Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn French adverbs of place to describe positions like 'chez,' 'à côté de,' and 'devant.' This lesson covers their meanings, sentence placement, and practical examples to help you talk about locations clearly and naturally in French.
  1. Adverbs of place are placed at the end of the sentence, after the verb, or between the subject and the verb.
Adverbe de LieuExemple
ChezJe mange chez moi.
À côté deLe livre est à côté de la lampe.
En face deMon verre est en face de mon assiette. (My glass is in front of my plate.)
Au dessus (de)Tu as mis une casquette au dessus de ta tête.  (You put a cap above your head.)
Au dessous (de)J'ai mis une chemise au dessous de mon pull. (I put a shirt under my jumper.)
DerrièreLes fourchettes sont rangées derrière les couteaux. (The forks are placed behind the knives.)
DevantMa voiture est devant ta maison.  (My car is in front of your house.)
PrèsMon frère est toujours près de moi.  (My brother is always near me.)
LoinJe ne peux pas venir en Australie, c'est trop loin. (I cannot come to Australia, it is too far.)

Exercise 1: Les adverbes de lieu

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

à côté, en dessous de, en face de, devant, derrière, chez

1. Dans ma maison :
Le verre est ... moi.
(The glass is at my place.)
2. Devant :
Je lave les couverts ... la fenêtre.
(I wash the cutlery opposite the window.)
3. Dans sa maison :
Tu coupes le pain ... le boulanger.
(You cut the bread at the bakery.)
4. A gauche ou à droite :
La serviette est ... du bol.
(The towel is next to the bowl.)
5. Sous :
Je range les couteaux ... l'évier.
(I put the knives under the sink.)
6. En face de :
Mon assiette est toujours ... mon verre.
(My plate is always in front of my glass.)
7. Dos à :
Mon verre est toujours ... mon assiette.
(My glass is always behind my plate.)
8. Dans leur maison :
Elles essuient les verres ... elles.
(They dry the glasses at home.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Les fourchettes sont _______ les couteaux.

(The forks are _______ the knives.)

2. Je mets la serviette _______ l'assiette.

(I put the napkin _______ the plate.)

3. Le verre est _______ la cuillère.

(The glass is _______ the spoon.)

4. La fourchette est _______ l'assiette.

(The fork is _______ the plate.)

5. Le couteau est _______ le bol.

(The knife is _______ the bowl.)

6. Je range les assiettes _______ la table.

(I put the plates _______ the table.)

Understanding French Adverbs of Place

This lesson introduces you to French adverbs of place, which are used to indicate the location or position of people or objects in a sentence. Mastering these adverbs will help you describe surroundings and placements more naturally and clearly in French.

Key Adverbs Covered

  • Chez – meaning "at the home of" or "at someone's place" (e.g., Je mange chez moi. – I eat at my house.)
  • À côté de – meaning "next to" (Le livre est à côté de la lampe.)
  • En face de – meaning "opposite" (Mon verre est en face de mon assiette.)
  • Au dessus (de) – meaning "above" (Tu as mis une casquette au dessus de ta tête.)
  • Au dessous (de) – meaning "underneath" or "below" (J'ai mis une chemise au dessous de mon pull.)
  • Derrière – meaning "behind" (Les fourchettes sont rangées derrière les couteaux.)
  • Devant – meaning "in front of" (Ma voiture est devant ta maison.)
  • Près – meaning "near" (Mon frère est toujours près de moi.)
  • Loin – meaning "far" (Je ne peux pas venir en Australie, c'est trop loin.)

Usage and Placement

In French, adverbs of place commonly appear at the end of a sentence, right after the verb, or sometimes between the subject and the verb. This flexible positioning helps emphasize different parts of the sentence depending on what you want to convey.

Notable Differences from English

Unlike English, where prepositions of place usually precede the noun phrases (e.g., "next to the lamp"), French often uses adverbs or adverbial phrases that sometimes include prepositions but integrate smoothly in sentence structure, such as "à côté de" or "en face de." Additionally, some French adverbs of place are used without articles, which differs from English usage.

Useful Phrases

  • Je mange chez moi. – I eat at my place.
  • Le livre est à côté de la lampe. – The book is next to the lamp.
  • Les fourchettes sont derrière les couteaux. – The forks are behind the knives.
  • Ma voiture est devant ta maison. – My car is in front of your house.

By understanding and practicing these adverbs of place, you will be able to describe locations and positions in French more effectively, enriching your conversational skills.

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Donia Ben Salem

Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 15:55