French Prepositions of Place with Clear Examples

Prepositions of place tell you where something or someone is located. In French, they are short words that appear in almost every sentence involving location. Learning them early gives you a quick way to build useful sentences.

The most important prepositions of place

• a = at, in, to (for cities and places) → Je suis a Paris.
• en = in (for feminine countries and regions) → Elle habite en France.
• au = in, to (for masculine countries) → Il va au Japon.
• aux = in, to (for plural countries) → Nous allons aux Etats-Unis.
• dans = in, inside → Le chat est dans la boite.
• sur = on, on top of → Le livre est sur la table.
• sous = under → Le chien est sous le lit.
• devant = in front of → Je t’attends devant la gare.
• derriere = behind → Le parking est derriere le batiment.
• entre = between → La pharmacie est entre la boulangerie et le cafe.
• pres de = near → L’hotel est pres de la plage.
• loin de = far from → La gare est loin d’ici.
• a cote de = next to → Le supermarche est a cote de la poste.
• en face de = opposite, across from → L’eglise est en face de la mairie.

Asking where something is

• Ou est la gare ? = Where is the train station?
• Ou sont les toilettes ? = Where are the restrooms?
• C’est loin ? = Is it far?

Practical mini dialogue

A: Excuse-moi, ou est la pharmacie ?
B: Elle est en face du cafe, a cote de la banque.
A: C’est loin ?
B: Non, c’est tout pres, a deux minutes a pied.

Final tip

Practice prepositions of place by describing the room you are in right now. Place objects relative to each other: the phone is on the table, the bag is under the chair, the window is behind you. This kind of immediate, physical practice makes them stick fast.