Learning how to say “to” in French can be both simple and helpful. This word is used in many different ways, like showing direction, purpose, or connection. By knowing how to say “to” in French, you can build stronger sentences and express yourself better in conversations.
French has several translations for “to,” depending on the sentence. You might need to use words like “à,” “au,” or “aux.” These small words can make a big difference in how your sentences sound. In this article, you will learn how to use them properly, explore other ways to say “to,” practice with fun examples, and discover how to respond correctly in conversations.
Ways to Say “To” in French
The word “to” can be translated in different ways in French, depending on its use in a sentence. French uses specific prepositions, like “à,” “au,” or “aux,” to show direction, purpose, or connection. Each has a specific role, and understanding when to use them will help you sound more fluent. Below are 25 ways to say “to” in French, including their pronunciation, meanings, and examples.
1. À
Pronunciation: ah
Meaning: To; used for locations or destinations.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à Paris. (I am going to Paris.)
- Elle écrit à son ami. (She is writing to her friend.)
2. Au
Pronunciation: oh
Meaning: To; used with masculine singular nouns.
In a Sentence:
- Nous allons au parc. (We are going to the park.)
- Il parle au professeur. (He is speaking to the teacher.)
3. Aux
Pronunciation: oh
Meaning: To; used with plural nouns.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais aux États-Unis. (I am going to the United States.)
- Elle parle aux enfants. (She is speaking to the children.)
4. En
Pronunciation: ahn
Meaning: To; used with countries or regions starting with a vowel or that are feminine.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais en Italie. (I am going to Italy.)
- Ils voyagent en Afrique. (They are traveling to Africa.)
5. Vers
Pronunciation: vehr
Meaning: Toward.
In a Sentence:
- Il marche vers la maison. (He is walking toward the house.)
- Le train se dirige vers la gare. (The train is heading toward the station.)
6. Chez
Pronunciation: shay
Meaning: To; used for people’s places or businesses.
In a Sentence:
- Nous allons chez Marie. (We are going to Marie’s place.)
- Il va chez le médecin. (He is going to the doctor.)
7. Pour
Pronunciation: poor
Meaning: To; used for purposes or goals.
In a Sentence:
- Ce cadeau est pour toi. (This gift is for you.)
- Elle court pour attraper le bus. (She is running to catch the bus.)
8. Dans
Pronunciation: dahn
Meaning: Into; used for entering enclosed spaces.
In a Sentence:
- Il est entré dans la pièce. (He went into the room.)
- Mettez les livres dans le sac. (Put the books into the bag.)
9. Jusqu’à
Pronunciation: zhuhs-kah
Meaning: Up to; until.
In a Sentence:
- Continuez jusqu’à la porte. (Go up to the door.)
- Le chemin va jusqu’à la rivière. (The path goes up to the river.)
10. À travers
Pronunciation: ah trah-vehr
Meaning: Through; across.
In a Sentence:
- Ils marchent à travers la forêt. (They are walking through the forest.)
- Elle a voyagé à travers le pays. (She traveled across the country.)
11. Par
Pronunciation: pahr
Meaning: To; used for routes or methods.
In a Sentence:
- Passe par cette rue. (Go through this street.)
- Il a voyagé par avion. (He traveled by plane.)
12. En direction de
Pronunciation: ahn dee-rek-syohn duh
Meaning: Toward; in the direction of.
In a Sentence:
- Le bus va en direction de la plage. (The bus is heading toward the beach.)
- Ils se dirigent en direction de l’hôtel. (They are heading toward the hotel.)
13. Sur
Pronunciation: syur
Meaning: To; used in specific phrases.
In a Sentence:
- Monte sur la colline. (Climb to the hilltop.)
- Il a mis le livre sur la table. (He put the book on the table.)
14. À pied
Pronunciation: ah pyay
Meaning: To; on foot.
In a Sentence:
- Je vais à pied à l’école. (I am going to school on foot.)
- Elle va à pied au marché. (She is walking to the market.)
15. Avec
Pronunciation: ah-vek
Meaning: To; in the sense of accompanying.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai parlé avec le maire. (I spoke to the mayor.)
