🔗 French Vocabulary List: Useful Conjunctions

Conjunctions (les conjonctions) are small but powerful words that link ideas, words, or sentences together. Mastering them will make your French sound smoother, more natural, and more advanced.

Here’s a list of the most useful French conjunctions, grouped by category, with English meanings and examples.

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1. Adding Information (Addition)

1. et → and

• J’aime le café et le thé. → I like coffee and tea.

2. aussi → also

• Elle est intelligente et aussi gentille. → She is smart and also kind.

3. de plus → moreover, in addition

• Il est ponctuel. De plus, il travaille bien. → He is punctual. Moreover, he works well.

4. ainsi que → as well as

• Elle parle anglais ainsi que français. → She speaks English as well as French.

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2. Expressing Contrast (Opposition)

5. mais → but

• J’aime Paris, mais je préfère Lyon. → I like Paris, but I prefer Lyon.

6. pourtant → however

• Il est fatigué, pourtant il continue. → He is tired, however he continues.

7. cependant → nevertheless

• C’est difficile, cependant je vais essayer. → It’s difficult, nevertheless I will try.

8. tandis que / alors que → while, whereas

• Il travaille, tandis que son frère se repose. → He is working while his brother is resting.

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3. Giving a Reason (Cause)

9. parce que → because

• Je reste à la maison parce que je suis malade. → I’m staying home because I’m sick.

10. car → because (formal)

• Il est absent car il est malade. → He is absent because he is sick.

11. puisque → since, as

• Je pars, puisque tu ne veux pas venir. → I’m leaving since you don’t want to come.

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4. Expressing a Result (Consequence)

12. donc → so, therefore

• Il pleut, donc je prends un parapluie. → It’s raining, so I’m taking an umbrella.

13. alors → so

• Tu es prêt ? Alors allons-y ! → You’re ready? So let’s go!

14. c’est pourquoi → that’s why

• Il étudie beaucoup, c’est pourquoi il réussit. → He studies a lot, that’s why he succeeds.

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5. Expressing Time

15. quand → when

• J’arriverai quand tu seras prêt. → I’ll arrive when you are ready.

16. lorsque → when (formal)

• J’étais heureux lorsque j’ai entendu la nouvelle. → I was happy when I heard the news.

17. avant que (+ subjunctive) → before

• Pars avant que je n’arrive. → Leave before I arrive.

18. après que → after

• Il est parti après que tu es venu. → He left after you came.

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6. Expressing Condition

19. si → if

• Si tu veux, on peut sortir. → If you want, we can go out.

20. à condition que (+ subjunctive) → provided that

• Tu peux sortir à condition que tu fasses tes devoirs. → You can go out provided that you do your homework.

21. au cas où → in case

• Prends un parapluie au cas où il pleuvrait. → Take an umbrella in case it rains.

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✅ Quick Recap

Most common French conjunctions you should know:

• Addition: et, aussi, de plus

• Contrast: mais, pourtant, cependant, tandis que

• Cause: parce que, car, puisque

• Consequence: donc, alors, c’est pourquoi

• Time: quand, lorsque, avant que, après que

• Condition: si, à condition que, au cas où

👉 These little words will help you connect ideas and sound fluent.

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Translate into French using conjunctions:

1. I like tea and coffee.

2. It’s raining, so I’m staying home.

3. He is rich, but unhappy.

4. I will call you when I arrive.

5. We will go out if it’s sunny.

Answers:

1. J’aime le thé et le café.

2. Il pleut, donc je reste à la maison.

3. Il est riche, mais malheureux.

4. Je t’appellerai quand j’arriverai.

5. Nous sortirons s’il fait beau.

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Conclusion

French conjunctions like et, mais, donc, parce que, si are among the most useful and common words in French. Mastering them will help you link sentences smoothly and speak with more confidence.

👉 Pro tip: Try to use at least two different conjunctions every time you speak French to make your sentences more natural.

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TAGS: French conjunctions list, useful French words for beginners, French grammar linking words, French basic vocabulary conjunctions, French connectives examples