns from Belgium in a week.
If the name of a country is feminine or masculine, starting with a vowel, then in the assignment “of” only the preposition “de” is used:
De France - From France, d’Irac - from Iraq.
In other cases, the continuous article “du”, “des” is used:
Elle est venue de Maroc. She came from Morocco. La délégation arrive des Etats Unis. The delegation arrives from the USA.
- reason:
La femme pleurait de joie. The woman cried with joy. Il est devenu rouge de colère. He turned red with anger.
Usually they use “de” + a noun without an article when talking about abstract concepts:
Mourir de peur - Die from fear, de fatigue - from fatigue, d’ennui - from boredom...
- method, tool:
Montrer du doigt - Point with your finger, chercher des yeux - look with your eyes, jouer du violon - play the violin, de la guitare - play the guitar
- manner:
Elle parlait d'une voix tremblante. She spoke in a trembling voice. A ses 80 ans il marche d'un bon pas. At 80 years old, he still walks quite quickly.
- measure
Il a grandi de 20 centimètres en deux ans. He grew 20 centimeters in two years.
- quantity:
Il y a trop de dumée ici. There's too much smoke here.
Une foule de gens se pressait devant la porte. A crowd of people stood in front of the door.
The combination of the prepositions “à” and “de” means a restriction between two elements:
- in time:
Le magasin ouvre ses portes de 9 à 21 heures de lundi au samedi inclu. The store is open from 9 am to 9 pm from Monday to Saturday.
- in space:
Il y a une centaine de mètres de ma maison au métro. There are a hundred meters from my house to the metro.
- in quantity:
La voiture peut contenir de 2 à 5 gens. The car can accommodate from 2 to 5 people.
- in price:
Au marché les pommes coûtent de 7 à 12 euros. At the market, apples cost from 7 to 12 euros.

In negative sentences, after most verbs, only the preposition “de” is used to indicate complete negation if the noun is used with an indefinite article:
Ils n'ont pas d'enfants. They have no children.
J'ai acheté des fleures mais je n'ai pas acheté de vin. I bought flowers but didn't buy wine.
Ma fille ne mange de pain. My daughter doesn't eat bread.
After the verbs “aimer, adorer, préférer, détester” the definite article is used in the negative form, because We are talking about a concept, not a specific substance:
Je n'aime pas les oranges. I don't like oranges.
Il détestait les jeux cruels. He hates violent games.

Used after the verb “faire” and the impersonal phrase “il y a,” the preposition “de” most often merges with the definite articles “le” and “les,” forming the fused article “du” and “des.”
Il fait de la journalisme. He is engaged in journalism.
Il y a du brouillard et du vent aujourd'hui. Today is foggy and windy.

The “De” preposition is part of the partial article “du, de l’, des”, which is used before uncountable nouns to denote an indefinite amount of a substance:
Achèt du pain, de l'huile et du lait. Buy bread, butter and milk.

The preposition has no independent use, but it simultaneously establishes a syntactic (connects two members of a sentence) and semantic (gives meaning) relationship between two words in a sentence.

The preposition can only be used:
With nouns or proper names. Ce sont des cadeaux pour mon frère/ pour Jean. These are gifts for my brother/for Jean
With pronouns. Cette fleur est pour toi, ma chérie. This flower is for you, my dear.
With present or past infinitives. Je suis ravie d'avoir reçu tes lettres. I am happy when I receive your letters. Enchantée de vous voir ici. Nice to see you here.
With adjectives. C'est toujours plus facile à dire qu'à faire. It's always easier said than done.
So, what are prepositions used for? It can be used to express various relationships, for example:
Possessions: la guitare de mon mari (the guitar that belongs to my husband), la cire à modeler de son frère cadet (the clay that belongs to her younger brother)
Purpose, use: une tasse à café (coffee cup)
Time: je ferai ce travail à la fin de l’été (when it is the end of summer)
Prepositions have forms and they can be:
In simple words: (à, dans, par, sur, de, chez, pour, en, vers, avec, etc)
In compound words: (à travers de, auprès de, faut de, à cause de, à partir de, jusqu’à, etc)
Active participles: (suivant, durant) or passive participles: (exepté)

Preposition - in, on, with… “à”
It serves to form an indirect object (most often it answers the question of the dative case in Russian: to whom? to what?) and is used:
With a verb: A l’école primaire on apprend à lire et à écrire. In elementary school they teach reading and writing.
With a noun: je donne cette glace à ma fille I give this portion of ice cream to my daughter.
With adverb: J'ai beaucoup à lire. I need to read a lot.
With an adjective: Le chinois n’est pas facile à apprendre. Chinese is not an easy language to learn.

