Preposition Differences — English Doesn't Follow French Logic
French preposition choices often don't match English ones
Category: Prepositions
The Rule
Many French-English preposition pairs don't transfer: 'dépendre de' = 'depend on' (not 'of'), 'penser à' = 'think about' (not 'at'), 'jouer à/de' splits into 'play + sport' vs 'play + instrument'.
Why This Matters
French and English prepositions are arbitrary — knowing one language's prepositions gives zero help with the other. 'Rêver de' = dream ABOUT (not 'of'), 'consister en' = consist OF (not 'in'), 'intéressé par' = interested IN (not 'by').
Examples
• I depend on my parents. — "Je dépends de mes parents." [French 'de' → English 'on' (not 'of')] • I'm interested in science. — "Je suis intéressé par la science." [French 'par' → English 'in' (not 'by')] • She dreams about traveling. — "Elle rêve de voyager." [French 'de' → English 'about' (not 'of')]
Common Mistakes
❌ It depends of the weather. ✅ It depends on the weather. → French 'dépendre de' ≠ 'depend of'. English uses 'depend ON'. ❌ I'm interested by this topic. ✅ I'm interested in this topic. → French 'intéressé par' ≠ 'interested by'. English uses 'interested IN'.
Quick Tip
Don't translate French prepositions — learn English verb+preposition combinations as fixed units: interested IN, depend ON, consist OF, dream ABOUT, listen TO.
Don't translate French prepositions — learn English verb+preposition combinations as fixed units: interested IN, depend ON, consist OF, dream ABOUT, listen TO.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: It depends of the weather. → Correct: It depends on the weather.. French 'dépendre de' ≠ 'depend of'. English uses 'depend ON'.
Incorrect: I'm interested by this topic. → Correct: I'm interested in this topic.. French 'intéressé par' ≠ 'interested by'. English uses 'interested IN'.
Quiz
Which is correct?