Prefixes in French

What Are Prefixes?

Un préfixe(a prefix) is a letter or group of letters that has meaning but typically isn't a stand-alone word. A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word to alter its meaning, just like in English. Learning about French prefixes can help you figure out the meanings of more advanced vocabulary words and expand your French language skills!

As we explain further on, French prefixes may look very different from English prefixes, and many have multiple translations in English, but there are a lot of French prefixes that are cognates with English prefixes, having similar spellings and meanings because they come from the same Latin and Greek roots. These are often easy to understand when learning new words in French!

Examples of French Prefixes That Are Cognates with English Prefixes

Keep in mind, however, that not all French prefixes have direct English cognates, and even if a French prefix has an English cognate, it may translate as a different prefix in English. See examples of this in the table below!

Examples of French Prefixes That Don't Always Translate As Their English Cognate

How Are Prefixes Used in French?

Here are the top five things to know about using prefixes in French!

1. Prefixes Can Be Attached to Different Parts of Speech in French

Prefixes can be attached to quite a few types of words in French, including adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs. Here's a table showing the French prefix in- (in-, un-) used with different parts of speech.

2. Some French Prefixes Have Multiple Translations in English

It's important to note that French prefixes may have multiple translations in English. In this article, we'll note the function of some common prefixes and provide their most common English translations, but keep the following in mind:

• A French prefix may have other translations in English than the ones listed in this article.
• A French prefix may not actually translate as a prefix in English; it may translate as a separate word that is placed near the root word in a sentence.
• A French prefix may have no direct translation in English; it may translate as an entirely different word.

To give you an idea of what we mean, here are some examples of different translations of the prefix dé-, which is used to indicate an interruption, a reversal, or a separation in French.

Translations of the Prefix DÉ- in English

3. Some Prefixes Have Multiple Forms in French

Some French prefixes have multiple forms in French, depending on the structure of the word they are being attached to (like whether it starts with a particular type of vowel or a particular consonant). For example, the prefix re-, which indicates repetition or again, isn't always spelled re- in French. It may also be r- or ré-. We'll indicate alternative spellings of prefixes we discuss in this article, but be aware when encountering new prefixes that there may be more than one spelling variation. Take a look at these examples of the variations of re-!

4. Some French Roots Aren't Words Without a Prefix Attached

While most French prefixes are added onto root words that have meaning on their own, there are some cases where the root can't stand alone without a prefix. For example, the French prefixes bi- (bi-) and multi- (multi-) can be seen in the words bilingue(bilingual) and multilingue(multilingual). The root -lingue (-lingual) isn't a word on its own, however, and can't be used without a prefix.

5. Some French Prefixes Require a Hyphen

Most French prefixes are attached directly onto the word they precede, but sometimes a hyphen is required. There are a small number of French prefixes that always require a hyphen, and there are certain situations in which a hyphen must be added to a regular French prefix. Let's take a look at each case!

French Prefixes That Always Require a Hyphen

Situations Where a Hyphen Is Required After a Prefix in French:

• When a prefix might cause a pronunciation error. If a prefix that ends in a vowel is placed before a root that starts with a vowel, the lack of a hyphen may cause a pronunciation error. For example, auto-immun(auto-immune) is hyphenated so the letters oi aren't joined together as in loin(far).
• When a prefix precedes a proper noun, an acronym, or an initialism. When adding a prefix, hyphens are used before proper nouns, acronyms, and initialisms in French. For example, pro-Québec(pro-Québec) or anti-UE(anti-EU).
• When the prefix is also an adverb. Some common prefixes are also adverbs, like the word non(no, non, or not). When it's used as a prefix to a noun, a hyphen is required, as in la non-violence(nonviolence). However, when it acts as an adverb, there's no hyphen: non obligatoire(not required).
• When a prefix has two different meanings. A hyphen may be used to distinguish between different meanings of a prefix. For example, the prefix ex- can mean former or it can mean out of; when it means former, a hyphen is required. For example, a hyphen is used for the word l'ex-président(the ex-president), while there is no hyphen in a word like l'extérieur(the exterior).

What Are Some Common French Prefixes?

You've already seen a few common prefixes in the examples above, but let's take a look at some more! Here are 10 important French prefixes you can use to enrich your vocabulary!

1. The Prefixes A- and AN-

These prefixes are used to indicate absence, lack of, or to simply mean not. Here are a few examples.

2. The Prefix ANTI-

This prefix is used to indicate opposition or acting against.

3. The Prefixes BÉNÉ- and BIEN-

These prefixes are used to indicate something good or positive.

4. The Prefixes EN- and EM-

The prefixes en- and em- indicate something is being contained or held inside. Alternatively, they can be used to indicate a transformation or movement.

5. The Prefixes IL-, IM-, IN-, IR-

The prefixes il-, im-, in-, and ir- are all used to negate or indicate the opposite of the word they precede.

6. The Prefixes MAL-, MÉ-, MÉS-

The prefixes mal-, mé-, and més- are used to indicate something is bad, wrong, or negative.

7. The Prefix OUTRE-

The prefix outre- is used to indicate something that is beyond or outside a boundary. Outre(beyond) is also an adverb, so it requires a hyphen when used as a prefix to a noun.

8. The Prefixes SOU- and SOUS-

The prefixes sou- and sous- indicate under or below, or by extension, something that is figuratively lower or subordinate to. The word sous(under) can also be a preposition. When used as a prefix to a noun, it's followed by a hyphen.

9. The Prefix SUR-

The prefix sur- indicates above or over, or by extension, something that is higher or beyond the norm.

10. The Prefix QUASI-

The prefix quasi- means almost or nearly. It comes from the adverb quasi(almost), so it is followed by a hyphen when used as a prefix before a noun.

I've Learned About French Prefixes—Now What?

Now that you've learned about French prefixes and how they can be attached to words like adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs in French, you might want to level up your French skills by learning about French suffixes, which also alter word meanings by being added to the end of words!