- Il a écrit avec soin. (He wrote with care.)
16. À l’intérieur de
Pronunciation: ah lan-teh-ree-uh duh
Meaning: Into; inside.
In a Sentence:
- Entrez à l’intérieur de la maison. (Go inside the house.)
- Il a mis les clés à l’intérieur de la boîte. (He put the keys into the box.)
17. À côté de
Pronunciation: ah koh-tay duh
Meaning: Next to; beside.
In a Sentence:
- Le restaurant est à côté du cinéma. (The restaurant is next to the cinema.)
- Elle est assise à côté de lui. (She is sitting next to him.)
18. En face de
Pronunciation: ahn fass duh
Meaning: Opposite; across from.
In a Sentence:
- La boulangerie est en face de l’église. (The bakery is opposite the church.)
- Il habite en face de l’école. (He lives across from the school.)
19. Sur le chemin de
Pronunciation: syur luh shuh-mahn duh
Meaning: On the way to.
In a Sentence:
- Nous sommes sur le chemin de la plage. (We are on the way to the beach.)
- Ils sont sur le chemin de l’aéroport. (They are on the way to the airport.)
20. Auprès de
Pronunciation: oh-preh duh
Meaning: Near; close to.
In a Sentence:
- La maison est auprès de la rivière. (The house is close to the river.)
- Ils se sont assis auprès du feu. (They sat near the fire.)
21. Jusqu’au bout de
Pronunciation: zhuhs-koh boo duh
Meaning: To the end of.
In a Sentence:
- Va jusqu’au bout de la rue. (Go to the end of the street.)
- Il a couru jusqu’au bout de la plage. (He ran to the end of the beach.)
22. À la suite de
Pronunciation: ah lah sweet duh
Meaning: Following; after.
In a Sentence:
- À la suite de l’annonce, tout a changé. (Following the announcement, everything changed.)
- Ils se sont arrêtés à la suite du panneau. (They stopped after the sign.)
23. Devant
Pronunciation: duh-vahn
Meaning: To; in front of.
In a Sentence:
- Ils sont arrivés devant la porte. (They arrived in front of the door.)
- Attends-moi devant le magasin. (Wait for me in front of the store.)
24. Au bout de
Pronunciation: oh boo duh
Meaning: At the end of.
In a Sentence:
- La réponse se trouve au bout de la rue. (The answer is at the end of the street.)
- Ils ont vu un bateau au bout de la jetée. (They saw a boat at the end of the pier.)
25. À la porte de
Pronunciation: ah lah port duh
Meaning: At the door to.
In a Sentence:
- Je suis à la porte de ta maison. (I am at the door to your house.)
- Ils ont frappé à la porte de l’hôtel. (They knocked at the door to the hotel.)
26. Près de
Pronunciation: preh duh
Meaning: Near to.
In a Sentence:
- La bibliothèque est près de l’école. (The library is near to the school.)
- Il habite près de la rivière. (He lives near to the river.)
27. À la hauteur de
Pronunciation: ah lah oh-teur duh
Meaning: Up to; at the level of.
In a Sentence:
- La maison est à la hauteur de l’arbre. (The house is up to the level of the tree.)
- Nous sommes arrivés à la hauteur de la colline. (We arrived at the level of the hill.)
28. En haut de
Pronunciation: ahn oh duh
Meaning: At the top of.
In a Sentence:
- Il est en haut de la montagne. (He is at the top of the mountain.)
- Pose les livres en haut de l’étagère. (Place the books at the top of the shelf.)
29. À l’entrée de
Pronunciation: ah lahn-tray duh
Meaning: At the entrance to.
In a Sentence:
- Ils sont à l’entrée de la maison. (They are at the entrance to the house.)
- J’ai vu une affiche à l’entrée du parc. (I saw a sign at the entrance to the park.)
30. Sur le point de
Pronunciation: syur luh pwahn duh
Meaning: About to.
In a Sentence:
- Elle est sur le point de partir. (She is about to leave.)
- Nous sommes sur le point de terminer le projet. (We are about to finish the project.)
