vs DeFrench prepositionsThe French prepositions and de cause constant problems for French students. Generally speaking, means to, at, or in, while de means of or from. Both prepositions have numerous uses - this summary table compares them.

vsDe

Location or destinationvsStarting point or origin (Learn more)

Je vais RomeI'm going to Romepartir de Niceto leave from (out of) Nice

Je suis la banqueI'm at the bankJe suis de BruxellesI'm from Brussels

Distance in time or space (note that is used in front of the distance, while de indicates the starting point/origin)

Il habite 10 mtres...He lives 10 meters......d'ici...from here

C'est 5 minutes...It's 5 minutes......de moi...from me

PossessionvsPossession / belonging (Learn more)

un ami moia friend of minele livre de PaulPaul's book

Ce livre est JeanThis is Jean's bookle caf de l'universitthe university caf

Purpose or usevsContents / description

une tasse thteacup (cup for tea)une tasse de thcup of tea

une bote allumettesmatchbox (box for matches)une bote d'allumettesbox (full) of matches

un sac dosbackpack (pack for the back)un roman d'amourlove story (story about love)

Manner, style, or characteristicvsDefining feature

fait la mainmade by handle march de groswholesale market

Il habite la franaiseHe lives in the French styleune salle de classeclassroom

un enfant aux yeux bleusblue-eyed childun livre d'histoirehistory book

Defining ingredientIndispensible ingredient

Use when the food is made with something that can be taken away without destroying it - as a general rule, you can translate it as "with." If you take out the ham or onion, you still have a sandwich or soup.Use de when the food is made primarily of something - generally speaking, you can translate it as "of" or "from." If you take away the blackcurrants or tomatoes, you're left with not much at all.

un sandwich au jambonham sandwichla crme de cassisblackcurrant liqueur

la soupe l'oignononion soupla soupe de tomatestomato soup

une tarte aux pommesapple piele jus d'orangeorange juice

Impersonal expressions: Real subjectImpersonal expressions: Dummy subject

C'est bon savoir.That's good to know.Il est bon d'tudier.It's good to study. (Studying is good)

C'est facile faire.That's easy to do.Il est facile de le trouver.It's easy to find it. (Finding it is easy)

Additional uses of Additional uses of de

MeasurementCause

acheter au kiloto buy by the kilogrammourir de faimto die of / from hunger

payer la semaineto pay by the weekfatigu du voyagetired from the trip

Point in timeMeans / manner of doing something

Nous arrivons 5h00We arrive at 5:00crire de la main gaucheto write with the left hand

Il est mort 92 ansHe died at the age of 92rpter de mmoire

Verbs with different meanings with and dedcider to persuade, convince

dcider deto decide to

demander to ask (for permission)

demander deto ask (s.o. to do s.t.*)

jouer to play a game or sport

jouer deto play an instrument

manquer to miss someone

manquer deto neglect (to do s.t.)

(more about manquer)

parler to talk to

parler deto talk about

penser to think about (imagine)

penser deto think about (opinion)

(more about penser)

profiter to benefit

profiter deto make the most of

venir to happen to

venir deto have just (done s.t.)

(more about venir)

Verbs that use both and de in the same sentenceconseiller qqun de faire qqchadvise s.o. to do s.t.

dfendre qqun de faire qqchforbid s.o. to do s.t.

demander qqun de faire qqchask s.o. to do s.t.

dire qqun de faire qqchtell s.o. to do s.t.

interdire qqun de faire qqchforbid s.o. to do s.t.

ordonner qqun de faire qqchorder s.o. to do s.t.

permettre qqun de faire qqchallow s.o. to do s.t.

promettre qqun de faire qqchpromise s.o. to do s.t.

tlphoner qqun de faire qqchcall s.o. to do s.t.

qqunquelqu'uns.o.someone

qqchquelque choses.t.something

Expressions with and de ctnearby, next tode ctsideways

ct denext to, besidedu ct defrom (direction)

la hauteurat the levelde hauteur[5 feet] tall

il est Parishe's in Parisil est de Parishe's from Paris

prt* + inf.prepared toprs* de + inf.near, on the verge of

tasse thteacup (cup for tea)tasse de thcup of tea

* These are two different words, but because they are homophones I think it makes sense to include them. Verbs with or deThere are a couple of French verbs that can take or de with little or no difference in meaningcommencer / deto start

continuer / deto continue

Deis a very important and versatile preposition with many different meanings and uses in French. As a preposition, it can express or indicate all of the following:

I. Possession or belonging ( learn more ) le livre de Paul - Paul's book la bibliothque de l'universit - the university library

II. Starting point or origin ( learn more ) partir de Nice - to leave from (out of) NiceJe suis de Bruxelles - I'm from Brussels

III. Contents / description of something une tasse de th - cup of tea un roman d'amour - love story (story of/about love)

IV. Defining feature le march de gros - wholesale market une salle de classe - classroom le jus d'orange - orange juice

V. Cause mourir de faim - to die of / from hungerfatigu du voyage - tired from the trip

VI. Means / manner of doing something crire de la main gauche - to write with one's left hand rpter de mmoire - to recite from memory

Note: When followed by the definite articles le and les, de contracts with them into a single word:

For example

de + le=dudu salon

de + les=desdes villes

But de does not contract with la or l'

de + la=de lade la femme

de + l'=de l'de l'homme

In addition, de does not contract with le and les when they are direct objects.

