How To Express Location In French
Expressing location in French involves a set of nuanced rules that may seem trickier than in English.
This article aims to simplify these rules by breaking down the use of the French prepositions dans, en, and à.
All three can be used to express “in,” but each has very specific applications.
1. Dans: Inside or Known Location
Dans is used when referring to being inside or within a known location.
Examples:
Je suis dans la ville.
Mon portefeuille est dans ma poche.
2. À, Au, À l’, À la, Aux: General Location or Location without Boundaries
À, in its various forms, signifies being at a general location or a location without clear boundaries.
Examples:
Je suis à la campagne.
Je suis à la montagne.
3. En: Specific Usage
En is used for a specific location.
Examples:
Le voleur est en prison.
Where and when to use French prepositions
The table below provides a useful guide on where and when to use each preposition, based on the nuances of location, as well as the gender and number of the location noun.
| Location Nuance | Cities | Feminine countries/locations, or masculine locations starting with a vowel | Masculine locations not starting with a vowel | Plurals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In | à | en | au | aux |
| To | à | en | au | aux |
| From | de (d’) | de (d’) | du | des |
Sample sentences
Here are some example sentences demonstrating the application of these prepositions.
Nous sommes à Paris.
Ils viennent de Londres.
Ils arrivent en Espagne.
Vous vivez en Suisse.
Nous partons au Canada.
Je viens du Mexique.
Ils ont attéris aux Bahamas.
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