26 French Conjunctions: Bring Your Best Sentences Together

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Are you getting confident in how you speak French but still find yourself struggling to create more complex sentences? It’s possible that you’re in need of a few French conjunctions. These helpful linking words can help you connect ideas, thoughts, and scenarios as you talk to other French speakers.

From subordinating to correlating conjunctions, it’s essential to know these helpful words to elevate your speech and help your conversations flourish. An easy way to practice them is through the Rosetta Stone App, where you can schedule a session with a tutor!

The basics of conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect two sentences, ideas, and phrases together. They’re an essential part of speech in French and any language. The most common conjunctions are:

They can also clarify the relationship between different elements in a sentence based on factors like, distinction, parallel importance, purpose, or causation. Examples of some conjunctions that you might use for those situations include:

• that
• however
• though
• since
• before
• than
• because

There are categories of conjunctions to learn and they each serve a purpose in communication. The three types of conjunctions in French are:

• les conjonctions de coordination (coordinating conjunctions)
• les conjonctions de corrélation (correlative conjunctions)
• les conjonctions de subordination (subordinate conjunctions). 

Learning how to use conjunctions in French will help you explain your opinions more clearly. This guide will help you know the difference between these helpful linking words in French and how to use them correctly since their use can depend on the different verb tenses in French.

French coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are probably the easiest to translate and use since they’re the most fundamental words to build complex sentences. The French conjunction chart below identifies these words so you can identify them in the examples below.

Et (and)

Et is used like “and” in English.

• Je veux faire une promenade et profiter de la nature. = I want to take a walk and enjoy nature.
• J’adore jouer au basket et au football. = I love playing basketball and football.

Car (for)

Car is the English equivalent of “for.” It communicates causality and signifies a logical conclusion of a set of circumstances. 

• Attention aux voitures, car ils conduisent vite dans cette rue. = Pay attention to the cars, for they drive fast on this road.
• Ils n’ont acheté que les choses en promotion car, ils n’avaient pas beaucoup d’argent. = They only bought the things that were on sale for, they didn’t have a lot of money.

Donc (therefore)

Donc is the equivalent of “therefore” and is similar to car.

• J’ai mal à l’estomac depuis trois jours et je ne sais pas pourquoi. Donc, jeudi je vais chez le médecin. = I’ve been sick to my stomach for 3 days and I don’t know why. Therefore, I’m going to the doctor on Thursday.
• Il mange et dort bien, donc, il est sain. = He eats and sleeps well, therefore, he’s healthy.

Mais (but)

Mais means “but” in English and is used to introduce distinction or opposition.

• J’ aime ce film, mais je n’aime pas l’acteur qui y joue. = I like this movie, but I don’t like the actor who plays in it.
• Je veux y aller, mais je n’ai pas le temps. = I want to go, but I have no time.

Ni (neither)

Ni functions in a similar way to the English “neither … .nor”, when speaking of the negation of two or more items. In this way, one can also consider it as a correlative conjunction. Notice how it’s used in conjunction with ne. In any given sentence, you can follow this formula: 

• ne + verb + ni + noun + ni + noun

Take a look at how it’s used in the examples below. 

• Je ne mange ni des pommes de terres, ni des frites. = I eat neither potatoes nor fries.
• Je ne bois ni de lait ni de jus. = I drink neither milk nor juice.

Or (yet)

Or is the equivalent of “yet” in the sense of stating something that is “nevertheless” the case despite contrary circumstances.  

• Il dit qu’il fait de l’exercice. Or, il n’arrive pas à ouvrir le pot de cornichons! = He says he exercises a lot, yet he can’t open the pickle jar!
• Il est persuadé qu’il a raison, or l’évidence témoigne au contraire. = He’s convinced that he’s right, yet the evidence speaks to the contrary.

Ou (or)

Ou is almost entirely interchangeable with the English “or” and indicates a choice between two things.

• Est-ce que tu veux aller à La tour Eiffel ou au Louvre? = Do you want to go to the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre?  

Elle nous a dit qu’elle essayerait ou qu’elle demanderait de l’aide des autres personnes. = She told us that she would try or that she would ask others for help.

French correlative conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions introduce parallel components in a sentence, such as “You can either go play, or you can go study.” Both “go play” and “go study” are equal in their status as phrases composed of “go + verb” and are both parallel in their role in the sentence of two distinct yet possible choices to be had.  

