{"id":118444,"date":"2023-06-22T14:11:11","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T18:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/french-contractions\/"},"modified":"2025-01-20T23:22:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T04:22:21","slug":"french-contractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/french-contractions\/","title":{"rendered":"How and When to Use French Contractions"},"content":{"rendered":"

You’re likely very familiar with contractions: two words combined to form one shorter word with an apostrophe replacing the dropped letters.\u00a0In English we can choose to use “I will” or “I’ll,” but in French contractions are required.<\/p>\n

Luckily, the rules are pretty simple to learn. And contractions are a part of everyday speech<\/a>, so you’ll see and hear them often.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]
\n<\/p>\n

When to Use French Contractions<\/h2>\n

In French, there are some words that were initially contractions. For example, aujourd’hui<\/em> (today)<\/a> is a\u00a0contraction that\u00a0dates back to the 12th century,\u00a0made of:<\/p>\n

au<\/em><\/strong> (on) + jour <\/em><\/strong>(day)\u00a0+\u00a0de <\/em><\/strong>(of) +\u00a0hui <\/em><\/strong>(Latin for “today”)<\/p>\n

Literal translation: “on the day of today”<\/p>\n

D’abord <\/em><\/strong>(first of all, in the first place),\u00a0d’accord <\/em><\/strong>(okay) and\u00a0d’ailleurs <\/em><\/strong>(moreover, besides) are other examples of fixed contractions.<\/p>\n

Besides the above-mentioned, there are quite a few contractions of a different sort in French. Let’s take a look at them according to six different categories.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Singular definite article: Le, la<\/em><\/h3>\n

L’<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(the)\u00a0<\/em>is the contracted version of the definite articles<\/a> le <\/strong><\/em>(the, for masculine nouns) and la<\/strong><\/em> (the, for feminine nouns). It’s used when the noun begins with a vowel or an h muet<\/em> (silent h):<\/p>\n

Le <\/em>(the)\u00a0+ animal <\/em>(animal) must contract to\u00a0l’animal\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(the animal).<\/p>\n

La\u00a0<\/em>(the) + \u00e9tiquette<\/em>\u00a0(label, tag) must contract to l’\u00e9tiquette<\/em><\/strong> (the label, tag).<\/p>\n

Le <\/em>(the) + homme<\/em> (man) must contract to l’homme<\/em><\/strong> (the man).<\/p>\n

Single-consonant words that end with a silent e<\/em><\/h3>\n

In French, there are nine single-consonant words that end with an e muet<\/em> (silent e<\/em>): ce<\/em>, de<\/em>, je<\/em>, le,<\/em> me<\/em>, ne, que, se<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and te<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at these words in contractions, where the vowel is dropped and contracted with the second word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Words that get contracted<\/th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Ce<\/em>\u00a0(this)<\/td>Ce\u00a0<\/em>+ est<\/em>\u00a0= c'est<\/strong><\/em>
\n(this\/that\/it is)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
De <\/em>(of, from)<\/td>De <\/em>+\u00a0Angleterre<\/em> (England) = d'Angleterre<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0
\n(of\/from England)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Je<\/em> (I)*<\/td>Je<\/em> + aime<\/em> (like) = j'aime<\/strong><\/em> (I like\/love)
\n
\nJe<\/em> + y<\/em> (an adverbial pronoun<\/a>\u00a0that refers to \"here\" or \"there\") + vais<\/em>\u00a0(go) = j'y vais<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(I'm going there.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le <\/em>(him, it)<\/td>Je l'aime<\/strong>. <\/em>
\n(I like\/love him.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Me <\/em>(myself)<\/td>Je m'habille<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n(I dress myself\/I am getting dressed.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ne<\/em>\u00a0(not)<\/td>Il n'est<\/strong> pas chez lui.<\/em>
\n(He is not at home.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Que<\/em> (that\/what\/whom)<\/td>Le livre qu'il<\/strong> a ach\u00e9t\u00e9\u00a0est long.<\/em>
\n(The book that he bought is long.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Se<\/em>\u00a0(oneself)<\/td>Il s'appelle<\/strong> Jean.<\/em>
\n(His name is Jean. Literally: He calls himself Jean.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Te\u00a0<\/em>(you, to you)<\/td>Marie t'\u00e9crit<\/strong> une lettre.<\/em>
\n(Marie is writing\u00a0you a letter.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

*Note: When je<\/em>\u00a0(I)\u00a0<\/em>is inverted, it does not contract.<\/strong> For example, in the construction puis-je\u00a0<\/em>(may I), when followed by a verb that begins with a vowel such as avoir\u00a0<\/em>(to have), a resulting sentence would\u00a0look like this, with no contraction between je\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0avoir<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Puis-je<\/strong> a<\/strong>voir un verre d’eau ?
\n<\/em>(May I have a glass of water?)<\/p>\n

The conjunctions puisque<\/em>\u00a0and lorsque\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

Puisque <\/em>means “since,” “because as,” and lorsque<\/em> means “when,” “while” and\u00a0 “as soon as.”<\/p>\n

