Home › French Grammar › French Connectors
A2 · Connectors · Published
French Connectors
The fastest way to learn French connectors — the small linking words like et, mais, donc, parce que — is by function: adding an idea, telling a sequence, contrasting, giving a cause, drawing a result.
Master these twenty-odd words, one reliable default per job first, and your French stops sounding like a list of disconnected statements.
In short
- The core six: et (and), mais (but), donc (so), parce que (because), puis (then), alors (so/then).
- Pick one default per function first; add the nuanced options later.
- Structure rule worth memorizing now: parce que + clause, à cause de + noun.
connector· hover a highlighted word for its label
Adding an idea
The default is et. In a simple pair, French puts no comma before it: du pain et du fromage, never du pain, et du fromage.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| et | and | du pain et du fromage |
| aussi | also, too | Elle vient aussi. |
| en plus | on top of that (casual) | En plus, c’est gratuit. |
| également | also (more formal) | Le prix comprend également le vin. |
The museum is free, and on top of that, it’s open on Sundays.
— En plus stacks a second argument on the first.
Sequencing a story
These are the backbone of any anecdote. They pair naturally with the passé composé, since each step is a completed event.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| d’abord | first | D’abord, on achète les billets. |
| puis | then | puis on entre |
| ensuite | next, then | Ensuite, on visite le château. |
| après | afterwards | Après, on déjeune. |
| enfin | finally | Enfin, on rentre. |
First, we take the bus, then we walk for ten minutes.
— D’abord opens the sequence; puis moves to the next step.
Next, we visited the Louvre, and finally, we had dinner near the Seine.
— Enfin marks the last step of the list.
Contrasting
Mais covers most needs. Pourtant adds surprise ("and yet"). For "on the other hand", everyday French says par contre; en revanche is the safer choice in formal writing.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mais | but | petit mais confortable |
| pourtant | yet, and yet | Pourtant, il a réussi. |
| par contre | on the other hand (everyday) | Par contre, c’est cher. |
| en revanche | on the other hand (formal) | En revanche, le service est rapide. |
The restaurant is expensive, but the food is excellent.
— Mais is the all-purpose contrast.
The coffee is very good here. On the other hand, the service is slow.
— Par contre switches to the other side of the picture.
Giving a cause
Parce que is the default "because" and the only one that can answer a pourquoi question on its own.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| parce que | because (the default) | parce que je suis fatigué |
| car | for, because (written) | Il rentre, car il est tard. |
| comme | since (starts the sentence) | Comme il pleut, on reste. |
| puisque | since (obvious to both) | Puisque tu es là, aide-moi. |
The match is cancelled because it’s raining.
— Parce qu’ is followed by a clause: subject + verb.
The match is cancelled because of the rain.
— À cause de is followed by a noun — no verb.
Since it was raining, we took a taxi.
— Comme states the cause first, then the consequence — it must open the sentence.
Drawing a result
Donc is the logical "so, therefore"; alors is its looser spoken cousin; c’est pourquoi a notch more formal. Donc is flexible about position — in speech it often slides in after the verb:
On a donc décidé de rester.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| donc | so, therefore | Je pense, donc je suis. |
| alors | so, in that case | Alors on a attendu. |
| c’est pourquoi | that’s why | C’est pourquoi je pars. |
There were no tickets left, so we went home.
— Donc presents going home as the logical consequence.
Discourse connectors
These do not link grammar so much as manage the conversation — correcting course, illustrating, wrapping up.
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| en fait | actually | En fait, non. |
| par exemple | for example | Par exemple, le lundi. |
| d’ailleurs | besides, by the way | D’ailleurs, il l’a dit. |
| bref | in short, anyway | Bref, on rentre. |
The music was too loud, there were too many people… in short, we left.
— Bref cuts a story short and jumps to the conclusion.
Actually, the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
— En fait corrects or adjusts what was just said or assumed.
Common mistakes
✗Le match est annulé à cause qu’il pleut.
✓Le match est annulé parce qu’il pleut.
À cause que does not exist in standard French. Before a clause with a verb, use parce que.
✗Je suis resté chez moi parce que la pluie.
✓Je suis resté chez moi à cause de la pluie.
Parce que needs a full clause with a verb. Before a plain noun like la pluie, use à cause de.
✗Pourquoi tu pars ? Car je suis fatigué.
✓Pourquoi tu pars ? Parce que je suis fatigué.
Car can never start the answer to a pourquoi question; only parce que can.
✗Aussi, elle apprend le japonais.
✓Elle apprend aussi le japonais.
Sentence-initial aussi means “therefore” in formal French; for “also”, aussi sits after the conjugated verb.
Check yourself
1 / 4Le concert est annulé ___ la grève.
2 / 4___ il faisait froid, on est restés à la maison.
3 / 4Il est tard, ___ je vais me coucher.
4 / 4___, on a visité trois musées. Ensuite, on a fait une pause.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common French connectors?
The core set is et (and), mais (but), donc (so), parce que (because), puis and ensuite (then), and alors (so, then). Words like pourtant, en revanche, and bref add nuance and register on top.
What is the difference between parce que and à cause de?
Parce que introduces a full clause with a subject and verb: parce qu’il pleut. À cause de introduces a noun: à cause de la pluie.
Is par contre incorrect in French?
No. Some traditional style guides preferred en revanche, but par contre is standard in everyday speech and very common in writing today.
What is the difference between donc and alors?
They overlap. Donc marks a logical conclusion — the "therefore" of je pense, donc je suis — while alors is looser ("so", "in that case", "then"). In many everyday sentences, either works.
Memory tip
Learn one default per job first: et to add, d’abord / puis / enfin to sequence, mais to contrast, parce que for cause, donc for result, bref to wrap up. Add the nuanced alternatives once these are automatic.
See this grammar in today's news
Verbalane turns current news into short French stories at your level — so the patterns you study here show up in sentences you actually want to read.
Start reading today's story