Having a conversation in a foreign language is not easy, and one of the things a language learner first experiences is the frustration of trying to communicate connected ideas. Transition words are something many of us use unconsciously in our native tongue, and often find lacking when learning another language. Something as basic as “I ran out of food, so I had to go to the store” can become a phrase we chop into two sentences, because all of a sudden, we discover we are not sure how to connect those two ideas in French. French transition words can help you communicate more seamlessly and naturally, both in writing and speaking.
Understanding which words to use to compare and contrast, or to connect two ideas, is a piece of language learning knowledge that demonstrates improved proficiency and understanding of the French language. For those of you who have found yourselves in this position or will in the future, these key French transition words will ease your efforts to speak and write French and help you sound more native!
To introduce a topic
- Avant tout – above all
- Premièrement – firstly
- D’abord – first off
- Tout d’abord – first of all
Think of these are good ways to transition to a new topic of conversation, whether you are writing a text or speaking with someone. As an example, you could say “Premièrement je vous remercie beaucoup pour votre réponse“. This means “Firstly, thank you for your response”. It can be a good way to add a touch of formality to written correspondence, or to preface the statement you are about to make. Use these words to introduce a topic or start a conversation with ease.
To generalize in conversation
- En général – in general
- Globalement – globally
- Généralement – generally
These are very good words to use if you want to communicate a generalization. For example, you could say “En général c est important parler plusieurs langues”. In English: “In general, it is important to speak multiple languages”. Word choices like this can assist you in sounding more polished.
To contrast or oppose a topic and/or present an alternative
- Mais – but
- Cependant – however, and yet
- Pourtant – though
- Toutefois – nonetheless
These transition words are important when presenting an opposing view or communicating a condition. You will find “mais” particularly useful. “J’aimerai être chef en cuisine mais je ne sais pas cuisiner” – “I would like to be a chef, but I don’t know how to cook.” Or, “Il étudie beaucoup et cependant il s’inquiète pour l’examen” – “He has studied a lot, and yet he’s worried about the test”. Communicating an opposing point or contrasting an idea is complicated in any language, but can be connected more easily by adjusting a few words.
To express an opinion or focus on a subject
- À mon avis – in my opinion
- Pour ma part/pour moi – on my part, for me
- Á ce propos – in that regard
- Dans ce cas – in this case
You can choose to express an opinion or use a phrase to emphasize a key point you are making with these French helpful transition words. If you’re describing a past relationship, you can say “Pour moi c’est fini depuis longtemps”, or, in other words, “For me, it’s been over for a long time”. Or, if you’re choosing a neutral phrase, “Dans ce cas on peut aller au cinéma”. In English: “In this case, we can go to the movies”. Expressing opinions just got a little bit easier, in my opinion.
To reinforce or justify a statement
- Car – because
- Parce que – because
- D’ailleurs – besides
- Par exemple – for example
- Justement – precisely
- En fait – in fact
Car and parce que are extremely relevant, because they are the words you need to say “because”. Par exemple, you could say “Je n’ai pas passé l’examen parce que je n’ai pas étudié” – “I didn’t take the test because I hadn’t studied”. Did you see how I worked in par exemple? I transitioned easily from my first sentence by using the French transition word “for example”. You’ll be speaking fluently in no time.
To conclude a topic or statement
- Enfin – finally, at last
- En tout cas – moreover
- De toute façon – at any rate
- Après tout – After all
- En définitive – eventually
- Finalement – Finally
When wrapping up a topic, using one of these words can help smooth over the ending and open up the conversation to a new subject. “Enfin je suis ici”, or “Finally, I am here”. As an additional example, you could say “Après tout, l’objectif est apprendre parler mieux le français“. Or, “After all, the goal is to learn to speak better French”. This is the case for all of us constantly improving our French, and I hope these French transition words help you as much as they helped me.
It is truly amazing what a few words built into a sentence can do for your communication skills. These are great French transition words to practice orally, or in writing. Another way to reinforce them is to read news articles and stories, or listen to podcasts, and go through to identify which words are used as French transition words. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it gives you an idea of where to start!
Continuing your exploration will reveal more transition words you will be eager to try out. Doing more exploration and review can help you not only to remember the words you already know or are learning, but to see them used naturally in the context of a relevant topic. Reinforcement is key to deepening your understanding and increasing your comfort level in taking the next step towards French proficiency, all by adding a few more words to your French vocabulary.
Catherine Donnelly