The French preposition de is required after certain verbs and phrases when they are followed by an infinitive. Note that the English translation may take an infinitive (to agree to do something) or a gerund (to be afraid of flying).

accepter deto accept, agree to

achever deto finish ___-ing

accuser (quelqu'un) deto accuse (someone) of

s'agir deto be a question of ___-ing

(s')arrter deto stop ___-ing

avertir (qqun) de (ne pas)to warn (someone) (not) to

avoir peur deto be afraid of ___-ing

blmer (qqun) deto blame (someone) for ___-ing

cesser deto stop, cease ___-ing

choisir deto choose to

commander ( qqun) deto order (someone) to

conseiller deto advise to

se contenter deto be happy ___-ing

continuer deto continue ___-ing

convenir deto agree to

craindre deto fear ___-ing

dcider deto decide to

dfendre ( quelqu'un) deto forbid (someone) to do s.t.

demander ( quelqu'un) deto ask (someone) to do something

se dpcher deto hurry to

dranger quelqu'un deto bother someone to

dire ( quelqu'un) deto tell (someone) to do something

s'efforcer deto endeavor to

empcher deto prevent, keep from ___-ing

s'empresser deto hurry to

ennuyer quelqu'un deto bother/upset someone to

essayer deto try to

s'excuser deto apologize for ___-ing

fliciter deto congratulate for ___-ing

finir deto finish ___-ing

gronder deto scold for ___-ing

se hter deto hurry to

manquer deto neglect, fail to

mriter deto deserve to

offrir deto offer to

oublier deto forget to

(se) permettre deto allow (oneself) to

persuader deto persuade to

prendre garde deto be careful not to

prendre le parti deto decide to

se presser deto hurry to

prier deto beg to

promettre deto promise to

proposer deto suggest ___-ing

refuser deto refuse to

regretter deto regret ___-ing

remercier deto thank for ___-ing

rver deto dream of ___-ing

risquer deto risk ___-ing

se soucier deto care about ___-ing

se souvenir deto remember ___-ing

supplier deto be / beseech

tcher deto try to

venir de (faire quelque chose)to have just (done something)

The French preposition de is required after many French verbs and phrases that need an indirect object, but there is often a completely different preposition in English or none at all.

s'agir deto be a question of

s'approcher deto approach

s'apercevoir deto notice

arriver de (Paris, Canada)to arrive from (Paris, Canada)o

avoir besoin deto need

avoir envie deto want

changer de (train)to change (trains)

dpendre deto depend on

douter deto doubt

s'emparer deto grab

s'tonner deto be amazed by

fliciter deto congratulate

hriter deto inherit

jouer deto play (an instrument)

jouir deto enjoy

manquer deto lack

se mfier deto distrust, beware of

se moquer deto make fun of

s'occuper deto be busy with

partir deto leave

se passer deto do without

penser deto have an opinion about

se plaindre deto complain about

profiter deto make the most of

punir deto punish for

recompenser deto reward for

remercier deto thank

se rendre compte deto realize

rire deto laugh at

servir deto put to use as

se servir deto use

se soucier deto care about

se souvenir deto remember

tenir deto take after, resemble

se tromper deto mistake

vivre deto live on

Notes:

Remember that de plus a noun can be replaced by the adverbial pronoun en. For example, j'en ai besoin - I need it.

Comme il y a peu de places de parking dans le centre-ville, je me suis gar dans le parking souterrain.

J'essaie toujours de lire un peu dans le train

Au feu rouge, tournez gauche.

Je fais tous mes petits dplacements vlo.

Si tu viens en bus, tu dois descendre l'arrt de l'glise Saint-Pierre.

Excuse-moi d'tre en retard, mais j'ai t pris dans un emboutaillage monstre.

Tu pars en train ?

J'vite les autoroutes aux heures de pointe.

Tu peux te garer sur le parking du centre commercial.

Ce village est vraiment mal desservi par les transports publics.

Il est tomb en panne sur l'autoroute.

cause de la circulation de plus en plus dense, les enfants ne peuvent plus jouer dans les rues.

En France, chaque infraction au code de la route, un certain nombre de points est retir du permis de conduire.

Au feu rouge, tournez gauche.

Je fais tous mes petits dplacements vlo.