Contractions (au, du, aux, des) & Prepositions of Place
Les contractions (au, du, aux, des) et les prépositions de lieu • A1 • 12 cartes
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Exemples
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à + le = au
Contraction of 'à' (at/to) and 'le' (masculine singular definite article)
📌 Note de grammaire
When the preposition 'à' is followed by the masculine singular definite article 'le', they must contract into 'au'. Never write 'à le'.
Exemple
à + les = aux
Contraction of 'à' (at/to) and 'les' (plural definite article)
📌 Note de grammaire
When the preposition 'à' is followed by the plural definite article 'les', they contract into 'aux'. This applies to all plural nouns regardless of gender.
Exemple
de + le = du
Contraction of 'de' (of/from) and 'le' (masculine singular definite article)
📌 Note de grammaire
When the preposition 'de' is followed by the masculine singular definite article 'le', they contract into 'du'. Never write 'de le'.
Exemple
de + les = des
Contraction of 'de' (of/from) and 'les' (plural definite article)
📌 Note de grammaire
When the preposition 'de' meets the plural definite article 'les', they contract into 'des'. Note that 'des' is also used as the indefinite plural article ('some').
Exemple
à la & à l'
Preposition 'à' with feminine singular and vowel-starting nouns
📌 Note de grammaire
The preposition 'à' does NOT contract with 'la' (feminine singular) or 'l'' (before a mute h or vowel). It remains separate: 'à la' or 'à l'.
Exemple
de la & de l'
Preposition 'de' with feminine singular and vowel-starting nouns
📌 Note de grammaire
Like 'à', the preposition 'de' does NOT contract with feminine singular 'la' or 'l'' before vowels/silent h. It stays 'de la' or 'de l'.
Exemple
à + cities = à
Preposition used before city names
📌 Note de grammaire
Use the simple preposition 'à' before city names to mean 'in' or 'to'. No article or contraction is used with standard cities.
Exemple
en vs au/aux (Countries)
Prepositions of place with feminine and masculine countries
📌 Note de grammaire
Use 'en' before feminine countries (ending in -e, e.g., la France -> en France). Use 'au' before masculine countries (e.g., le Japon -> au Japon). Use 'aux' before plural countries (les États-Unis -> aux États-Unis).
Exemple
dans
Preposition of place meaning 'in' or 'inside'
📌 Note de grammaire
'Dans' indicates a physical interior space, often followed by an article (like 'la', 'le', 'les'). It translates directly to 'in' or 'inside'.
Exemple
sur
Preposition of place meaning 'on' or 'upon'
📌 Note de grammaire
'Sur' indicates that an object is positioned on top of a surface. It is followed by an article or possessive adjective.
Exemple
sous
Preposition of place meaning 'under' or 'beneath'
📌 Note de grammaire
'Sous' indicates that an object is underneath another surface or object. It is followed by a definite article.
Exemple
à côté de
Prepositional phrase meaning 'next to' or 'beside'
📌 Note de grammaire
'À côté de' is a compound preposition meaning 'next to'. When followed by 'le' or 'les', it contracts ('à côté du', 'à côté des'). It does not contract with 'la' or 'l'.
Exemple
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