RapideFrench.com
These are words that are used to join clauses with equal value.
French | English | Example |
---|---|---|
car | because | il dort car il est fatigué = he sleeps because he is tired |
donc | so, therefore | il est fatigué donc il dort = he is tired so he sleeps |
et | and | je suis heureux et tu es triste = I am happy and you are sad |
mais | but | je suis heureux mais tu es triste = I am happy but you are sad |
ni | neither…nor | Il ne veut ni de moi ou de toi = he doesn't want neither me nor you |
parce que | because | il dort parce qu'il est fatigué = he sleeps because he is tired |
or | now, yet, however | tout le monde croit qu'il est gentil, or il a agi particulièrement mal. = everybody believes he is kind, yet he behaved particularly badly. |
ou | or | voudrais-tu du thé ou du café ? = would you like tea or coffee? |
French students learn a handy mnemonic (which doesn't contain parce que or et): "Mais où est donc Ornicar ?", in Quebec they vary it slightly to "Mais où est donc Carnior ?"
These join a subordinating clause (dependent clause) to a main clause.
French | English | Example |
---|---|---|
comme | as, since | comme je suis grand, c'est facile de jouer au basket = as I am tall, it is easy to play basketball |
lorsque | when | il retenait son souffle lorsque il nageait = he held his breath when he swam |
puisque | as, since | tu peux venir puisque tu n'as rien à faire = you can come as you have nothing to do |
quand | when | il retenait son souffle quand il nageait = he held his breath when he swam quand je nagerai, je retiendrai mon souffle = when I swim I will hold my breath |
que | that | il est évident que vous êtes un espion ! = it is obvious that you are a spy! |
quoique | even though | quoique nous soyons en automne, il fait très chaud = although it is Autumn, it is very warm. |
si | if | si j'étais riche, j'achèterais un château = if I were rich, I would buy a castle |
ainsi que | (just) as | ainsi que je t'ai déjà dit = just as I've already told you. |
alors que | while | il est arrivé alors que nous partions = he arrived as we were leaving |
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