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À/en + [means of transportation] (French Prepositions)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-07-08
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In French, to talk generally about the means of transport you are taking, you use the prepositions à, en or par. 

Learn how to use prepositions with means of transport in French

Look at the following examples including means of transport:

Elle va au travail en métro.She goes to work by tube/metro/underground.

Tu vas en ville à pied.You go to town on foot/walking.

Elle arrive à cheval.She is arriving on horseback.

Il voyage à moto.He travels by motorbike.

Je vais à l'école à vélo.
Je vais à l'école en vélo.I'm going to school by bike.

Ils viennent en bus.They're coming by bus.

Nous allons en vacances en voiture.We're going on holidays by car.

Léo vient en taxi.Leo is coming by taxi /cab.

Ils traversent le lac en bateau.They're crossing the lake by boat.

Nous venons en train.
Nous venons par le train.We're coming by train.

Tu voyages en avion.
Tu voyages par avion.You travel by plane.

 

When talking about travelling somewhere, you will use à for "individual" modes of transport (walking, bicycle, bike etc), and en for "group" modes of transport (bus, coach, car, subway, etc).

 

Note that you can also use par le with trains and par with planes, and that for bicycles, you can use either à vélo or en vélo.

 

 

 

 

 

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Examples and resources

Ils traversent le lac en bateau.They're crossing the lake by boat.
Tu vas en ville à pied.You go to town on foot/walking.
Elle va au travail en métro.She goes to work by tube/metro/underground.
Elle arrive à cheval.She is arriving on horseback.
Il voyage à moto.He travels by motorbike.
Je vais à l'école à vélo.
Je vais à l'école en vélo.I'm going to school by bike.
Ils viennent en bus.They're coming by bus.
Nous allons en vacances en voiture.We're going on holidays by car.
Léo vient en taxi.Leo is coming by taxi /cab.
Nous venons en train.
Nous venons par le train.We're coming by train.
Tu voyages en avion.
Tu voyages par avion.You travel by plane.
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