CBSE Class 6/7/8/9 - French Grammar - Prepositions for Places

Prepositions for Places

Usage of Prepositions Au/En, Du/De = names of countries
(Au/En, Du/De + noms de pays)

✦ All countries in French are gendered. Countries whose spelling ends with ‘e’ are feminine.

✦ But there are four such countries whose spelling ends with ‘e’ but they are masculine.

• Mozambique
• Mexique
• Zaire
• Zimbabwe

✦ There are plural countries also.

• The USA (les Etats-Unis)
• The West Indies (les Antilles)
• The Netherlands (les Pays-Bas)

✦ When we talk about going to or being in a country which is feminine, we use en.
For example:

• I am going to Russia (Je vais en Russie)
• He is working in France (Il travaille en France)

✦ En is also used for all names of masculine countries beginning with a vowel.
For example:

• I am going to Iran. (Je vais en Iran).
• He is working in India. (Je travaille en Inde).

✦ When we talk about going to or being in a country which is masculine, we use au
For example:

• I am going to Canada. (Je vais au Canada).
• He is working in Japan. (Iltravaille au Japon).

✦ When we talk about going to or being in a country which are plural, we use aux
For example:

• I am going to USA. (Je vais aux Etats-Unis).
• He is working in the West Indies. (Il travaille aux Antilles).

✦ When we talk about going to or being in a city we use à
For example:

• I am going to Paris. (Je vais à Paris).
• He is working in Delhi. (Il travaille à Delhi).
• I am going to Chennai. (Je vais à Chennai).

✦ When we talk about coming from or belonging to a feminine country, we use de or d’ (countries beginning with a vowel).
For example:

• I am coming from France. (Je viens de France).
• I am from Iran. (Il est d’Iran).

✦ When we talk about coming from or belonging to a masculine country, we use du.
For example:

• I am coming from Japan. (Je viens du Japon).
• I am coming from Mexico. (Je suis du Mexique).

✦ When we talk about coming from or belonging to a plural country, we use des.
For example:

• I am coming from USA. (Je viens des Etats-Unis).
• I belong to the West Indies. (Je suis des Antilles).

✦ When we talk about coming from or belonging to a city, we use de.
For example:

• I am coming from Delhi .(Je viens de Delhi).
• I am from Paris. (Je suis de Paris).