French grammar: prépositions de lieu

What this grammar point covers

Prepositions of place in French are words that show where something or someone is located.

When to use it

Use these prepositions in French to talk about the location of people or things. They help you answer questions like 'Where is it?' or 'Where are you?'

Key forms

• à (at, in, to)
• dans (in, inside)
• sur (on)
• sous (under)
• devant (in front of)
• derrière (behind)
• entre (between)
• près de (near)
• loin de (far from)
• chez (at someone's place)

Examples

Tips

• Some prepositions like 'près de' and 'loin de' need 'de' and can change to 'du', 'de la', 'des' depending on the noun.
• Be careful with 'à' and 'chez': 'à' is for places, 'chez' is for people or names of businesses.
• Check the gender and number of the noun after the preposition, as it can change the article.

Exceptions and edge cases

• When 'de' comes before 'le', it becomes 'du' (près du parc).
• When 'de' comes before 'les', it becomes 'des' (près des écoles).