Other Ways to Say “To” in French
Here is a table of additional ways to say “to” in French, including their pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences. These expressions provide more variety and context to improve your French communication.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| À proximité de | ah prok-see-mee-tay duh | Close to | Le magasin est à proximité de l’hôtel. (The shop is close to the hotel.) |
| En bas de | ahn bah duh | At the bottom of | Il est en bas de la colline. (He is at the bottom of the hill.) |
| Au centre de | oh sahn-truh duh | At the center of | La statue est au centre de la place. (The statue is at the center of the square.) |
| Près du bord de | preh du bohr duh | Near the edge of | Ils sont près du bord de la falaise. (They are near the edge of the cliff.) |
| À l’arrière de | ah lar-ree-air duh | At the back of | Le jardin est à l’arrière de la maison. (The garden is at the back of the house.) |
| Aux alentours de | oh ah-lahn-toor duh | Around; nearby | Il y a des restaurants aux alentours de l’hôtel. (There are restaurants around the hotel.) |
| En aval de | ahn ah-vahl duh | Downstream from | La ville est en aval de la rivière. (The city is downstream from the river.) |
| À la droite de | ah lah drwaht duh | To the right of | Tournez à la droite de l’église. (Turn to the right of the church.) |
| À la gauche de | ah lah gohsh duh | To the left of | Allez à la gauche de l’école. (Go to the left of the school.) |
| Au sommet de | oh soh-may duh | At the summit of | Ils sont au sommet de la montagne. (They are at the summit of the mountain.) |
| À l’ombre de | ah lom-bruh duh | In the shade of | Ils se reposent à l’ombre de l’arbre. (They are resting in the shade of the tree.) |
| Sur le côté de | syur luh koh-tay duh | On the side of | La voiture est garée sur le côté de la route. (The car is parked on the side of the road.) |
| Aux alentours de | oh ah-lahn-toor duh | In the vicinity of | Ils cherchent une maison aux alentours du centre-ville. (They are looking for a house in the vicinity of downtown.) |
| À l’extérieur de | ah lex-tair-yer duh | Outside of | Les enfants jouent à l’extérieur de la maison. (The kids are playing outside of the house.) |
Responses to “To” in French
When someone uses “to” in French to indicate direction, purpose, or connection, it is helpful to know how to respond appropriately. These responses depend on the context of the conversation and can range from formal to casual. Here are common responses to the use of “to” in French with pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences.
1. Oui, allons-y
Pronunciation: wee ah-lohn-zee
Meaning: Yes, let’s go there.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons à Paris. (Let’s go to Paris.)
Person 2: Oui, allons-y. (Yes, let’s go there.)
2. D’accord
Pronunciation: dah-kohr
Meaning: Alright; okay.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous allons au parc. (We are going to the park.)
Person 2: D’accord. (Alright.)
3. Ça marche
Pronunciation: sah marsh
Meaning: That works.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On se retrouve au café? (Shall we meet at the café?)
Person 2: Ça marche. (That works.)
4. Je suis prêt(e)
Pronunciation: juh swee preh (or pret for feminine speakers)
Meaning: I am ready.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Es-tu prêt à partir? (Are you ready to leave?)
Person 2: Oui, je suis prêt. (Yes, I am ready.)
5. Pourquoi pas?
Pronunciation: poor-kwah pah
Meaning: Why not?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons à la plage ce week-end. (Let’s go to the beach this weekend.)
Person 2: Pourquoi pas? (Why not?)
6. C’est une bonne idée
Pronunciation: say tune bohn ee-day
Meaning: That’s a good idea.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Devons-nous aller au musée? (Should we go to the museum?)
Person 2: C’est une bonne idée. (That’s a good idea.)
7. Avec plaisir
Pronunciation: ah-vek pleh-zeer
Meaning: With pleasure.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Voulez-vous venir avec moi au marché? (Would you like to come with me to the market?)
Person 2: Avec plaisir. (With pleasure.)
8. Non, merci
Pronunciation: noh mehr-see
Meaning: No, thank you.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons au cinéma ce soir. (Let’s go to the cinema tonight.)
Person 2: Non, merci. (No, thank you.)
