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Just as cognates make it easier to learn a new language, French prefixes offer the same advantage. You’ll find many of them to be similar (if not identical) to English prefixes! Plus, they allow you to infer meaning from words you don’t know yet.
The similarities stem from their shared lexical legacy. Although English isn’t a Romance language like French, their close proximity and mutual Latin history links back to the Romans, so you’ll find a lot of overlapping words like ambidextre (“ambi-” meaning “two” or “both”) to prévisible (“pré-” meaning “before”). When you use the Rosetta Stone App, you’ll be able to see lots of examples of French prefixes in the stories and lessons you learn.
Why French prefixes are so important
Prefixes in French (or even English) aren’t just for show; they have a direct influence on a word’s meaning. Though not words themselves, prefixes function as “morphemes.” Morphemes are what linguists call the smallest units of meaning in a language. For example, the prefix “anti–,” meaning “against”, can’t be broken down further. Neither “an-” nor “ti-” mean anything by themselves. It’s only with the full prefix “anti-” that any meaning is communicated.
But “anti-” can’t quite stand on its own though. It needs more description to communicate a complete thought. That’s why you’ll use the French prefix “anti-” in conjunction with other nouns and adjectives such as antisocial or antiallergique (anti-allergic).
Adding a prefix to the beginning of a word makes communication easier and more succinct. For example, when trying to describe the feeling of indecision, one could express it in various ways:
- Pierre adore son travail, mais on lui a proposé un nouveau poste. = Pierre loves his job, but he was offered a new job opportunity.
Or we could describe this conflict between two choices as ambivalent (having opposing feelings). An example would look like the following:
- Pierre est ambivalent à l’idée de changer de travail, partagé entre l’excitation d’une nouvelle opportunité et la peur de quitter sa zone de confort. = He is ambivalent at the idea of changing jobs, torn between the excitement of a new job opportunity and the fear of leaving his comfort zone.
Prefixes like the “r-” in racheter (to buy again), for example, help us communicate the redundancy of a certain action. And if we need to redo something, we can easily find the word to communicate this by combining “r-” with the verb faire (to do/make) to say:
- On a fait trop de fautes. Donc, il faut refaire le projet. = We made too many mistakes. Therefore, we have to redo the project.
In short, prefixes can take the wordiness out of everyday speech. They can especially help beginner and intermediate learners speak naturally, without needing to over explain your thoughts.
Some differences between prefixes in French and English
Though most of the prefixes in this article are highly recognizable and easily understood by English speakers, some are less familiar. French has its own way of ensuring prefixes function differently from English.
For example, the “un-” in “unlimited” becomes an “il-” in illimité. Others are used similarly, but with different words to represent them, such as the “sous-” in sous-marin (submarine). Here, sous effectively translates to the English “sub-” prefix.
As always, you’ll want to stay mindful of French grammar, especially concerning gender rules. The word superstitieux (superstitious), becomes superstitieuse when describing feminine nouns but changes to superstitieuses when describing plural feminine nouns. If you’re uncertain how to adjust for gendered nouns, just know that French speakers will generally understand what you mean since you’re just starting to learn French.
List of 20 popular French prefixes
To help you learn the prefixes in French, dive into this list that shows examples of how to use them. When applicable, the masculine is listed first, with the feminine ending added after the slash so you can identify which one to use. The exception is supersticieux, where the feminine form is spelled out completely.
1. Ambi- (two, both)
“Ambi-” refers to two of something, particularly in regards two sides or two things coexisting at the same time.
- ambidextre = ambidextrous
- ambigu/ë = ambiguous
- ambivalent/e = ambivalent
2. A-/an– (lacking, not)
“A-/An-” is used to negate a word’s definition and turn it into an antonym. They are not to be confused with “anti-” which means “against.”
- amoral = not moral or amoral
- anaérobique = anaerobic
- analphabète = illiterate
3. Anti- (against, opposed to)
“Anti-” refers to something being “against” or “opposed to” something else. This is used in the same way as it is in English.
- antiallergique = anti-allergic
- antibactérien = antibacterial
- antigel = antifreeze
4. Auto- (self, same)
“Auto-” means “by oneself” or “pertaining to oneself.” Like English, it refers to something that is for, about, or by oneself. Most of the words that use it are easily recognizable.
- autobiographie = autobiography
- automatique = automatic, self-operating
- automobile = automobile
5. Bene- (well, good)
“Bene-” refers to something that is either good or promotes wellness. It has a range of applications from the physical to the sublime and metaphysical quality of words like bénédiction (blessing).
- bénédiction = benediction/blessing
- bénéfices = benefits
- un/une bénévole = volunteer
6. Bien- (well, good)
“Bien-” also refers to something that is good or promotes goodness, wellness, well-being, etc. This French prefix can be used on its own to mean something that is also a good (like a commercial good or consumer good). In French, you can say Ils ont contrôlé leurs biens à la frontière, which means they inspected their goods at the border.
