French Grammar Explained /
Prepositions of place
Where is your hat?
On my head!
Where are your keys?
In my pocket!
Where are your friends?
Next to me!
Okay, you're ready...
...to go out!!
No, to talk about the prepositions of place in French!
Oh... alright...
In order to talk about where things are, where you are or where you are going, it's going to be useful! Look:
Je suis à côté de la Tour Eiffel.
I am next to the Eiffel Tower.
Wait a minute, I know this de... we've seen it earlier, it changes according to the gender of what's after, right?
Yes, let's say you are located next to le Sacré-Cœur...
Hm... je suis à côté du Sacré-Cœur ?
Correct! You continue your visit of Paris and now you are next to les Champs-Élysées...
Then... je suis à côté des Champs-Élysées?
Excellent !
However, I know myself, I won't be à côté des Champs-Élysées, but rather on Champs-Élysées shopping...
Good point. Then it's even easier:
Je suis sur les Champs-Élysées.
I am on Champs-Élysées street.
So, no de?
No, some prepositions don't need it:
sur
(on) | la table |
sous
(under) | la Tour Eiffel |
dans
(in) | un restaurant |
entre
(between) | mes parents |
devant
(in front of) | la télé |
derrière
(behind) | la voiture |
... and a few do:
à côté de
(next to) | la table |
en face des
(opposite) | parents (les parents) |
au coin du
(at the corner of) | restaurant (le restaurant) |
au-dessus d'
(above) | Avignon |
I need to put this dans ma tête now...