The same with a sentence such as “You must choose either a red or a blue shirt.” “Red” and “blue” are parallel in their function as adjectives and as possibilities to choose from. Let’s take a look at a couple of more examples in French.

Ni…ni (neither…nor)

As we have encountered before, ni is always accompanied by ne + verb + ni + noun + ni + noun. The same rule applies here. It’s the exact same conjunction, just one that can occupy both groups of coordinating and correlative conjunctions.  Note how sometimes the phrase doesn’t always have to start off with ne + verb, but can go in the reverse order of  ni + noun + ni + noun + ne + verb. Consult both examples below.

• Je ne suis ni étudiant ni professeur. = I am neither a student nor a teacher.
• Ni les parcs ni les musées ne sont ouverts. = Neither parks nor museums are open. 

Ou…ou (or…or)

This construction is primarily used in spoken French and functions as a choice between two things. It’s similar to the English “or” except that it is used twice.

• Vous avez deux choix pour l’entrée, ou la salade ou le gazpacho. = You have two choices of entrées, either the salad or the gazpacho.
• Les candidats doivent maîtriser ou l’arabe ou le farsi. = The candidates must master either Arabic or Farsi.

Soit…soit (either…or)

Soit is the subjunctive form of être (to be) and indicates uncertainty. Thinking of it as “either…or” in English is accurate most of the time. Note that soit is used in writing most often and is considered more formal, whereas ou…ou is more informal and primarily used in speech. 

• Il faut que tu choisisses soit la chemise rouge soit la chemise bleue. = You must pick either the red shirt or the blue one.

Le restaurant est fermé. On peut soit acheter un sandwich, soit cuisiner chez soi. = The restaurant is closed. We can either buy a sandwich or cook at home.

French subordinating conjunctions

Subordinate conjunctions are those that link two clauses together, one of which is dependent upon the other for reason of circumstance, purpose, or condition, among others. Look at the list of subordinate conjunctions in French to see how they are typically used.

À condition que (on the condition that)

À condition que conveys one set of circumstances that depend on another, which translates to “on the condition that” in English. Since it depends on a set of uncertain circumstances, it’s used with the subjunctive mood and is always structured as à condition que + subject + verb (subjunctive).

• Elle viendra à condition que Marc vienne aussi. = She’ll come on the condition that Marc comes too.
• Je vous le dis à condition que vous le protégiez en tant que secret. = I’ll tell you on the condition that you keep it a secret.

Afin que or Afin de (so that)

Afin que is used in the same way as  “so that” in English and is also followed by a subject and verb in the subjunctive mood. 

• On va partir tôt afin qu’on trouve de place. = We’re going to leave early so that we can find a place (to sit).
• Afin que vous compreniez bien le concept, je vais le réexpliquer. = So that you understand the concept well, I’m going to re-explain it.

Afin de is used when followed by an infinitive so as to say “in order to + [infinitive verb].”

• Il a travaillé dur afin de réaliser ce film. = He worked hard in order to make this movie.

Ainsi que (as well as)

Ainsi que is understood to mean “as well as” or “just as.” 

• Elle a cuisiné du steak ainsi que des frites. = She cooked some steak as well as some fries.
• Ainsi que je l’avais prévu, il a oublié son sac à dos! = Just as I predicted, he forgot his backpack!

Au cas où (in case)

Au cas où translates directly to the English phrase “in case” and is used in the same way, namely, to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation, also dependent on circumstances. Note though that the subjunctive mood is not used. It is, however, followed by a subject and verb, the latter of which is usually in the conditional or present tense.

• Prends ton billet au cas où le contrôleur le demande. = Bring your ticket in case the inspector asks for it.
• J’ai apporté mon portable au cas où je m’ennuierais. = I brought my phone in case I get bored.

Comme (like, as, or since)

Perhaps the most basic of all the conjunctions—and one that learners acquire within the first few days of a French class—comme is used much in the same way as “like” or “as” in English, though it sometimes means “since.” 

• J’aime les films d’horreur, comme <The Conjuring> par exemple. = I like horror films, like “The Conjuring” for example.
• Comme il l’a dit à personne, on ne savait pas qu’il avait des problèmes! = Since he didn’t tell anyone, no one knew he was having problems.

Dès que (as soon as)

You’ll use dès que the way you’d use “as soon as” in English.

• Je partirai dès que le bus arrivera. = I will leave as soon as the bus arrives.
• On avait acheté des billets dès qu’ils étaient disponibles. = We bought tickets as soon as they were available. 

