compare similar definitions
Dans & En share the definition
in
dans" generally translates to "in" or "inside"
"dans" is used with specific place
"_____ la maison" - in the house
dans
which preposition is
used with specific spaces
dan
en
can mean "in" or "on"
used more generally or with certain time periods
en
used more generally or with modes of transportation
en
indicates being inside or within a specific place or container.
dans
can mean "in" or "on" but often implies a more general location
en
is most often used with a mode of transportation
en
can also be used to express a time period from now.
Je pars dans une heure." (I leave in an hour.)
He is in the room
Il est dans la chambre
more generally used withh modes of transportation
en train - by train
is more specific, referring to being inside a particular place
dans
is more general, referring to a place, a state, or a mode of transport.
en
dans
indicates a period of time from now,
used for being in a feminine country
en
used for being in a masculine country
au
which is the adverb meaning inside
dedans
expresses the length of time an action takes. Note that this means the verb is usually in the present or past.
en
Il a lu le livre en une heure. -> He read the book in an hour.
used to express the month, season, or year in which an action takes place.
en
Nous voyageons en avril. -> We travel in April.
can mean "in" or "to" when followed directly by a noun that doesn't need an article.
en
Il est en classe. -> He's in school.
indicates the amount of time before which an action will occur.
dans
Nous partons dans dix minutes. -> We're leaving in 10 minutes.
refers to something that occurs within or during a decade.
dans
Dans les années soixantes... -> In the sixties...
means "in" a location when followed by an article plus noun.
dans
which sentence is formed most correct?
Il est dans la maison. -> He's in the house.
means "to" or "in" with some states and provinces
dans
J'habite dans le Maine. -> I live in Maine.
dans + [article] + [noun] refers to
the physical place or building
inside
in/inside/at + the/a/his + [place]
I am in class.
Je suis en classe.
I am in the classroom.
Je suis dans la classe.
The thief is in jail for two years. -> refers to the jail sentence.
Le voleur est en prison pour deux ans.
Classes take place at her engineering school.
Les leçons ont lieu dans son école d'ingénieur.
Il y a eu une émeute dans la prison.
Il y a eu une émeute dans la prison.
There is a bakery in the town.
Il y a une boulangerie dans la ville.
dans + [article] + [noun] refers to the physical place or building - i.e. inside.
I am going to town.
Je vais en ville.
- en + [noun] refers to a place in general, or to the function represented by the place. = in [place]
My daughter is in engineering school this year. -> refers to studying there.
Ma fille est en école d'ingénieur cette année.
In the following cases, you cannot use sur (on) in French, but you will instead use dans (in).
streets
ATTENTION: Case of avenue You can use sur l'avenue when used with se promener (to have a walk).
transportation
Farm
I live on Pasteur Road.
J'habite rue Pasteur.
We are on the bus.
Nous sommes dans le bus.
They're walking on the street.
Ils marchent dans la rue.
She is on the subway at the moment.
Elle est dans le métro en ce moment.
We like to have a walk on the avenue.
Nous aimons nous promener sur l'avenue.
This shop is on Avenue Jeanne d'Arc.
Ce magasin est dans l'avenue Jeanne d'Arc.
I live on Rue Pasteur.
J'habite la rue Pasteur.
My grandparents live on a farm.
Mes grands-parents vivent dans une ferme.
I'm on the plane.
Je suis dans l'avion.
He is on the train.
Il est dans le train.
choose the correct answer
dans = on + street
I live on Rue Pasteur.
J'habite dans la rue Pasteur.
What is the meaning of "Laurent habite dans la rue Paul Cézanne." mean?
Laurent lives at Paul Cézanne's
Laurent lives with Paul Cézanne
Laurent lives on Rue Paul Cézanne.
Laurent lives in Paul Cézanne's rug.
What does "Nous allons en ville." mean ?
We are going into town.
(With)in an hour
En une heure
We ate in forty minutes.
Nous avons mangé en 40 minutes.
They finished that marathon in four hours and forty minutes.
Ils ont fini ce marathon en quatre heures quarante minutes.
Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in four years.
Léonard de Vinci a peint la Joconde en quatre ans.
expresses the length of time something takes to be done.
en
I will be there in two weeks.
Je serai là dans deux semaines.
Your package will be delivered in 5 days.
Votre colis sera livré dans cinq jours.
indicates the time until something will happen.
dans
In 1998
en 1988
in October
En Octobre
In 1815, Napoleon was defeated.
En 1815, Napoléon fut vaincu.
In what year did you meet?
En quelle année vous êtes-vous rencontrés?
