If you have plans to sit in French cafés this summer sipping espressos and discussing French philosophy and literature, connect your ideas in the language of Molière with the right transition word vocabulary. Transition words are used to connect ideas between paragraphs and sentences, and within sentences. They lead the reader from point to point. Many different types of relationships are made through transition words. These powerful words and phrases help us compare, contrast, emphasize, and illustrate ideas. Even if you only have basic conversational French, you will sound like a native speaker if you know French transition words. More accurately, to make transitions, we use both transition words and phrases. Many transition phrases are conjunctive phrases made up of two or more words and ending in que. They introduce subordinating phrases or clauses, which alone do not constitute a complete sentence. Some subordinating clauses use the subjunctive form. I can see you scratching your head and asking, When do I use the subjunctive? Since you willusethe subjunctive withsometransition phrases, it is a good time to review the subjunctive. Here, the subordinate clause is the subject of the sentence, so we use the subjunctive of pouvoir puisse. Je vais l’aider afin qu’elle puisse réussir dans sa classe de Chinois. Iamgoingtohelphimso that he can succeed in his Chinese class. Whether you are a beginner or advanced student, French transition words will help you speak French with ease.
Addition
The French like to put a strong accent on their comments. Thus, they have lots of transition words to emphasize points. ainsi que as well as, along with, together with de même furthermore de plus moreover, what’s more, furthermore, also de surcroît what is more, moreover également equally, too, also etpuis and finally, and what’s more en outre besides, additionally non seulement … mais encore not only … but also S’il étudie ainsi que participe dans la classe, il réussira. If he studies, as well as participates in the class, he will succeed.
Cause and Effect
ainsi, in this way, like this, thus alors therefore car because/as c’est pourquoi, this is why, that’s why conséquemment/ consequently en consequence donc therefore, so then en raison de on account of, because of, owing to par conséquent, consequently, as a result, therefore parce que because Il n’a pas étudié l’année dernière et en conséquence, il a échoué. He did not study last year and consequently he failed.
Contrast
alors que while, when, even though au contraire on the contrary au lieu de instead of cependant however, thus d’un autre côté from another angle/side d’une part…d’autre part onthe one hand … on the other hand en dépit de despite en revanche on the other hand mais but malgré despite/in spite of néanmoins nevertheless, nonetheless, however or but, yet pourtant however tandis que whereas, while, when Malgré un examen difficile à mi-parcours, il peut encore passer de bonnes notes. Despite a difficult mid-term exam, he can still pass with good marks.
Comparison
attendu que whereas comme as, like, as well as de même qua as well as, in the same way as autant que as much as de la même façon que in the same way/manner as semblablement similarily pareillement in the same way selon que according to whether tandis que whereas, while comme si as if Il a de mauvaises habitudes de travail alors que sa sœur est très studieuse. He has bad study habits whereas his sister is very studious.
Emphasis
The French are well known for their understated c’est pas mal (it’s not bad), which really means, they really like it. Here are more words of emphasis used by this passionate language. en effet indeed effectivement, indeed, actually vu que given that, seeing that étant donné qua given that grâce à through, by meansof à cause de because of
More Emphasis Words
afin que in order that, with a view to dans la mesure où to the extent that, inasmuch as, insofar as aussi too, also, as well alors, so then, then, in that case si bien que, so much sothat, to the extent that par suite, thereafter, consequently de façon que, so that, such that de manière que, in such a way that, so that
Example/Illustration/Restatement
à savoir, namely, that is to say c’est-à-dire, so it that is to say par exemple for example notamment notably entre autres among other things en particulier, in particular comme l’illustre as illustrated/shown comme le souligne as underlined Entre autres choses, il joue trop de jeux vidéo. Among other things, he plays too many video games.
Sequence
après after that d’abord first of all enfin finally ensuite then puis next par suite following suivant next Il veut aller en Chine mais d’abord il doit obtenir des notes élevées. He wants to go to China but first of all he must get high marks.
Time
While some transition words are optional, those showing time relationships are often critical to the meaning of a sentence. Time transition words provide important context, and therefore are often placed at the beginning of a sentence. quand, when lorsque, when, as soon as alors que, while, when, even though après que after au moment où at the moment when avant que before dès lors que as, since, from the moment dès qua assoon as depuis que since en même temps que at the same time as pendant que while Dès qu’il améliore ses Chinoise, nous pouvons commencer à planifier le voyage. As soon as he improves his Chinese, we can start to plan the trip.
Summarizing
en bref in brief, in summary en conclusion in conclusion, to conclude en résumé, pour résumé in summary, in short Mastering the language of romance is easy. Learn French Grammar for Beginners, and practice your French transitions words and you will sound like a native French speaker. Start with Beginner French Part 1: Au Café to learn more about the language and etiquette of French café culture.