Hi Lisa,
'Lui' in this context is a stress/emphatic pronoun used after prepositions , like after 'chez'.
Take a look at the following Kwiziq lesson for more info:
Hope this helps!
The following prepositions are used to indicate relative physical positions of one thing to another :
| dans | in/inside |
| sur | on/on top of |
| devant | in front of |
| derrière | behind |
| entre | between |
| sous | underneath |
Now look at these examples:
La lampe est sur le bureau.
The lamp is on the desk.
La boulangerie est dans le centre commercial.
The bakery is in the shopping mall.
Il est devant la poste.
He is in front of the post office.
Je suis assis entre Léa et Tim.
I'm sitting between Léa and Tim.
ATTENTION:
Although the prepositions above are straighforward, in general, the choice of which preposition to use in different contexts varies.
You can't translate literally to/from English, but you will learn through experience!
You can't translate literally to/from English, but you will learn through experience!
Grammar Note:
Prepositions are words that are placed before a noun indicating the noun's relationship to another word in the sentence. (pre position = place before)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
A cartoon to demonstrate simple pronouns!
Et le vieux monsieur,
Descend vers le village,
And the old man,
Goes down towards the village,
dans = in/inside
La boulangerie est dans le centre commercial.
The bakery is in the shopping mall.
derrière = behind
Qui est derrière toi?
Who is behind you?
devant = in front of
Il est devant la poste.
He is in front of the post office.
entre = between
Je suis assis entre Léa et Tim.
I'm sitting between Léa and Tim.
sous = underneath
Ta chaussure est sous le lit.
Your shoe is under the bed.
sur = on/on top of
La lampe est sur le bureau.
The lamp is on the desk.
Q&A Forum 8 questions, 19 answers
Kwiziq community member
in the prepositional phrase, "devant lui", "devant" is the prepositon. What is the name of the part of speech, lui?
Asked 10 months ago
Thomas Kwiziq community member
How embarrassing, heh. Thanks for the correct answer. Guess I should review that topic too..
Lisa asked:View original
in the prepositional phrase, "devant lui", "devant" is the prepositon. What is the name of the part of speech, lui?
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Kwiziq community member
When do you use "en face de" vs. "devant"?
For example, I am in front of the school could be: Je suis en face de l'ecole or Je suis devant l'ecole?
Merci!
Asked 11 months ago
It's similar to English: en face de -- opposite of, facing, devant -- in front of
Ginger asked:View original
When do you use "en face de" vs. "devant"?
For example, I am in front of the school could be: Je suis en face de l'ecole or Je suis devant l'ecole?
Merci!
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MuratKwiziq community member
asseoir in present continious
It's said "Je suis assis entre Léa et Tim" above.
Firstly; Is there a present continuous form in french?
And why do we use "être" in this sentence?
Asked 11 months ago
Hi Murat,
Je m'assois /Je m'assieds is the present form or I am sitting in French.
Je suis assis ... is I am sat/seated between Lea and Tim ( more the result of sitting down)
Hope this helps!
JudyKwiziq community member
No present continuous in French as far as I know. It’s a tense that only exists in English
Murat asked:View original
asseoir in present continious
It's said "Je suis assis entre Léa et Tim" above.
Firstly; Is there a present continuous form in french?
And why do we use "être" in this sentence?
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AnnKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Have I not seen also au centre ville? Please explain when to use dans la centre ville and au centre ville.
Asked 1 year ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Hi Ann,
it seems that both "dans le centre-ville" and "au centre-ville" are correct. I cannot find any difference in meaning between them, either.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Ann asked:View original
Have I not seen also au centre ville? Please explain when to use dans la centre ville and au centre ville.
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AnnKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
J'ai utilisé dessous mais le correct était sous. Qu'est-ce que c'est la différence?
Asked 1 year ago
Bonjour Ann !
Nowadays, dessous is mostly used as an adverb, not as a preposition, meaning it's not followed with a location.
