Prepositions

Question 1

Under

Answer 1

sous

Question 2

On/ on top of

Answer 2

sur

Question 3

next to

Answer 3

à côté de

Question 4

in

Answer 4

dans

Question 5

in front of

Answer 5

devant (always used without ‘de’)

Question 6

behind

Answer 6

derrière (used without ‘de’)

Question 7

What are the five ways of saying ‘to the’ in french?

Answer 7

à la
à l'
au
aux
chez

Question 8

When do you use ‘à la’ as a proposition?

Answer 8

When the word that follows is FEMININE

Question 9

When do you use ‘à l’ ‘ as a preposition?

Answer 9

When the word that follows begins with an ‘h’ or with a vowel

Question 10

When do you use ‘au’ as a preposition?

Answer 10

When the word that follows is MASCULIN

Question 11

When do you use ‘chez’ as a preposition?

Answer 11

When you are referring to the home/place of a person. You describe the place you are going as the person’s place. For example, the doctor’s or your friend’s house.

Question 12

When do you use ‘aux’ as a preposition?

Answer 12

When the word that follows is a PLURAL

Question 13

Give some examples of using ‘chez’ as a preposition

Answer 13

They are going to my aunt’s house -
Ils vont chez ma tante

They are going to my house -
Ils vont chez moi

• You do not need to use à la or à l’ when you are referring to a person’s house or place-

I am going to the dentist -
je vais chez le dentiste

These require ‘le’ or ‘la’ because they are referring to the physical person (the doctor or dentist) as well as the place.

Question 14

Show how the preposition ‘De’ is contracted.

Answer 14

de + le —> du

de + les —> des

de + la —> de l’ (if followed by ‘h’ or vowel)

Question 15

Give the ways in which ‘de’ is used in conjunction with prepositions of place.

Answer 15

Près de - near to 
à côté de - next to 
en face de - facing
à droite de - to the right of
à gauche de - to the left of
loin de - far from
en bas de - at the bottom of

Question 16

Show how ‘de’ is used in terms of distance and place.

Answer 16

Provenance (from):
il revient de france -
he comes back from france

Point de départ (starting point):
De bordeaux à toulouse, il y a environ 250km -
From bordeaux to toulouse, there is about 250km

Question 17

Give some examples of how ‘de’ is used in terms of quantity.

Answer 17

beaucoup de - a lot of
un peu de - a bit of 
1kg de - 1kg of
un tasse de -  a cup of
un verre de - a glass of

Question 18

Show how ‘de’ is used with some verbs.

Answer 18

parler de - to talk of/about something
se soucier de - to worry about something
se moquer de - to mock something
déprendre de - to get rid of

NOTE:
parler can be used with ‘à’ as well.
Parler à quelqu’un -
talking to someone

parler de quelqu’un -
talking of someone

Question 19

Show how ‘de’ can be used for possession.

Answer 19

le frère de paul -

the brother of paul

Question 20

Show how ‘de’ can be used after adjectives.

Answer 20

Elle est fière de ses enfants -
she is proud of her children

il est content de son école -
he is happy with his school (literally: he is happy of his school)

Question 21

Underneath

Answer 21

dessous

Question 22

On top of

Answer 22

dessus