French Prepositions Explained Clearly (Finally!)

Introduction: The Mystery of French Prepositions—And Why They Matter in Real Life

Let’s set the scene: You’re sipping espresso at a sidewalk café in Berkeley, chatting with a new French-speaking friend you met through a language exchange. You want to say “I’m thinking about Paris” but pause, unsure—do you say de Paris? à Paris? en Paris? Suddenly, your casual sentence has turned into a grammar puzzle.

If you’ve ever studied French—even briefly—you’ve probably wrestled with the elusive preposition. Tiny, slippery, and seemingly inconsistent, French prepositions are the ninjas of the language world: silent, swift, and capable of undermining an otherwise perfect sentence. And when you add in idiomatic phrases, regional nuances, and context-specific rules, the challenge deepens.

Whether you’re commuting from Oakland to your French class in San Francisco or ordering a baguette in a Napa wine village, mastering prepositions is one of the key steps toward sounding natural and confident. Prepositions are connectors: they tie thoughts together, clarify relationships, and shape meaning. Yet in most classrooms, they’re brushed past as “small words” when in fact they’re foundational.

At Polyglottist Language Academy, where we offer immersive French classes in Berkeley and beyond, students often say that prepositions are their biggest source of confusion—and their biggest breakthrough moment once they click. We created this guide because we believe you deserve a clear, culturally informed, and finally (!) easy-to-grasp explanation of how prepositions actually work.

Prepositions aren’t glamorous. You won’t see them highlighted on Instagram or printed on tote bags like bonjour or amour. But they do something far more powerful—they bring fluency to life. They're in every sentence, every conversation, every café order and plane ticket. They shape meaning in ways you don't always realize until you're misunderstood—like saying je pense de toi instead of je pense à toi (a mistake that changes “I’m thinking about you” into “I have an opinion about you”—a very different vibe).

Here in the Bay Area, where global conversations happen over pour-over coffee and weekend hikes, prepositions also help you participate in French culture without flying across the Atlantic. Whether you're at a San Jose tech mixer with French expats, browsing books at a French bookstore in San Francisco, or attending a French film night in Oakland, you'll hear native speakers using prepositions in quick, fluid, seemingly effortless ways. That ease comes from familiarity, not magic—and it’s something you can absolutely learn.

This guide isn’t just about grammar; it’s about confidence. It’s about helping you sound like you belong in the room—whether that room is a classroom, a conference in Paris, or a Thursday night wine tasting in downtown Berkeley. By the end, you’ll see why these “little words” deserve your big attention.

What Makes French Prepositions So Confusing (Especially for English Speakers)?

They don’t translate one-to-one

English prepositions like “in,” “on,” and “at” do a lot of heavy lifting. In French, each use has a more specific counterpart:

  • “In the house” = dans la maison

  • “In summer” = en été

  • “In Paris” = à Paris

What seems intuitive in English can become wildly unpredictable in French unless you’ve seen it used in context.

They’re deeply idiomatic

Expressions like tomber amoureux de (“to fall in love with”) or avoir besoin de (“to need”) don’t follow direct logic. They’re set phrases passed down through culture, and often require memorization.

You don’t just “talk” in French—you parles de quelque chose. That tiny de reveals emotional investment, distance, or possession. It changes the tone entirely.

They shape verbs

French verbs often require a specific preposition—sometimes unpredictably:

  • penser à = to think about

  • parler de = to talk about

  • s’intéresser à = to be interested in

And switching the preposition changes meaning. Je pense à lui (I’m thinking about him) vs. Je pense de lui (I have an opinion of him) could be the difference between romance and criticism!

A Quick Guide to Common French Prepositions

🟨 À – at, to, in

  • Je vais à San Francisco.

  • Je pense à mon voyage.

Used for cities, times, destinations, and indirect objects. Think of it as pointing toward something.

🟧 De – from, of, about

  • Le vin de Napa

  • Je parle de ma famille

Indicates origin, ownership, emotion, and more. It’s one of the most flexible prepositions in French.

🟪 En – in (months, years, transportation)

  • en octobre, en bus, en France

Used for abstract or general references. You’re immersed in something.

🟦 Dans – in (specific, concrete)

  • Dans une heure, dans la voiture

Implies physical space or a limited timeframe. You’re physically or temporally inside something.

🟫 Sur – on, about

  • Le livre est sur la table, une émission sur la musique

Used both literally and figuratively. Useful for technology too: sur internet.

🟩 Chez – at someone’s place

  • chez moi, chez le médecin

Very French and highly expressive. Often appears in conversation: On va chez Paul ce soir ?

Why Prepositions Matter—Especially in San Francisco and Berkeley

In multilingual communities like Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco, where French is part of food, wine, and international culture, prepositions aren’t just grammatical—they’re social.

Whether you're navigating a French film festival in San Francisco or attending a French Meetup group in downtown Oakland, these small words will either make or break your fluency.

Polyglottist Language Academy sees prepositions as a key marker of progress. When students get them right, they go from “student French” to conversational elegance.

How to Get Started with Prepositions from Oakland or San Jose

1. Learn verb-preposition pairs together

  • s’occuper de = to take care of

  • rêver de = to dream of

  • répondre à = to respond to

2. Practice with full expressions

Instead of memorizing lists, use real phrases:

  • Je vais à la bibliothèque.

  • Nous parlons de notre projet.

3. Talk about your Bay Area routine

  • Je travaille à San Jose.

  • Je prends le BART dans la matinée.

4. Listen and repeat

Find prepositions in context via podcasts, YouTube videos, and films. Mimic, don’t memorize.

Why Polyglottist Language Academy Emphasizes Prepositions

In our French classes in Berkeley and San Jose, we take time to teach the role of prepositions in conversation. We use real-world dialogues, interactive storytelling, and games that help you internalize usage naturally.

Our mission? To move you beyond textbook French and into true fluency—starting with the smallest words that make the biggest difference.

👉 Sign up for French classes now

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