Prepositions

Question 1

dans

Answer 1

I. Physical location - “In (dans) the box”
II. Figurative location - “In (dans) the current situation”
III. Time - “During (dans) the day”

Question 2

à

Answer 2

I. Location or destination - “I live in (à)…”/”I’m going to (à)…”/”I’m at (à) the…”
II. Distance in time or space - “I live (à) 10 meters from (de) him”/”He is (à) 5 minutes from (de) me”
III. Point in time - “We arrive at (à) 5:00”/”He died at (à) the age of 92”
IV. Manner, style, or characteristic - “He lives in (à) the French style”/”Child with (aux) blue eyes”/”Made by (à) hand”/”To go on/by (à) foot”
V. Possession - “A friend of (à) mine”/”This is Jean’s book (Ce livre est à Jean)”
VI. Measurement - “To buy by the (au) kilogram”/”To pay by the (à la) week”
VII. Purpose or use - “Teacup / cup for (à) tea”/”Pack for the (à) back”
VIII. In the passive infinitive - “For (à) rent”/”I have nothing to (à) read”

Also required after verbs referring to an indirect object eg. “acheter à (to buy from)” or certain verbs and phrases followed by an infinitive “apprendre à (to learn how to)”

Question 3

avec

Answer 3

I. Accompaniment - I’ll go with (avec) you
II. Cause - One forgets everything with/in (avec) time.
III. Additions - I’m cold, and besides (avec) that I’m hungry.
IV. With a noun to translate many English adverbs - “Joyfully (avec joie)”

Question 4

de

Answer 4

I. Possession or belonging - “The book of (de) Paul”
II. Starting point or origin - “To leave from (de) Nice”
III. Contents / description of something - “Cup of (de) tea”
IV. Defining feature - “Classroom (une salle de classe)”
V. Cause “to die of / from (de) hunger”
VI. Means / manner of doing something - “to write with one’s left hand (écrire de la main gauche)”

Question 5

en

Answer 5

I. Location - “He is in (en) jail”
II. Time - “in (en) August”/”in (en) three days”
III. To do something like or as - “I’m speaking to you as-a (en) friend”/”He’s acting like-a (en) kid
IV. Means - “to travel by (en) train” - INSIDE not by bicycle etc.
V. Condition or appearance - “to be in (en) good health”/”to be in (en) pajamas”
VI. Transformation - “to translate into (en) French”/”to disguise oneself as… (en…)”/”to change a room into-an (en) office”
VII. Material - “Brick house (une maison en brique)”

Also required after certain verbs when they are followed by a noun