Who doesn’t love a language learning shortcut? Cognates are a favorite among beginner learners. As words that look alike and have the same meaning in both French and English, they make learning easier and allow you to expand your vocabulary quickly.
Here’s another not-so-secret shortcut: French prefixes offer the same advantages as cognates. You’lll find many of them to be similar (if not identical) to English prefixes! Plus, they allow you to infer meaning from words you don’t know.
The similarities stem from their shared lexical legacy. Although French and English belong to different language families, their close proximity and mutual Latin history links back to the Romans, and leaves a good amount of overlap. As your French skills grow, you’ll notice the shared etymology of French and English root words everywhere—from a word like ambidextre (ambi- meaning “two” or “both”) to prévisible (pré meaning “before”).
While some French prefixes are familiar to English speakers, others may take more time to get the hang of. To help you master the trickier French prefixes—and retain what you know without tedious vocabulary lists—Rosetta Stone’s immersive, bite-sized lessons are here for you. With TruAccent, you can nail your pronunciation of every prefix as you build real-world conversation skills. Preview the beginner’s list of prefixes below, or jump straight to your first lesson!
Why French prefixes are so important
Prefixes in French—and in English—aren’t just for show. They have a direct influence on a word’s meaning.
This tidbit goes out to the grammar nerds: Though not words themselves, prefixes function as “morphemes.” Morphemes are what linguists call the smallest units of meaning in a language. The prefix anti– for example, meaning “against”, can not be broken down further. Neither an- nor ti- mean anything by themselves. It’s only with the full prefix anti– that any meaning is communicated.
Anti- can’t quite stand on its own though. It needs more description to communicate a complete thought—hence why we use anti– in conjunction with other nouns and adjectives such as antisocial or anti-allergène (anti-allergen).
Tacking a prefix to the beginning of a word makes communicating easier and more succinct. For example, when trying to describe the feeling of indecision, one could express it in various ways:
Je ne sais pas quoi faire, j’ai du mal à faire un choix entre les deux.
=
I don’t know what to do, I’m conflicted about making a choice between the two.
Or we could simplify this thought by describing this conflict between two choices as ambivalent. Our trimmed-up sentence would look like the following:
Je suis ambivalent concernant les deux choix. = I’m ambivalent concerning the two choices.
You can see how amazing prefixes are! Precise and efficient, they give us the ability to pack a sentence worth of meaning into a single word. Plus, they reduce repetition.
Prefixes like the r– in racheter (to buy again), for example, help us communicate the redundancy of a certain action. And if we need to redo something we can easily find the word to communicate this by combining r– with the verb faire (to do/make) to say:
On a fait trop de fautes. Donc, il faut refaire le projet.
=
We made too many mistakes. Therefore, we have to redo the project.
In short, prefixes take the wordiness out of everyday speech. They can especially help beginner and intermediate learners speak naturally, without needing to over explain your thoughts.
Note that, as in many elements of French, there is a limit to the ability to translate words directly from English. French usage obeys its own conventions, which we’ll break down in the next section.
How do English and French prefixes compare?
Though most of the prefixes in this article are highly recognizable and easily understood by English speakers, some are less familiar. French has its own way of making certain prefixes function that differ from English.
For example, the “un-” in “unlimited” becomes an il in illimité. Others are used similarly, but with different words to represent them, such as the sous in sous-marin (submarine). Here, sous effectively translates to the English “sub-”.
As always, we want to stay mindful of French grammar rules, especially concerning numbers and gender. The recognizable superstitieux (superstitious), for example, becomes superstitieuse when describing feminine nouns and superstitieuses when describing plural feminine nouns.
Take a look at the following examples of phrases expressed in the feminine—each of which includes a common French prefix. We’ve underlined the feminine and feminine plural endings for easy comparison!
- Elle est la bienfaitrice de la propriété. = She is the benefactor of the property.
- C’est une organisation très bienveillante. = It’s a very charitable organization.
- La télévision était déconnectée. = The television was disconnected.
