Word order
Subject, verb, object, and where the small words go.
The basic order is the same as in English: subject, verb, object.
- Marie is reading a book.
The differences are in the small words:
| What | Where | Example |
|---|---|---|
| object pronouns | before the verb | Marie le lit. |
| most adjectives | after the noun | un livre intéressant |
| most adverbs | right after the verb | Elle lit souvent. |
| short adverbs in the passé composé | between avoir or être and the participle | Elle a bien dormi. |
| ne … pas | around the verb | Elle ne lit pas. |
| words of time and place | at the start or the end | Demain, je travaille. |
There's no helper like "do" for questions and negatives: Tu parles français ? "Do you speak French?", Je ne parle pas "I don't speak".
Nouns describing nouns
English puts a describing noun first; French puts the main noun first, then de or à: un livre d'histoire "a history book", le centre de la ville "the city centre", une tasse à café "a coffee cup". à says what something is for, de what it's made of, about or full of: une tasse de café is a cup of coffee.
Cards from this guide
7 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Sentences cards.
What's the basic word order of a French sentence?
Subject, verb, object, as in English.
Where does an adverb like souvent go?
Right after the conjugated verb: Je parle souvent français.
Where does déjà go in the passé composé?
Between avoir or être and the participle: J'ai déjà mangé.
How do you say "a history book"?
un livre d'histoire.
Does French use a helper like "do" in questions and negatives?
No.
Where can demain go?
At the start or the end: Demain, je travaille or Je travaille demain.
What's the difference between une tasse à café and une tasse de café?
une tasse à café is a coffee cup; une tasse de café is a cup of coffee.