adminIn this article, you are going to learn different ways of translating “To” in French. I know that these little words (also called prepositions) can be a real pain for learners of French.
- “To” with places, direction
- “À” for cities
Ex: Je vais à Paris
I’m going to Paris
Ex: J’habite à Marseille
I live in Marseille
- “En” for feminine countries & countries starting with a vowel or h
Ex: Je vais en France/en Italie
I’m going to France/to Italy
Ex: Je vais en ville
I’m going to town
- “Au” for masculine countries
Ex: Je vais au Mexique
I go to Mexico
- “Au” for masculine places (shops, specific places etc…)
Ex: Je suis au stade de France
I’m at the “Stade de France”
- “À la” for feminine places (shops , specific places )
Ex: Je vais à la boulangerie/à la plage
I go to the bakery/to the beach
- “A l’ ” for places starting with H or a vowel (shops , specific places )
Ex: Je suis à l’hôtel / Je vais à l’Ambassade
I am at the hotel / I’m going to the Embassy
- “Chez” for the purpose of visiting someone
Ex: Je vais chez mes parents
I go to my parents
Note: “chez” is often used for going to specific shops. If we go to the butcher’s or the baker’s even though we don’t go to their house, but to their shop, we often say “Je vais chez le boucher, chez le boulanger”…(I go to the butcher’s or the baker’s)
- “To” between 2 verbs
- The second verb is in the infinitive form
Ex: Je veux/voudrais aller à Paris
I want /would like to go to Paris
Note: “aller” (to go) is in the infinitive form
- “To” expressing purpose
- Pour
Ex: Je suis en Angleterre pour apprendre l’anglais
I’m in England to learn English
- “To” following impersonal structures such as
It is possible to …It is difficult to …
- De
Ex: Est-ce que c’est possible de prendre une douche?
Is it possible to have a shower
Ex: C’est difficile de parler espagnol
It is difficult to speak Spanish
- “To” in toasts and dedications
- À
Ex: À mon frère (to my brother)
- “To” (Up to…)
- Jusqu’à
Ex: Jusqu’à la fin (up to the end)