- Elle n’aime pas sa poésie parce qu’elle la trouve trop irrévérencieuse. = She doesn’t like his poetry because she finds it too irreverent.
- Concernant les chats noirs, ma copine est très superstitieuse. = When it comes to black cats, my girlfriend is very superstitious.
- Ils ont toujours de mauvaises idées! = They always have bad ideas!
>>Want to get back to the basics? Check out our list of 100+ basic French phrases!
Must-know French prefixes
The following is a list of 20 common French prefixes with examples. For each example, we’ve placed the feminine endings in parentheses (with the exception of supersticieux, where the feminine form is spelled out completely).
1. Ambi-
Meaning: “two” or “both”
Ambi- refers to two of something, particularly in regards two sides, or two things coexisting at the same time.
- ambidextre = ambidextrous
- ambigu(ë) = ambiguous
- ambivalent(e) = ambivalent
2. A-/an–
Meaning: lacking, not
A-/An- is used to negate a word’s definition and turn it into an antonym. They are not to be confused with anti- which means “against.”
- amoral = not moral (“amoral”)
- anaérobique = anaerobic
- analphabète = illiterate
3. Anti-
Meaning: against, opposed to
Anti– refers to something being “against” or “opposed to” something else. This is used much the same way as it is in English.
- antiallergène = anti-allergic
- antibactérien= antibacterial
- antigel= antifreeze
4. Auto-
Meaning: self, same
Auto– by or pertaining to oneself. Like English, it refers to something that is for, about, or by oneself. Most of the words that use it are easily recognizable!
- l’autographe = autobiography (biography written by oneself)
- automatique = automatic, self-operating
- automobile = automobile, a “self moving” vehicle or device
5. Bene-
Meaning: well, good
Bene– refers to something that is either good or promotes wellness. Has a range of application from the physical all the way to the sublime and metaphysical quality of words like bénédiction (blessing).
- bénédiction = benediction/blessing
- bénéfices = benefits
- Un/une bénévole = volunteer
6. Bien- well, good.
Meaning: synonymous with bene–
Bien– also refers to something that is good or promotes goodness, wellness, well-being, etc. Can be used on its own to mean something that is a “good,” like a commercial good or consumer good. In French, you can say ils ont contrôlé leurs biens à la frontière. = They inspected their goods at the border.
- bienfaiteur/bienfaitrice = benefactor
- bienveillant(e) = benevolent, kind, charitable
- bientôt = soon
7. Bi- double
Meaning: double
Bi– indicates something that is characterized by two or being doubled. Be careful not to confuse bi- with ambi-, which refers to “two” in the sense of sides or opposites. Bi functions as designating two things that coexist at the same time, with no particular “side” or opposition involved.
- bilateral = bilateral
- bilingue =bilingual
- bipedal = bipedal (two feet)
8. Contre/contra-
Meaning: against
Contre/contra– indicates something that is against or opposed to something else.
- une contradiction = a contradiction
- un contrast = a contrast
- un contretemps = a setback. Literally “against time”
9. Dé/dés–
Meaning: not, separate from
Dé/dés– indicates a separation, interruption, or reversal of something. In English it often translates as “dis-” or “un-”. It is commonly used in verb or adjective form.
- déconnecter = to disconnect
- défaire = to undo
- désabonner = to unsubscribe
10. Demi–
Meaning: half
Demi translates to its English equivalent of “demi”, “half”, or “semi”. An English speaker could understand a sentence like Il a commandé un demi-pint (he ordered a half-pint),
even though “demi-” would never be used in this phrase in English. One would simply say “half-pint”, just as one says “half-circle” and “semi-final”.
- un demi-cercle = a half-circle
- la demi-finale = the semi-final
- une demi-pinte = a half-pint
11. Dys–
Meaning: ill or bad
Dys- communicates an ill or bad state of something. It usually translates directly to English as the same prefix “dys-”.
- un dysfonctionnement = dysfunction
- la dyslexie = dyslexia
- la dystopie = dystopia
12. É/ex–
Meaning: outside of
É/Ex- indicates something that is outside of something else. It is also used to convey an action that seeks to go outside of something.