Lorsque (when)

Lorsque functions like “when” in English in the sense that something is happening simultaneously, immediately after, or before something else.

• Dites-moi lorsque vous avez terminé votre examen. = Tell me when you’ve finished your exam.
• On se dispute lorsqu’il faudrait trouver une solution. = We’re fighting when we should be finding a solution.

Malgré que (despite, even though)

The two examples below will illustrate that malgré que can be translated to “despite” or “even though.” But be careful! When used with a verb, the verb must be conjugated in the subjunctive mood. 

• Jean est sorti malgré la pluie. = Jean went out despite the rain.
• Malgré qu’il ait déjà bu de l’eau, il a encore soif. = Even though he already drank some water, he’s still thirsty.

Parce que (because)

“Because” is the English word for parce que, but it is never used at the beginning of a sentence.

• Il l’a jeté dans la poubelle parce que c’était gâté. = He threw it in the trash because it was spoiled.
• Il a reçu une bonne note parce que sa dissertation était superbe! = He received a good grade because his essay was superb!

Pendant que (while)

Pendant que functions in the same way as “while” in English, in the sense that two things are happening at once.

• J’étudie pendant que tu conduis. = I’ll study while you drive.
• Il cuisinait pendant qu’elle parlait aux invités. = He was cooking while she talked to the guests.

Puisque (since, because, seeing as)

Puisque has various ways of being translated, all of which come down to the English equivalent of “since/because/seeing as.” You can see the various uses in these examples.

• Puisque tu es rentré, le chien n’arrête pas de sauter! = Since you’ve returned, the dog hasn’t stopped jumping.
• Puisque personne ne s’intéresse au film, on a décidé de faire un pique-nique au parc! = Since no one was interested in the movie, we decided to have a picnic in the park instead.

Quand (when)

Another way to say “when” in English, quand reflects the most common sense of the word: the time or moment in which something happens. This is the same “when” used in asking when something is going to happen or when something occurred. 

• Je te tiendrai au courant quand je saurai quelque chose. = I’ll inform you when I know something.
• Quand est-ce qu’il va revenir? = When is he coming back?  

Que (that)

Que functions most commonly as the conjunctive use of the English word “that.” In French, it’s also followed by a noun and a verb.

• Il t’a dit plusieurs fois que c’est une mauvaise idée! = He told you many times that it’s a bad idea!
• Arnaud! Où est le livre que tu lisais tout à l’heure? = Arnaud! Where is the book that you were reading earlier?

Quoique (even though)

Usually, quoique is understood to mean “even though,” but make sure to notice the difference between quoique and quoi que (two words). Quoi que means “whatever” but the conjunction quoique is what we’re discussing here.

• Nous irons à la piscine, quoique nous préférons la plage. = We will go to the pool, even though we prefer the beach.
• Quoique nous sommes en été, il ne fait pas chaud! = Even though it’s summer, it’s not hot!

Si (if)

Si  translates to “if” and is used almost entirely the same way. For basic “if…then” statements in French, conjugate the verb in the si clause in the present tense, and the verb that follows in either the present, future, or imperative tenses. Note that the clause with si in it does not have to come first.

• Si tu voyages en Chine, tu seras une personne plus mondiale. = If you travel to China, you will be a more worldly person.
• Tu gagneras beaucoup d’argent si tu trouves un bon boulot. = You will earn a lot of money if you find a good job.

Sinon (otherwise, if not)

The word sinon has various translations and uses. Sometimes it means the same as “otherwise” in English, and sometimes it translates to its literal meaning of “if not.”

• Reposes-toi bien, sinon tu seras malade. = Rest well, otherwise you’ll be sick.
• Si vous avez déjà reçu votre lettre, il ne faut rien faire. Sinon, il faut contacter l’administration dès que possible. = If you’ve already received your letter, you don’t have to do anything. Otherwise (if not) you’ll have to contact the administration as soon as possible.

Conquer French conjunctions and more

Learn these 26 French conjunctions above and you’ll make your conversation flow more smoothly. You’ll be able to use them as you compare and contrast opinions, justify your actions, and indicate the sequence of events. To really boost your language skills, learn how Rosetta Stone works. It’s the most immersive way to master a new language like French, Italian, Hindi, or even Irish!

Written by Micah McCauley

Micah McCauley is a current freelance contributor to Rosetta Stone with years of experience teaching French to non-native speakers. His career spans the U.S., France, and China. He is currently a student and associate instructor of French and Francophone Studies. He enjoys composing music, traveling, and learning Spanish in his free time.