Prefixes

  • when é means ex

    ByFast French

    The French prefix é- sometimes comes from Latin ex-, meaning “out of”, “away from” or “from”. In these words, é- can express separation, removal, extraction or movement away from something. It can also have related meanings such as completion or intensification. However, not every French word beginning with é- contains this prefix. Some words simply…

  • archi

    ByFast French

    The word “archi” is used in French as a prefix to intensify the meaning of an adjective (and also nouns and other adjectives), much like “super,” “mega,” or “uber” in English. However, it’s important to understand the contexts in which it’s used. 1. Common and Colloquial Use In informal, spoken French, “archi-” is extremely common…