- élargir = to broaden
- exclure = to exclude
- l’extérieur (m.) = the exterior
13. En/em-
Meaning: inside of
En/Em- indicates something inside of something else, or the act being contained or brought into a larger whole. The word enregistrer , though translated to English as “record”, literally means to “in-register” something, as in “to document its presence in one’s records.”
- emballer = to wrap
- enregistrer = to record
- entrer = to enter
14. Ill/im/in/irr–
Meaning: opposite
Ill/im/in/irr- refers to the opposite of whatever follows it in the word. In this way, it translates to its English equivalent of “il” as in “illegal”. However, it also translates to “un-” in certain English words.
- illimité(e) = unlimited
- impatient(e) = impatient
- inacceptable =unacceptable
- Irrévérencieux/irrévérencieuse = irreverent
15. Mal/mau/mé/més–
Meaning: bad
Mal/mau/mé/més- refers to a bad state of being. As with bene-, its application is broad. It can encompass something that is just simply “bad”—a mistake or a misstep—or it can imply much darker sentiments, as in something that “evil” or “cursed”. We recommend relying on context clues when you encounter these prefixes to confirm how serious the situation is!
- une malédiction = a curse
- mauvais(e)= bad
- une méprise =a mistake
- une mésaventure= a misadventure
16. Pré-
Meaning: before
Pré- indicating something that comes before something else, as in the word “prefix” itself. Translates directly to the English “pre-”.
- préalable = preliminary
- une précommande = an advanced order
- prévisible = predictable
17. R/re/ré/res-
Meaning: again
R/re/ré/res– all designate an action that is repeated. In general, you can add it directly before the word, as we do with recommencer (to start again). However, there are exceptions where the root word isn’t able to stand on its own (like –pétér, the root of répéter).
- raccompagner = to walk back (with someone) / to take someone back
- racheter = to buy back
- redémarrer = to restart (a car or machinery)
- répéter = to repeat
- ressembler– to look like (literally “re-semble” or to “re” seem like)
18. Sou/sous-
Meaning: under, “sub” in English
Sous/sou– characterized by being under or going/coming from underneath something else.
- soulever = to raise
- un sous-marin = a submarine
- souterrain = underground
19. Super/sur–
Meaning: over/on top of
Sur/super- communicates the idea of going over or “surpassing” a certain threshold; being “beyond” something else. Words like “surprise” in French and English are both derived from this same meaning! Surprendre in French literally means “to overtake”, as we are “overtaken” by something that surprises us. Here’s a common phrase you’ll hear that features this French prefix:
Quelle grande surprise! = What a nice surprise!
- surpayer = to over pay
- une superstition = a superstition
- surprendre = to surprise
20. Trans–
Meaning: a “change” or “to cross”
Trans- indicates the act of changing, or crossing from one point or one state to another. This can refer to physical, emotional, or figurative points.
- une transaction = a transaction
- transférer = to transfer
- transform= to transform
Expand your French vocabulary with Rosetta Stone
Like cognates, prefixes offer learners an easy bridge from English to French, as most of the prefixes we have seen in this post function in much the same way as their English equivalents. Keep in mind the ones that are more common in French such as mal/mau/mé/més, and how French prefixes like il- can be used like “un-” in English.
With that, this list should give you an easy boost for learning multitudes of new words, or at least help you describe something the next time you’re in a bind!
To take your French to the next level, step away from textbooks and memorization. Rosetta Stone can help you make progress faster with bite-sized lessons, learning tools, and more. With each lesson, you’ll pick up language intuitively, the same way you learned your first language!
Plus, TruAccent helps you hone your pronunciation from your very first lesson.
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Written by Micah McCauley
Micah McCauley is a current freelance contributor to Rosetta Stone with years of experience teaching French to non-native speakers. His career spans the U.S., France, and China. He is currently a student and Associate Instructor of French and Francophone Studies at Indiana University of Bloomington. He enjoys composing music, traveling, and learning Spanish in his free time.
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