This French A1 lesson explains French countries and prepositions step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on French countries and prepositions and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: In French, the preposition before a place depends on its type: à with cities (à Dakar), en with feminine countries or countries starting with a vowel (en Italie), au with masculine countries (au Canada) and aux with plural ones (aux États-Unis).
Level: French A1 (CEFR beginner) · Standards: CEFR A1, Spoken production
French countries and prepositions: the lesson
Which preposition goes with a city or a country?
At a language school in Montréal, at the check-in of a Lisbon hotel or on a form at the town hall in Nantes, you will be asked where you live and where you come from. The preposition is the part that changes.
| Place | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| city | à | J’habite à Rabat. |
| feminine country | en | Elle travaille en Pologne. |
| masculine country | au | Nous vivons au Portugal. |
| plural country | aux | Il habite aux Pays-Bas. |
| masculine, starts with a vowel | en | Ils sont en Iran. |
Quick rule
A country ending in -e is almost always feminine: la France, l’Algérie, la Belgique. Exceptions: le Mexique, le Cambodge, le Zimbabwe. Most other countries are masculine: le Japon, le Brésil, le Maroc.
How do you say where you come from?
With venir de, en becomes de (or d’ before a vowel), au becomes du, aux becomes des.
Examples
- Je viens de Belgique. — I come from Belgium.
- Il vient du Cameroun. — He comes from Cameroon.
- Elles viennent des Philippines. — They come from the Philippines.
- Je suis d’Italie. — I am from Italy.
How do you give your nationality and languages?
| Country | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| l’Espagne | espagnol | espagnole |
| l’Italie | italien | italienne |
| le Maroc | marocain | marocaine |
| la Suisse | suisse | suisse |
Languages use parler and have no article: Je parle français et un peu arabe. — I speak French and a little Arabic.
How do you talk about cities and islands?
Cities take à for “in” or “to” and de for “from”, with no article: J’habite à Lyon. — I live in Lyon. Ma collègue vient de Dakar. — My coworker comes from Dakar. Before a vowel, de becomes d’: Il arrive d’Annecy. — He is arriving from Annecy.
Many small islands also take à: à Tahiti, à Madagascar. To say where someone is from with a country, use de or d’ for feminine countries and du or des for masculine and plural ones: Je reviens d’Italie, du Portugal et des Pays-Bas. — I am coming back from Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Watch out
English capitalizes “Spanish” and “Italian”. French does not: Je suis espagnol, Je parle italien. Also, do not translate “in” word for word: Je suis en Canada is wrong; say Je suis au Canada.
Québec, the city and the province
For the city, say à Québec. For the province, say au Québec. French is the only official language of the province.
Zoé’s tip
Learn each country with its preposition as one block: en France, au Japon, aux États-Unis. Say it aloud as if it were one word.
Key points to remember
- Cities take à: J’habite à Bordeaux.
- Most countries ending in -e are feminine and take en: en France, en Tunisie.
- Masculine countries take au; plural countries take aux.
- Nationalities and languages are written in lowercase: Je suis suisse. Je parle français.
Where You Live and Where You Are From: frequently asked questions
When do I use en and when do I use au with countries?
Use en with feminine countries and with masculine countries that start with a vowel. Use au with other masculine countries: en Espagne, au Brésil.
What preposition do I use with a city?
Use à with almost every city: à Lyon, à Montréal. A few cities include the article, like au Havre or à La Rochelle.
How do I say that I come from a country?
Use venir de or être de. The preposition changes: de France, du Maroc, des États-Unis.
Are nationalities capitalized in French?
Not as adjectives or languages: Je suis canadienne, Je parle anglais. Capital letters are used only for people as a group, like les Français.
How do I say I speak a little French?
Say Je parle un peu français. To say you speak very well, use Je parle très bien espagnol.