En

French preposition

The preposition en can be summarized as "to or in," but it’s a bit more complicated than that.

1) Location or destination

  Il habite en Provence.   He lives in Provence.
      Nous allons en France.   We’re going to France.

2) Point in or period of time

  La réunion aura lieu en été.   The meeting will take place in the summer.
  Je l’ai fait en cinq minutes.   I did it in five minutes.

3) Description

  en cercle   in a circle
  en bois   made of wood

4) Transformation

  Il faut le couper en deux.   You need to cut it in two.
  Elle sera transformée en parfum.   It will be turned into perfume.

5) Means of transportation

  Je vais à la plage en taxi.   I’m going to the beach in a taxi.
  Il préfère voyager en train.   He prefers traveling by train.

6) Clothing

      J’ai vu un homme en chapeau noir.   I saw a man in a black hat.
  Il faut être en cravate.   You have to wear a tie.

7) Analogy

      Il a agi en tyran.   He acted like a tyrant.
  Je te le donne en cadeau.   I’m giving it to you as a gift.

8)  Gerund

      Il l’a dit en pleurant.   He said it while crying.
  En partant, elle est tombée.   While leaving, she fell.

9) After verbs

  Many verbs must be followed by en in front of a noun.

 En is usually followed directly by a noun, with no article in between. Learn more: Prepositions with nouns.

 

 Note: En is also an adverbial pronoun.

 Related lessons

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

French preposition en

Questions about French?

 Visit the Progress with Lawless French Q+A forum to get help from native French speakers and fellow learners.

More Lawless French

 Subscribe to my twice-weekly newsletter.

Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

Leave a Reply