When this preposition forms an object with a noun, it conveys:
- the idea of ​​purpose, use: une tasse à café - a cup for coffee (a cup in which coffee is served), une assiette à soupe - a plate for soup (a plate in which soup is served).
Do not confuse constructions with the preposition “de”, which mean: une tqsse de café (pleine) cup (full) of coffee; une assiette de soupe (pleine) a plate (full) of soup.
- the idea of ​​the definition: une jeune fille aux yeux bleus - a girl with blue eyes; un garçon à la casquette - a boy in a cap.
When he introduces a circumstance, he conveys:
- idea of ​​location (currently or direction): Nous allons à Varsovie. We are going to Warsaw. Je travaille à la bibliothèque. I work in a library.
- the idea of ​​distance: L’école est à deux kilomètre de ma maison. The school is located two kilometers from my house.
- idea of ​​time: Je reviens à minuit. I'm coming back at midnight. A bientôt. See you. A demain. Till tomorrow. A mardi. Till Tuesday.
- the idea of ​​space: A deux pas d’ici. Two steps from here. A trois jours de navigation. Three days of sailing.
- idea of ​​measure: Vous vendez les fruits au poids ou à la pièce? Do you sell fruit by weight or by piece?
- the idea of ​​a mode of action: Etre à la mode. Be in fashion. Parler à voix basse. Speak in a low voice.
- the idea of ​​accompaniment, accompaniment: Un coq au vin rouge. Rooster in red wine. Un gateaux à la crème. Cake with cream.
- the idea of ​​belonging (with the verb “être”): Ce portable est à ma bru. This mobile phone belongs to my sister-in-law.
- idea of ​​​​functioning: Le fournaue à gaz. Gas stove. Le moulin a vent. Windmill.

Before masculine country names beginning with a consonant to indicate location or direction:
Mes neveux vivent au Viêt-nam. My nephews live in Vietnam. Ma belle-mère va au Brésil. My mother-in-law is going to Brazil.
In some colloquial expressions:
- Au voleur! Stop the thief! A l'aide! Help! Au secours! For help!
- A table! Please come to the table!
- A votre santé! For your health! A votre! For yours (when they clink glasses).
- A vos souhaits! Be healthy! (when someone sneezes).
- Le fils à papa. Mama's boy (spoiled child).
- Travailler à la tête reposée. Work with a fresh mind.
- Dormir à poings refmés. To sleep deeply.
- A gauche. Left; à droite. right.

The preposition “à” merges with the definite article “le” and “les”, forming the forms of the fused article “au”, “aux”.
Some French verbs require the use of the preposition "à" before the indefinite form of the verb that follows it:
Start doing something - commencer; incite someone to do something - provoquer; help someone do something - aider; agree to something; do something - consentir; force someone to do something - obliger; teach someone to do something - apprendre; contribute to something - contributor; succeed - arriver, succeed in something - parvenir; prepare for something - se préparer; do something; strive to do something - aspirer; to condemn something - condamner; refuse to do something - renoncer; to address someone - s’adresser; to get used to someone - s"habituer, s"accoutumer, to do something; to be interested in someone - s’intéresser, in something; limit - se borner; invite to do something - inviter and many others.
Il continue à travailler à l’Université. He continues to work at the University. Je me suis déjà habituée à me choucher tard. I'm already used to going to bed late.

Preposition - in, on, for - “en”
The preposition "" is used mainly before a noun without an article to form an adverbial circumstance:
- places where they are going or where they live (before the names of feminine and masculine countries starting with a vowel):
J'habite en Pologne, mais je vais en misson en Irac. I live in Poland, but I'm going on a business trip to Iraq. Les enfants sont en classe. Children in class.
- abstract place:
En tête - In the head, en mémoire - in memory, en théorie - in theory, docteur en droit - doctor of law. Etre nul / être fotr en mathémqtiaue. Be a complete zero / be strong in mathematics. Lire et écrire en russe. Read and write in Russian.
- time (month, year, season):
Je suis née en octobre en automne en 1987. I was born in October, autumn, in 1987.

