French Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join words and groups of words of equal value; that is, which have the same nature or the same function in the sentence. In the case of individual words, this means that they must be the same part of speech, whereas if they're clauses, they must be similar or complementary tenses/moods.

French coordinating conjunctions

• car   for, because
• donc   so
• ensuite   next
• et   and
• mais   but
• or   now, yet
• ou   or
• ou bien   or else
• puis   then

Examples

   J'aime les pommes, les bananes, et les oranges.
   I like apples, bananas, and oranges.
   Pommes, bananes, and oranges are all fruits (nouns).

   Veux-tu aller en France ou en Italie ?
   Do you want to go to France or Italy?
   France and Italy are both places (nouns).

   Ce n'est pas carré mais rectangulaire.
   It's not square but rectangular.
   Carré and rectangulaire are both adjectives.

   Je veux le faire, mais je n'ai pas d'argent.
   I want to do it, but I don't have any money.
   Je veux le faire and je n'ai pas d'argent are present tense.

   Fais tes devoirs, puis lave la vaisselle.
   Do your homework, then wash the dishes.
   Fais tes devoirs and lave la vaisselle are both commands.

Quiz: French coordinating conjunctions


Note: French children learn the mnemonic Mais où est donc Ornicar ? to help them remember the most common French coordinating conjunctions: mais, ou, et, donc, or, ni [see page 3], and car.


Keep learning

   Introduction to French conjunctions
   French coordinating conjunctions
   French coordinating conjunctions for emphasis
   French subordinating conjunctions
   French conjunctive phrases

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