The French Preposition “Par”
Mastering French prepositions can be one of the most challenging parts of learning the language, and the French preposition par is no exception. While it may seem like a simple word at first glance, par plays a vital role in many expressions and sentence structures in French. It often differs from its English counterparts, which can be confusing for learners.
What is “par”?
The French preposition par often translates to ‘by,’ ‘through,’ or ‘per’ in English. However, its usage can differ significantly depending on the context, and there are times when another preposition would be used in English.
“Par” to Indicate the Agent of an Action
| Ce livre a été écrit par Victor Hugo. | This book was written by Victor Hugo. |
| La maison est construite par des ouvriers. | The house is built by workers. |
“Par” to Express Movement Through or Across
| Je suis passé par la forêt. | I went through the forest. |
| Nous voyageons par l’autoroute. | We are traveling via the highway. |
“Par” to Indicate a Means or Method
| Il a envoyé la lettre par la poste. | He sent the letter by mail. |
| Elle a appris la nouvelle par un ami. | She learned the news through a friend. |
“Par” in Expressions of Time
| Il vient ici deux fois par semaine. | He comes here twice a week. |
| Je lis un livre par mois. | I read a book per month. |
Common Verbs Followed by “Par”
| commencer par | Elle a commencé par expliquer les règles. | She started by explaining the rules. |
| finir par | Il a fini par accepter notre invitation. | He ended up accepting our invitation. |
| passer par | Ils sont passés par une époque difficile. | They went through a difficult time. |
| être fasciné par | Je suis fasciné par cette idée. | I am fascinated by this idea. |
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