🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are Prepositions of Location and Direction?

Prepositions of location and direction tell you where something is positioned or where it is moving. In French, they are essential for describing places, giving directions, and describing spatial relationships.

Short answer

Prepositions of location show where things are: sur (on), sous (under), dans (in), devant (in front), derrière (behind). Direction prepositions show movement: vers (toward), à (to), de (from), par (through).

French Prepositions: Location vs. Direction

Location (Position)

•sur (on top of)
•sous (under)
•dans (in/inside)
•devant (in front of)
•derrière (behind)
•à côté de (next to)

Direction (Movement)

•vers (toward)
•à (to)
•de (from)
•par (through/by)
•jusqu'à (up to/until)
•autour de (around)

Step-by-step worked examples

Write three sentences using different location prepositions.

'Le chat est sur la chaise.' (The cat is on the chair.)
'La clé est sous le tapis.' (The key is under the rug.)
'Les livres sont dans la bibliothèque.' (The books are in the library.)

Describe where the student is heading using a direction preposition.

'L'étudiant va vers la gare.' (The student is heading toward the station.)
Use 'vers' (toward) to show direction of movement.

Say 'The cafe is next to the bank' in French.

'Le café est à côté de la banque.'
Use 'à côté de' (next to) to show proximity.
Note: 'à côté de' is a compound preposition

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Complete: 'Le café est ___ la gare.' (The cafe is in front of the station.)

Correct answer: B. Devant = in front of. 'Le café est devant la gare.'

Q2.Which preposition means 'under'?

Correct answer: C. Sous = under. 'Le chat est sous la table.' (The cat is under the table.)

Q3.How do you say 'heading toward' in French?

Correct answer: B. Vers = toward (direction). 'Il va vers la maison.' (He is heading toward the house.)

Q4.What is the difference between 'sur' and 'dans'?

Correct answer: B. Sur = on/on top of. Dans = in/inside. 'Le livre est sur la table' (on) vs 'Le livre est dans la table' (inside).

📄Download this topic as a printable worksheet (PDF)Summary + 10 questions + answer key — print it, share it in class.↓

Study better with Bounlu apps

Notek

The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What are Prepositions of Location and Direction?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.

Get it free

PromyNever miss an exam or homework deadline with Promy: AI turns the dates in your inbox into reminders automatically.

Common mistakes

✗

Le chat est sous la chaise. — Correct: If the cat is on the chair: 'Le chat est sur la chaise.' — Sur = on/on top; sous = under.

✗

Je vais vers Paris. J'arrive à Paris. — Correct: Both are correct but different: 'vers' emphasizes direction (heading toward), 'à' emphasizes destination (to). 'Je vais à Paris' is more common for destinations.

✗

L'école est devant du parc. — Correct: L'école est devant le parc. — Don't use 'du' (de + le) directly; use just 'le' or 'la'.

✗

Elle vit dans une maison sous l'eau. — Correct: Correctly uses both 'dans' (in) and 'sous' (under), but only if literally correct! 'Elle habite dans une maison sous l'eau.' (She lives in a house under water.)

FAQ

What are prepositions of location in French?

They describe where something is positioned: sur (on), sous (under), dans (in), devant (in front), derrière (behind), à côté de (next to), etc.

Difference between location and direction prepositions?

Location prepositions describe where things ARE: sur, sous, dans. Direction prepositions describe where things are MOVING: vers (toward), à (to), de (from), par (through).

How do you remember 'devant' vs 'derrière'?

Devant = in front (de = from, avant = before/front). Derrière = behind (arrière = back/rear). Think of 'avant' (front) in 'devant'.

Is 'à' used for both location and direction?

Yes — 'Je suis à Paris' (I am at Paris = location) and 'Je vais à Paris' (I go to Paris = direction). Context tells you the meaning.