And, Then, But, Also, Or and many more in French.
How to use connectors such as and, then, but, also, or and many more in French will really help you with speaking French faster! Today, in this episode, I will teach you the main connectors to know absolutely in French.
#1 – And in French – ET
And allows to piece sentences together by adding facts, statements, or thoughts. In French, we say ‘ET‘ and we spell ‘ET’. Don’t pronounce the T at the end! ET, ET…. such as ‘ Je vais au restaurant et au musée’….. ‘Je vais bien. Et vous ? .. I am good. And you?
#2 – But in French – MAIS
But is used as contrast or opposite between two sentences. In French, we use ‘MAIS’ and don’t pronounce the S at the end! Please! We use it the same way than in English… ‘ Je vais au restaurant mais je n’ai pas de réservation’ … I am going to the restaurant BUT I don’t have a reservation … Also, you can use ‘MAIS’ at the beginning of a sentence in spoken French, just like in English
#3 – Also and too in French – AUSSI
Also and too (when the meaning is also) are used for emphasis, meaning to highlight your opinion or in addition. In French, we use the word ‘AUSSI‘…. Aussi…. such as ‘Je vais au restaurant’- Moi aussi ! … I am going to the restaurant… Me also or me too/me aswell…’ Je vais prendre une baguette et aussi un croissant’… ‘I am going to get a baguette and one croissant also/too/aswell’…
#4 – Or in French… OU
Or is used as an alternative in a statement. In French, we use ‘OU‘ … OU…. such as ‘ Je vais au restaurant OU au musée ?… Am I going to the restaurant or at the museum?… ‘Est-ce que vous voulez un café ou un thé ? .. Would you like a coffee or a tea?
#5 – After/Next in French.. APRÈS
After tells us about the order and sequence in a sentence. In French, we use ‘APRÈS‘ such as ‘Je vais au restaurant et après je vais au musée’…. I am going to the restaurant and after I am going to the museum. Use Après if you want to use NEXT in the same context.
#6 – Because/So in French … PARCE QUE/ALORS
Because is used to show reason and So is used for the consequence. In French, we use PARCE QUE always when answering a question with Why.. Pourquoi and we say ‘PARCE QUE’….. ‘PARCE QUE’… two words….. such as ‘Pourquoi tu vas au musée’…. ‘Je vais au musée parce que je veux voir des tableaux de Monet’….. I am going to the museum because I want to see Monet’s paintings. PARCE QUE is used to say the cause. ALORS is used to say the consequence just as ‘SO’ in English.
Let’s compare these two sentences: Je bois parce que j’ai soif….. I am drinking because I am thirsty…/ J’ai soif ALORS je bois / I am thirsty so I am drinking…. Alors is used a lot in Spoken French, and also at the beginning of the sentence such as ‘Alors, tu as fait quoi?’…
#7 – With/without in French… AVEC/SANS
In English, With is used to add someone or something, without is used to withhold someone or something. Use ‘AVEC‘ when you mean ‘WITH’ and use ‘SANS‘ when you mean ‘WITHOUT’… ‘Vous venez avec moi au restaurant ?’… Are you coming with me at the restaurant……Please note when using ‘SANS’, you never put an article after such as ‘Je prends du café sans sucre’ when in English you will say ‘ I drink coffee without any sugar’….
#8 – Then and So in French – PUIS /DONC
Then connects sentences to present facts in a sequence, one after the other, In French, we use ‘PUIS‘, please don’t pronounce the S at the end. Je vais au restaurant puis au musée. ALORS is often used instead of ‘PUIS’ in spoken French. So connects facts often as a cause and effect of the first sentence. DONC is also used but more in writing and less in spoken French. The meaning is the same. ‘Donc, tu as fait quoi?’ .. So, what did you do? ….. ‘Je pars faire du ski donc je ne viens pas au restaurant’ … I am going skiing so I am not coming to the restaurant’.
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