Types of Phrases in French
A phrase is simply a group of words. In French, there are general phrases you might use in a conversational setting, like Ça va ?(How's it going?), and there are phrases that have a specific grammatical function. These are groups of words that, all together, play a particular role in a sentence. They include adjective phrases, adverb phrases, noun phrases, prepositional phrases, verb phrases, and pronominal verb phrases. Sometimes French phrases correspond to phrases in English, but sometimes they don't.
Here are a few example sentences using the noun phrase lunettes de soleil(sunglasses), the prepositional phrase à côté de(next to), the adverb phrase en général(in general), and the adjective phrase de bonne qualité(good-quality)!
Questions This Article Answers
What are the different types of phrases used in French?
What is an adjective phrase in French?
What is an adverb phrase in French?
What is a noun phrase in French?
What is a prepositional phrase in French?
What is a verb phrase in French?
What is a pronominal verb phrase in French?
What are some common examples of the different types of phrases in French?
How are English phrasal verbs translated into French?
What Is a Phrase in French?
A phrase is simply a group of words used all together for a particular purpose. There are general phrases used in conversation that we call un groupe de mots(a phrase). These could be greetings, questions, interjections, expressions, or even commonly used short sentences.
However, there are also phrases that have a specific grammatical function in a sentence. These are groups of words that function together for the particular grammatical purpose indicated by their name. Grammatical phrases include une locution adjective(an adjective phrase), une locution adverbiale(an adverb phrase), une locution nominale(a noun phrase), une locution prépositive(a prepositional phrase), une locution verbale(a verb phrase), and une locution verbale pronominale(a pronominal verb phrase). Sometimes French phrases correspond to phrases in English, but sometimes they don't.
In this article, we'll break down definitions and provide examples of each type of phrase, and we'll give you links to more in-depth articles to explore. But for now, here's an overview with an example of each type of phrase used in French!
Overview of Types of Phrases in French
General Phrases in French
In French, there are many conversational phrases that we call un groupe de mots(a phrase). These may include greetings, questions, interjections, expressions, or even commonly used short sentences. Here are some examples!
Common French Phrases
Here's an example of some phrases used in conversation!
We have a ton of articles to teach you how to use French phrases in different conversational settings! To get you started, here's one with phrases used for greeting people in French.
Adjective Phrases in French
An adjective phrase is a group of words that functions as an adjective. In French, as in English, adjectives are most commonly used to give descriptive information about a noun: its appearance, quality, quantity, character, or state. Here are some examples of adjective phrases in French!
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Learn more about French adjectives and adjective phrases by reading this article!
Adverb Phrases in French
An adverb phrase is a group of words that functions as an adverb. In French, adverbs are often used to provide information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence! Many adverbs indicate how, when, where, how often, or to what degree something is done. Check out the examples below!
| French Adverb Phrase | English |
|---|---|
| à l’heure | on time |
| au moins | at least |
| bien sûr | of course |
| d’abord | first |
| de temps en temps | from time to time |
| en général | in general |
| en retard | late |
| tous les jours | every day |
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You can find out more about French adverbs and adverb phrases in this article!
Noun Phrases in French
A noun phrase is a group of words that acts as a noun in a sentence. Most often, a noun phrase is composed of two words linked by a preposition or a noun modified by an adjective. Let's look at a few examples!
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We have a few articles that you can read to learn more about French nouns and noun phrases!
Prepositional Phrases in French
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that function together as a preposition in a sentence. Prepositions link words together—typically a verb with a noun—and are often used to indicate location. Here are a few examples!
| French Prepositional Phrase | English |
|---|---|
| à côté de | next to |
| à droite de | to the right of |
| au milieu de | in the middle of |
| au sommet de | at the top of |
| autour de | around |
| en face de | across from |
| loin de | far from |
| près de | near |
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Verb Phrases in French
A verb phrase is a group of words that includes a verb and one or more other words. The words are used together to express a particular action or state of being. The verb in a verb phrase can be conjugated, just like any other verb. Here are some examples!
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Learn more about conjugating verbs in French with these articles!
Pronominal Verb Phrases in French
A pronominal verb phrase is a group of words that includes a pronominal verb plus one or more other words to express a particular action or state of being. The pronominal verb in a pronominal verb phrase can be conjugated like any other pronominal verb. Check out these pronominal verb phrases!
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Translating English Verb Phrases into French
In everyday English, verb phrases are very common. When the verb phrase includes a preposition and/or adverb, such as to get along and to look for, they’re called phrasal verbs. Translating phrasal verbs into French can be tricky. Sometimes, English phrasal verbs translate as French verb phrases or pronominal verb phrases, but other times, they simply translate as French pronominal verbs or regular old French verbs! Here are a couple of French translations of English phrasal verbs!
Learn more about French phrases with these articles!