My son was born in September.
Mon fils est né en septembre.
He always goes on holiday [US: vacation] in July.
Il part toujours en vacances en juillet.
is used with years and months.
En
Sea bass is a very common fish in the Mediterranean.
Le bar est un poisson très commun __ Méditerranée.
Le bar est un poisson très commun en Méditerranée.
The preposition "___ " in a TEMPORAL context, means "within":
We finished our homework WITHIN one hour.
this means that the DURATION of the action was one hour.
en
in this context "en" is synonymous with "pendant" --> elapse time.
denotes a time in the future, so you aneed future tense with this preposition.
We WILL finish our homework in one hour.
[That doesn't mean that it took you one hour to do the work, just that you'll be done in one hour.]
dans
"dans" is synonymous with "delay until a future action"
"dans" or "en"..... is synonymous with "delay until a future action"
dans
something WAS completed during a timeframe of one hour..... will pendant/en/durant be appropriate?
en
durant ( throughout )
pendant ( commencement to the completion )
We use ____. in the sense that the action will be completed in a certain amount of time, choose en or dan
en
we use ___ to signify that the action will begin at that time. choose en or dans....
dans
I will learn to speak French in six months (i.e. it will have taken me six months to learn French) en / dans?
J'apprendrai à parler français en six mois
ai overview
En vs Dans with locations (French Prepositions of Location) Related lessons Definite articles contract with à and de in French (French Contracted Articles) Dans/sur/sous/devant/derrière/entre = in/on top of/under/in front of/behind/between (French Prepositions of Location) En/au/aux = In/to with countries and continents (French Prepositions) À/en + [means of transportation] (French Prepositions) Compound nouns formed with prepositions à/de/en in French Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard
indicates the duration of an action or time taken to complete something,
en
indicates the time before an action will occur or a period within which something happens. en / dans
dans
en used With months, years, and seasons (except ):
(except printemps):
Refers to something that occurs within or during a decade:
"Dans les années soixantes" (In the sixties)
dans or en? Within a period of time:
dans
choose the correctly phrased sentence. regarding Within a period of time:
Nous partirons en vacances dans deux semaines.
(We will go on vacation in two weeks from now.)
choose the correctly worded concerning Within a period of time:
(I'll see you in the coming days.)
Je vais te voir dans les prochains jours." (I'll see you in the coming days.)
Time before an action: ...
(I will come back in an hour.)
Je reviendrai dans une heure. (I will come back in an hour.)
Time before an action:
(The train will leave in ten minutes.)
"Le train partira dans dix minutes." (The train will leave in ten minutes.)
With the name of a continent, country, or province, or with the name of a region that is feminine or begins with a vowel:
"Ma mère est née en France." (My mother was born in France.)
With the name of a continent, country, or province, or with the name of a region that is feminine or begins with a vowel:
"Ils vivent en province." (They live in the province.)
With months, years, and seasons (except printemps):
"Je suis né en 1980." (I was born in 1980.)
choose the correct sentence considering usage With months, years, and seasons (except printemps):
"Elle est partie en vacances en juillet." (She went on vacation in July.)
choose the correct sentence considering usage With Duration of an action
"J'ai fini mon travail en deux heures." (I finished my work in two hours.)
choose the correct sentence considering usage With Duration of an action
"Ils ont voyagé en train." (They traveled by train.)
which is correct?
You use “en” to express how long it takes to do something.
choose the correct sentence considering usage With how long it takes to do something.
Tu devrais arriver ici en cinq minutes à pied.
You should get here in five minutes on foot.
choose the correct sentence considering usage With how long it takes to do something.
Il a répondu à toutes les questions en dix minutes.
He answered all the questions in ten minutes.
which is correct? considering usage with how long it takes to do something.
Les ambulanciers sont arrivés en les lieux en quelques minutes.
Paramedics arrived on the scene within minutes.
which is correct? considering usage with how long it takes to do something.
Ils ont terminé leurs devoirs en une heure.
They finished their homework in an hour.
In every sentence “____” is used to show the length of time. (it takes to do something)
en
You can use “___<” to indicate when something happend
en
which is correct? ....considering usage to indicate when something happend
En quelle année vous
êtes-vous rencontrés ?
In what year did you meet?
which is correct? ....considering usage to indicate when something happend
Je l’ai rencontrée en 2009.
I met her in 2009.
which is correct? ....considering usage to indicate when something happend
Je le rencontrais en janvier.
I met him in January.
which is correct? ....considering usage to indicate when something happend
Nous nous sommes mariés en 2019.
We married in 2019.