Prepositions are words that connect two parts of a sentence. In French, they usually go in front of nouns or pronouns to show a relationship between that noun/pronoun and another word that precedes it.

As you learn French, you will find yourself using the prepositions à and de often. Depending on their usage, they can mean entirely different things or the same thing. Knowing when to use which preposition is a common source of confusion for many French students, but this lesson will teach you the difference. By the end of it, you should be comfortable with how verbs interact with à and de.

À vs. De: French Prepositions

The French prepositions à and de cause constant problems for French students. Generally speaking, à means "to," "at," or "in," while de means "of" or "from." Both prepositions have numerous uses and to understand each better, it is best to compare them.