- bienfaiteur/bienfaitrice = benefactor
- bienveillant/e = benevolent, kind, charitable
- bientôt = soon
7. Bi- (double)
“Bi-” indicates something that is either made of two or able to be doubled. Be careful not to confuse “bi-” with “ambi-,” which refers to “two” in the sense of sides or opposites. “Bi-” functions as designating two things that coexist at the same time, with no particular side or opposition involved.
- bilatéral = bilateral
- bilingue = bilingual
- bipédal = bipedal (two feet)
8. Contre-/contra- (against)
“Contre-/contra-” indicates something that is against or opposed to something else or can be countered.
- une contradiction = a contradiction
- un contraste = a contrast
- un contretemps = a setback, literally “against time”
9. Dé-/dés- (not, separate from)
“Dé-/dés-” indicates a separation, interruption, or reversal of something. In English, it often translates as “dis-” or “un-.” It’s commonly used in verb or adjective form.
- déconnecter = to disconnect
- défaire = to undo
- désabonner = to unsubscribe
10. Demi– (half)
“Demi-” translates to its English equivalent of “demi,” “half,” or “semi.” An English speaker could understand a sentence like Il a commandé un demi-pint (he ordered a half-pint).
- un demi-cercle = a half-circle
- la demi-finale = the semi-final
- une demi-pinte = a half-pint
11. Dys- (ill, bad)
“Dys-” communicates an ill or bad state of something. It usually translates directly to English as the same prefix “dys-”.
- un dysfonctionnement = dysfunction
- la dyslexie = dyslexia
- la dystopie = dystopia
12. É-/ex- (outside of)
“É-/ex-” indicates something that is outside of something else. You can also use it to convey an action that seeks to go outside of an object or idea.
- élargir = to broaden
- exclure = to exclude
- l’extérieur (m.) = the exterior
13. En-/em- (inside of, in)
“En-/em-” is used to describe the act being contained or brought into a larger whole. The word enregistrer, though translated to English as “record,” literally means to “in-register” something. In other words, it means “to document its presence in one’s records.”
- emballer = to wrap
- enregistrer = to record
- entrer = to enter
14. Ill-/im-/in-/ir- (opposite)
“Ill-/im-/in-/ir-” refers to the opposite of whatever follows it in the word. In this way, these prefixes translate to their English equivalent of “il” as in “illegal.” However, it also translates to “un-” in certain English words.
- illimité/e = unlimited
- impatient/e = impatient
- inacceptable =unacceptable
- Irrévérencieux/irrévérencieuse = irreverent
15. Mal-/mau-/mé-/més– (bad)
“Mal-/mau-/mé-/més-” refers to a bad state of being. As with “bene-,” its application is broad. It can encompass something that is just simply bad, like a mistake or a misstep, or it can imply much darker sentiments, as in something that is evil or “cursed. You’ll want to listen for contextual clues when you encounter these prefixes to determine which meaning is intended.
- une malédiction = a curse
- mauvais/e = bad
- une méprise = a mistake
- une mésaventure = a misadventure
16. Pré- (before)
“Pré-” indicates something that comes before another action, idea, or circumstance. The meaning is the same in English.
- prélimaire = preliminary
- préalable = prior
- une précommande = an advanced order
- prévisible = predictable
17. R-/re-/ré-/res- (again)
“R-/re-/ré-/res-” all designate an action that is repeated. In general, you can add it directly before the word like with recommencer (to start again). However, there are exceptions where the root word isn’t able to stand on its own (like “-pétér,” the root of répéter).
- raccompagner = to walk back (with someone)/to take someone back
- racheter = to buy back
- redémarrer = to restart (a car or machinery)
- répéter = to repeat
- ressembler = to look like or resemble
18. Sou-/sous- (under, sub-)
“Sous-/sou-” is characterized by being under or going/coming from underneath something else.
- soulever = to raise
- un sous-marin = a submarine
- souterrain = underground
19. Super-/sur- (over, on top of)
“Sur-/super-” communicates the idea of going over or surpassing a certain threshold as well as being beyond something else. Words like “surprise” in French and English are both derived from this same meaning. Surprendre in French literally means “to overtake,” as we are “overtaken” by something that surprises us.
- surpayer = to over pay
- une superstition = a superstition
- surprendre = to surprise
20. Trans– (change, cross)
“Trans-” indicates the act of changing or crossing from one point or one state to another. This can refer to physical, emotional, or figurative points.
- une transaction = a transaction
- transférer = to transfer
- transformer = to transform
Get familiar with other prefixes in French with Rosetta Stone
Many prefixes in French function the same way as their English equivalents. Now that you’ve learned the most common, you’ll feel confident describing something the next time you’re wanting to express a feeling or situation more succinctly. If you’re looking for more help to boost your language learning, you can schedule time with Rosetta Stone’s tutors through the app!
Written by Micah McCauley
Micah McCauley has 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.