It is used to mean:
- duration of action:
Les ouvriers ont monté la machine en trois jours. Workers installed the mechanism in 3 days.
- mode of action:
Elles travaillaient en silence. They worked in silence. Etre en uniforme. Be in uniform. Couper le poulet en quatre morceaux. Cut the chicken into 4 pieces.
- thanks movement:
En avoin - By plane, en auto / voiture - by car, en train - by train, en bus - by bus, en métro - by metro, en tram - by tram, en trolleybus - by trolleybus, en bateau - by ship ( move in a closed space). This also includes - on roller skates: en rollers.
But: à pied - on foot, à cheval - on horseback, à moto - on a motorcycle, à vélo/ bicyclette - on a bicycle (move in open space)
Often the preposition “en” is used to convey various definitions and characteristics: une robe en soie - silk dress, une montre en or - gold watch, un mur en bois - wooden wall, un vase en verre - glass vase, une clé en fer - iron key, des gants en cuir - leather gloves - (literal meaning - the material from which a dress, clock, wall, etc. is made), un poème en prose - a poem in prose (characteristic), mourir en héros - to die hero (en=comme as hero).
But:
Le coeur d'or. Heart of gold, les cheveux d'or. golden hair (figuratively - “de”).
- physical and moral condition:
Mon époux était en colère. My husband was angry.
But:
Etre de bonne / mauvaise humeure. Be in a good/bad mood.
- with pronouns:
Je sens en lui de la force. I feel the strength in him.
You can say "woolen sweater" with the preposition "en" or "de". But if the subject is a pronoun, then only the preposition “en” can be used before the word denoting the material:
Regarde ce pull. Look at this sweater. Il est en laine, non? Is it wool?
In combination, the prepositions “de” and “en” mean sequential development:
Etre de plus en plus pauvre. Becoming poor. Son état s'améliorait d'heure en heure. Her condition improved every hour.
"En" is the only preposition that, when combined with an active participle, forms a gerund:
En lisant - Reading, en regardant - looking, en sortant - going out.
The preposition “en” is often used in colloquial expressions:
En un clin d'oeil. In an instant, instantly.
Couper un cheveu en quatre. To be clever, to be sophisticated, to engage in nonsense. (compliquer inutilement les choses)
Se deguiser en Zorro. Change clothes, dress up as Zorro.
En plain rue. In the middle of the street. En plain air. Open air. En plain figure. Right in the face.
Prendre qn en grippe. To dislike someone. (se mettre à le détester)
Etre en rapport avec qn. Be in contact with someone.
En plain mer. In the open sea. En plain nuit. In the middle of the night, at night. En plain jour. During the day.

There are no inflections in French, so the role of prepositions is especially important: they convey the relationships between words in a sentence.

Useful materials about prepositions:

Meaning and use of the most common prepositions
The prepositions à and de are used to express spatial, temporal and other relations.

A

1. Indicates the direction (where?):
Je vais à l"université.
I'm going to the university.

2. Indicates the location (where?):
Ils sont à Moscow.
They are in Moscow.

3. Serves to express dative case relations:
Il donne le livre à son camarade.
He gives the book to his friend.

4. Indicates the time of action (when?):
Les leçons commencent à 6 heures et demie.
Lessons start at half past six.

De

1. Indicates the point of departure (from where?):
Je reviens de l'université.
I'm returning from university.
Cette rue va de la place centrale à la gare.
This street goes from the central square to the station.

2. Indicates the place of origin (from where?):
Ils sont de Moscow.
They are from Moscow.

3. Indicates the beginning of the action (from what time?):
Il travaille de 8 heures jusqu"à 4 heures.
It works from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock.

4. Serves to express relations corresponding to the meanings of cases in the Russian language.
a) genitive:
Il prend le cahier de son camarade.
He takes his friend's notebook.
b) instrumental:
Le professeur est content de notre travail.
The teacher is pleased with our work.
c) prepositional:
Nous parlons de nos examens.
We are talking about our exams.

Relationships expressed by the preposition de are conveyed by Russian prepositions “from, from, with, about, to”, etc.

The prepositions à and de with a noun form a definition to another noun, denoting the quality of an object, its physical properties, purpose, material from which it is made, etc.; this definition is often translated into Russian as an adjective:

un acier de bonne qualité high quality steel
une table de bois wooden table
une machine à écrire typewriter
une brosse à dents toothbrush
une crème à chocolat chocolate cream

The preposition dans conveys spatial and temporal relations and is translated into Russian by the prepositions “in, on, through”:

Nous sommes dans la salle. We're in the audience.
Il travaille dans cette usine. He works at this factory.
La leçon va commencer dans 5 minutes. The lesson will start in 5 minutes.

The preposition en is used to indicate:

1. places and directions, corresponds to the preposition “in”:
Les enfants travaillent en classe. Children are studying in class.
Il va en France. He's going to France.

2. temporary relationships:
en hiver, en été, en automne - in winter, summer, autumn
(but: au printemps), en février, - (but: in spring), in February,
en 1998 - in 1998.

Il a fait ce travail en 3 jours. He completed this work in three days.

3. method and mode of action:
aller en trolleybus;voyager en auto? lire en français - ride a trolleybus, travel by car, read French

4. the material from which the item is made; in this case, a noun with the preposition en is often translated as an adjective:
une montre en argent - silver watch
un tuyau en verre - glass tube.