Its meaning is closer to underneath.
J'ai mis mon verre sous la table.
I put my glass under the table.
J'ai mis mon verre dessous.
I put my glass underneath.
-> Here it's understood that the location has been mentioned previously, so is not repeated.
I hope that helps!
Bonne journée !
Ann asked:View original
J'ai utilisé dessous mais le correct était sous. Qu'est-ce que c'est la différence?
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CrystalMaidenKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Isn't en interchangeable with dans?
And yet it's a wrong answer.
Asked 1 year ago
No, "en" is not interchangable with "dans". "En" is used in a more general sense to connote the meaning of within. "Dans" is usually quite literally in.
Je suis en classe. -- I am attending a lesson.
Je suis dans la classe. -- I am in the classroom.
Je viens en voiture. -- I come by car.
Je suis dans la voiture. -- I am in the car.
Je suis en prison. -- I am incarcerated.
Je suis dans la prison. -- I am in the prison building (because, maybe, I work there).
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
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DonaldKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Dans la douche où sous la douche
J'ai appris que je suis sous la douche. Peut-être je me suis trompé..?
Asked 2 years ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonsoir Donald,
Je l'ai appris «prendre une douche». Alors, regardons de la Dictionnaire Collins-Robert:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
shower
(ˈʃaʊəʳ )
noun
(for washing) douche f
to have a shower or to take a shower --> prendre une douche, se doucher
It is also used as an intransitive verb:
intransitive verb
prendre une douche, se doucher
Alors, j'espère que ma réponse vous aidera.
Bonne chance et bonne continuation dans vos études en français, la langue de Molière et qui a été utilisé par le monde depuis l’époque d’Hugues Capet
DonaldKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Mais Ron, je comprends qu'on prend une douche ou je me douche lorsque je suis sous la douche. Ca veut dire que je ne suis pas dans la douche. Je plaisante. C'est bien d'avoir un endroit où se doucher, se raser et te ravager. Regardez la dictionnaire Collins. Je ris pendant tout le chemin jusqu'a la douche.
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
à re-bonjour Donald,
C'est une très bonne plaisanterie bien qu'il y ait deux locutions de plus dans la dictionnaire qui sont, peut-être à propos:
1) (figuratif, familier) ce qui détruit un espoir, un illusion -- rabat les prétentions, ramène au sens des réalités
2) ( vielli et familier) réprimander (ex: Il s'est fait doucher par son père.) Rabbatre l'exaltation de quelqu'un. (Il y avait eu dans sa jeunesse un petit fait qui l'avait douché pour la vie)
Merci de m'avoir appris ces deux locutions.
Il vous faut d'être au niveau C2 pour connaître ces locutions au-dessus.
Je vous souhaite de ne jamais être sous la douche.
Donald asked:View original
Dans la douche où sous la douche
J'ai appris que je suis sous la douche. Peut-être je me suis trompé..?
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SandraKwiziq community member
I'm sat between Lea and Tim.
I've never in the U.S. heard this. We say I am seated between Lea and Tim. or I was seated between them. Not sure what grammar book uses this expression, I am sat. Never heard it. I sat down is used
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Merci beaucoup Sandra !
The English translation of this example has now been edited :)
Bonne journée !
JoannaKwiziq community member
To say 'I'm sat between Lea and Tom' may not be grammatically correct but it is commonly used in the UK - must be colloquial!
JayKwiziq community member
If I say 'I was sat' instead of 'I was sitting' we Brits generally mean that we did not chose our seating place but were asked to sit there by our host/hostess or a seating plan.
LAKwiziq community member
Americans will use ‘I was seated’ in the same circumstances, as in ‘At the gala, I was seated between Steven and John’.
Sandra asked:View original
I'm sat between Lea and Tim.
I've never in the U.S. heard this. We say I am seated between Lea and Tim. or I was seated between them. Not sure what grammar book uses this expression, I am sat. Never heard it. I sat down is used
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