Let’s see how these conjunctions are contracted with other words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Contractions with Puisque<\/em> and Lorsque<\/em><\/th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Puisque<\/em> + on<\/em> = puisqu'on<\/em><\/strong> (since we...)<\/td>Puisqu'on<\/strong> parle de co\u00fbts, je vais v\u00e9rifier les achats.<\/em>
\n(Since we're talking about costs, I will verify the purchases.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Puisque<\/em> + il<\/em> = puisqu'il<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(since he...since it...)<\/td>Puisqu'il<\/strong> \u00e9tait en avance, Marc a sorti son livre.<\/em>
\n(Since he was early, Marc took out his book.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lorsque<\/em> + on<\/em> = lorsqu'on<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(when one)<\/td>Lorsqu'on<\/strong> est gourmand, on mange sans avoir faim.<\/em>
\n(When one is a food lover, one eats without being hungry.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lorsque<\/em> + il<\/em> = lorsqu'il<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(when it...)<\/td>Lorsqu'il<\/strong> est vide, range ton sac.<\/em>
\n(When it is empty, put away your bag.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

The adverb or preposition\u00a0jusque<\/em>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

The adverb<\/a> or preposition<\/a> jusque<\/em> (until, too) combines with other words to form various contractions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Contractions with Jusque<\/em><\/th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Jusque<\/em> + \u00e0<\/em><\/strong> (at) = jusqu'\u00e0<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(up to)<\/td>On marche jusqu'\u00e0<\/strong> la gare. <\/em>
\n(We're walking up to the train station.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jusque<\/em> + alors<\/em><\/strong> (then, at the time)\u00a0= jusqu'alors<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(up until now)<\/td>Son magasin jusqu'alors<\/strong> ferm\u00e9 est ouvert.<\/em>
\n(His store, up until now closed, is open.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jusque<\/em> + en<\/em><\/strong> (in)\u00a0= jusqu'en<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(until [a certain date])<\/td>L'eau est rest\u00e9e au m\u00eame niveau jusqu'en<\/strong> 2015. <\/em>
\n(The water stayed at the same level until 2015.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jusque<\/em> + ici<\/em><\/strong> (here)\u00a0= jusqu'ici<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(all the way here)<\/td>J'ai couru jusqu'ici<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n(I ran all the way here.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

The preposition \u00e0\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

Let’s take a look at how the preposition \u00e0<\/em> (at) forms contractions with other words.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Contractions with \u00e0<\/em><\/th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\u00e0 <\/em>\u00a0+ le<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(the) = au<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(at the)<\/td>Je suis au <\/strong>parc.<\/em> (I am at the park.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e0 <\/em>+ les<\/em> = aux<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(to the, at the, with)<\/td>J'ai mal aux<\/strong> yeux. <\/em>(My eyes hurt.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e0<\/em> + lequel<\/em> = auquel<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(to which)<\/td>L'homme auquel<\/strong>\u00a0tu parlais habite dans ce quartier.<\/em>
\n(The man to whom you were speaking lives in this neighborhood.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e0 <\/em>+ lesquels<\/em> = auxquels<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(to which, referring to masculine plural nouns)<\/td>Les hommes\u00a0auxquels<\/strong>\u00a0tu parlais habitent dans ce quartier.<\/em>
\n(The men to whom you were speaking live in this neighborhood.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e0<\/em> + lesquelles <\/em>= auxquelles<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(to which, referring to feminine plural nouns)<\/td>Les femmes auxquelles<\/strong> tu parlais habitent dans ce quartier.<\/em>
\n(The women to whom you were speaking live in this neighborhood.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Note: \u00e0<\/em> + laquelle<\/em> does not contract<\/strong>, as in:<\/p>\n

La femme \u00e0 laquelle<\/strong> tu parlais est arriv\u00e9e.
\n<\/em>(The woman to whom you were speaking has arrived.)<\/p>\n

The preposition de\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

In the table below you’ll find different contractions formed with the preposition de <\/em>(of, from).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Contractions with de<\/em><\/th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
de<\/em> + le<\/em>\u00a0=\u00a0du<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(from, of the)<\/td>J'ai une table du<\/strong> Maroc.<\/em>
\n(I have a table from Morocco.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
de<\/em> + les<\/em>\u00a0= des<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(the indefinite article for \"some\")<\/td>Il y a des<\/strong> crayons sur le bureau. <\/em>
\n(There are some pencils on the desk.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
de<\/em> + lequel<\/em> = duquel<\/em><\/em>\u00a0(of which)<\/td>Le b\u00e2timent \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 duquel<\/strong> on habite a \u00e9t\u00e9 cambriol\u00e9.<\/em>
\n(The building next to which we lived was robbed.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
de<\/em> + lesquels<\/em>\u00a0= desquels<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(of which, referring to masculine plural nouns)<\/td>Les\u00a0b\u00e2timents \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 desquels<\/strong> on habite ont \u00e9t\u00e9 cambriol\u00e9s.<\/em>
\n(The buildings next to which we lived were broken into.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
de<\/em> + lesquelles<\/em>\u00a0=\u00a0desquelles<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(of which, referring to feminine plural nouns)<\/td>Les\u00a0voitures \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 desquelles<\/strong> nous avons stationn\u00e9 ont \u00e9t\u00e9 cambriol\u00e9es.<\/em>
\n(The cars next to which we parked were robbed.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Note:<\/strong> \u00a0<\/i>The definite articles la<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0l’<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>don’t contract when in the presence of the prepositions \u00e0<\/em><\/strong> or de<\/em><\/strong>. Also, when le<\/em><\/strong> and les<\/em><\/strong> are object pronouns<\/a> rather than definite articles, they don’t contract either.<\/p>\n

When to Not Use Contractions in French<\/h2>\n

Let’s take a look at other examples in which contractions don’t play a role.\u00a0<\/p>\n