9. Je préfère autre chose
Pronunciation: juh preh-fair oh-truh shohz
Meaning: I prefer something else.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons au restaurant italien. (Let’s go to the Italian restaurant.)
Person 2: Je préfère autre chose. (I prefer something else.)
10. Excellente idée
Pronunciation: eks-say-lahnt ee-day
Meaning: Excellent idea.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons faire une randonnée à la montagne. (Let’s go for a hike in the mountains.)
Person 2: Excellente idée. (Excellent idea.)
11. Pas de problème
Pronunciation: pah duh proh-blehm
Meaning: No problem.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Pourriez-vous aller au bureau de poste? (Could you go to the post office?)
Person 2: Pas de problème. (No problem.)
12. Je suis d’accord
Pronunciation: juh swee dah-kohr
Meaning: I agree.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons au parc pour un pique-nique. (Let’s go to the park for a picnic.)
Person 2: Je suis d’accord. (I agree.)
13. Peut-être plus tard
Pronunciation: puh-teh-truh ploo tahr
Meaning: Maybe later.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Veux-tu aller à la plage maintenant? (Do you want to go to the beach now?)
Person 2: Peut-être plus tard. (Maybe later.)
14. C’est trop loin
Pronunciation: say troh lwahn
Meaning: It’s too far.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Allons à la montagne demain. (Let’s go to the mountain tomorrow.)
Person 2: C’est trop loin. (It’s too far.)
15. Je vais réfléchir
Pronunciation: juh vay ray-flay-sheer
Meaning: I’ll think about it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Que dirais-tu d’aller au musée samedi? (How about going to the museum on Saturday?)
Person 2: Je vais réfléchir. (I’ll think about it.)
Exercise to Practice “To” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises to practice using “to” in French. Each sentence includes a blank where you can insert the correct French preposition or phrase. After completing the exercise, check your answers below.
Fill-in-the-Blanks
- Nous allons ______ parc après le déjeuner.
- Je voyage ______ France cet été avec ma famille.
- Ils marchent ______ la maison après l’école.
- Nous sommes arrivés ______ sommet de la montagne.
- Marie a envoyé une lettre ______ son ami à Paris.
- Elle a mis son manteau ______ l’entrée de la maison.
- Le bateau est allé ______ la rivière jusqu’à la mer.
- Il s’est assis ______ côté de sa sœur à table.
- La voiture est garée ______ bord de la route.
- Nous allons ______ marché pour acheter des légumes.
- Ils jouent ______ ombre de l’arbre dans le parc.
- J’ai rendez-vous ______ médecin à 14 heures.
Answers
- Nous allons au parc après le déjeuner.
(We are going to the park after lunch.) - Je voyage en France cet été avec ma famille.
(I am traveling to France this summer with my family.) - Ils marchent vers la maison après l’école.
(They are walking toward the house after school.) - Nous sommes arrivés au sommet de la montagne.
(We arrived at the summit of the mountain.) - Marie a envoyé une lettre à son ami à Paris.
(Marie sent a letter to her friend in Paris.) - Elle a mis son manteau à l’entrée de la maison.
(She put her coat at the entrance of the house.) - Le bateau est allé dans la rivière jusqu’à la mer.
(The boat went into the river and up to the sea.) - Il s’est assis à côté de sa sœur à table.
(He sat next to his sister at the table.) - La voiture est garée près du bord de la route.
(The car is parked near the edge of the road.) - Nous allons au marché pour acheter des légumes.
(We are going to the market to buy vegetables.) - Ils jouent à l’ombre de l’arbre dans le parc.
(They are playing in the shade of the tree in the park.) - J’ai rendez-vous chez le médecin à 14 heures.
(I have an appointment at the doctor’s office at 2 p.m.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “to” in French is essential for speaking and understanding the language. French prepositions like “à,” “au,” and “en” are small but powerful words that help connect ideas and express direction, purpose, or relationships. By practicing their use, you can create accurate and meaningful sentences.
Take the time to explore the different ways to say “to” and their contexts. With regular practice and conversations, these phrases will become a natural part of your vocabulary. Keep practicing with exercises and real-life examples to build your confidence in speaking French fluently.