| |

derrière

ByFast French

The French word “derrière” can function either as a preposition, as an adverb or as a noun. Depending on which one of these three parts of speech it is being used as, it can mean “behind,” “after,” “shortly after,” “afterwards,” “bottom,” or “back.” It is the opposite of “devant,” discussed in this blog post.

Preposition

  • Le jardin se trouve derrière ce mur (The garden is behind this wall)
  • Elle est arrivée après Pierre (She arrived after Pierre)

Adverb

  • Tu vois le muret là-bas ? Je suis sûr qu’Arnaud se cache derrière (You see that low wall over there? I am sure that Arnaud is hiding behind it)

Noun

“Derrière” can also be used as a masculine noun: “le derrière.” In this usage, it means bottom or backside. As a noun, its spelling would suggest it is feminine, but it is in fact masculine.

  • Elle est tombée sur son derrière (She fell on her backside)

Other usages

  • La porte de derrière (The back door)
  • Les pattes de derrière (The hind legs)
  • par-derrière (from behind)

Etymology

The French word “derrière” comes from the Latin phrase “de retro,” which means “behind.” In Old French, in the year 1080AD, it was spelled “deriere.”

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • adverb position

    ByFast French

    French adverb placement follows rules. It is not the same as English. Adverbs can go before or after the verb. They can also start or end a sentence. Their place often depends on the type of adverb and the tense. Short adverbs with simple tenses Most short adverbs go right after the verb in simple…

  • maint

    ByFast French

    The French adjective “maint” means “many,” “many a,” “numerous” or “manifold.” It is a little archaic and is most commonly used in a literary way, although some still use it in everyday speech. People tend to prefer more modern words such as “beaucoup,” “nombreux,” “plusieurs,” or more familiarly, “plein de.” As an adjective, “maint” must…

  • le vague & la vague

    ByFast French

    French uses two distinct nouns with identical spelling but different grammatical gender and meaning: le vague (masculine) and la vague (feminine). They are not interchangeable. Confusing them results in a change of meaning, not a minor grammatical error. La vague La vague is a feminine noun. It refers primarily to a physical wave. By extension,…

  • amener, apporter, emmener, emporter

    ByFast French

    The French verbs “amener,” “apporter,” “emmener” and “emporter” are used to translate the English verbs “to take” and “to bring.” But which one should you use? And what happened to “prendre?” mener Both “amener” and “emmener” are based on the verb “mener,” which means “to lead.” You can lead a person, an animal or a…

  • | | |

    verb: s’attendre à

    ByFast French

    The French verb “s’attendre à” means “to expect” or “to anticipate.” “S’attendre à” vs. “Attendre” The primary difference between “s’attendre à” and “attendre” is that “s’attendre à” is reflexive (or “pronominal” as we say in French) and “attendre” is not. While “attendre” means “to wait for” or “to await,” “s’attendre à” means “to expect” or…

  • soit…soit

    ByFast French

    In the French language, there’s a handy construction called “soit…soit.” This structure is used to present alternatives or choices. It’s a bit like saying “either…or” in English. Let’s delve into how it works and how you can use it effectively. The word “soit” means “either” or “whether” in English. When repeated, it emphasizes the choice…