Linking Terms

French Linking Terms
The following terms will help you polish your written and spoken French. Use them when describing an event or retelling a story and it will be necessary that you MEMORISE them to improve your fluency in the French Language. You can download this guide as a PDF by visiting our Atelier D'Ecriture under the 'Download' tab or by CLICKING HERE!

1. When you are about to recount an event, the following terms are important to know:
   1. à priori: to begin with (used in conversation)
      1. This phrase is often used when recounting an event.
         1. Example: A priori, je ne pensais pas que le problème soit très grave mais je ne sais pas si les choses vont changer.
         2. Example: A priori les deux petites filles semblaient perdues, mais elles ont retrouvé le bon chemin
   2. pour commencer: to begin with
   3. d’abord: first
   4. au commencement: in the beginning
   5. au début de l’histoire: at the beginning of the story
   6. il était une fois: once upon a time

1. To proceed from one event to the next, the following terms are important to remember:
   1. et puis: and then
   2. ensuite: then, afterward, next
   3. soudain: suddenly, all of the sudden
   4. tout à coup: all of the sudden
   5. alors: then, so

1. To conclude your story, remember the following terms:
   1. à la fin: at the end
   2. enfin: finally
   3. pour finir: all in all, to conclude
   4. pour terminer: to finish
   5. bref: in short
   6. en somme: to sum it up

1. To express an opposition use the following terms:
   1. Cependant: however, yet
      1. Example: Personne n’a cru Jean-Pierre; il disait cependant la vérité.
   2. pourtant: but, yet
      1. Example: La mer rest très froid; pourtant je veux nager.
   3. néanmoins: nevertheless
   4. en revanche: however
   5. par contre: however
   6. bien que: although
   7. malgré que: although
   8. malgré: despite, in spite
   9. même su: even though, even if

1. When you want to link a general idea to a specific example use:
   1. d’ailleurs: as a matter of fact
2. To insist on an idea, to confirm something, or to give a reason, use the following terms:
   1. en plus: moreover, in addition
   2. en fait: in fact, actually
   3. afin que: so that
   4. pour que: in order to
   5. afin de (français écrit): in order to

1. To give a cause for an action:
   1. à cause de: because of
   2. parce que: because
   3. car (français écrit): because
      1. Exemple: Le roi était bien triste, car il ne savait plus quoi faire.

1. To explain the effect or the result of an action, use the following terms:
   1. sinon: otherwise
   2. par conséquent: consequently
   3. donc: thus, therefore
   4. de ce fait: as a result (used when writing only)
   5. ainsi: thus, therefore (used in French writing)
   6. forcément: as an obvious consequence
   7. en vain: in vain
   8. à force de: by dint of

1. When you want to link or compare one idea to another:
   1. précisément: precisely
   2. par rapport à: in relation to, compared to

1. When agreeing use the following terms:
   1. volontiers: willingly, gladly
      1. Exemple: Cécile: Veux-tu m’accompagner au cinéma? Hélène: Volontiers, mais il faut que tu m’attendes quelques minutes.