- We use "à" before a precise time.
- We use le before a date or a day of the week.
- We use "en" before a month, a season or a year.
- We use au before a siècle.
| Prépositions (Prepositions ) | Exemples (Examples) |
| À | Je vois ma famille à vingt heures. (I see my family at eight o'clock.) |
| Le | Tu fêtes ton anniversaire le 3 mai. (Your birthday is on 3 May.) |
| En | Elle part en vacances en juillet. (She goes on holiday in July.) |
| Au | Il est né au 18ème siècle. (He was born in the 18th century.) |
Exceptions!
- When you put "le" before a day of the week, it indicates a habit. Example: Je vais au basket le samedi.
Exercise 1: Indiquer un moment précis
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
en, au, le, à, Au
1.
Je prends le métro ... huit heures les matins.
(I take the tube at eight o'clock in the mornings.)
2.
... 19ème siècle, la première voiture est crée.
(In the 19th century, the first car was created.)
3.
Nous avons acheté notre première voiture ... 10 mars 2010.
(We bought our first car on 10 March 2010.)
4.
Ton bus part dans dix minutes, ... dix-huit heures.
(Your bus leaves in ten minutes, at six o'clock.)
5.
Vous partez toujours en vacances ... août.
(You always go on holiday in August.)
6.
Ma fille va à la danse ... jeudi.
(My daughter goes to dance on Thursdays.)
7.
La maison est construite ... 19ème siècle.
(The house was built in the 19th century.)
8.
J'ai eu mon permis ... 26 avril 2022.
(I got my driving licence on 26 April 2022.)
Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
en
You always go on holiday in August.
2
au
The house was built in the 19th century.
3
le
I got my driving licence on 26 April 2022.
4
à
I take the tube at eight o'clock in the mornings.