French A2-B1 Linking Words

Cards · 60

mais

but (used to express contrast)

donc

so / therefore (expresses a direct consequence or conclusion)

parce que

because (introduces a reason or cause)

puisque

since / as (introduces an obvious or known reason)

car

for / because (formal connector introducing an explanation)

en fait

actually / in fact (clarifies or corrects information)

alors

then / so (indicates consequence or chronological order)

aussi

also / too (adds information; at sentence start means 'therefore')

de plus

furthermore / in addition (adds an extra point to an argument)

en plus

besides / on top of that (informal addition)

par exemple

for example / for instance (illustrates a point)

comme

as / like / since (shows comparison or cause at the start of a clause)

d'abord

first / first of all (introduces the first step in a sequence)

premièrement

firstly (numbers arguments in an organized list)

deuxièmement

secondly (introduces a second numbered point)

puis

then / next (chronological sequence of actions)

ensuite

afterwards / next (chronological sequence of events)

après

after / afterwards (temporal sequence)

enfin

finally / at last (introduces the final point or expresses relief)

finalement

eventually / in the end (describes a final outcome after delay)

cependant

however / nevertheless (formal contrast or concession)

pourtant

yet / nevertheless (contrasts with an unexpected fact)

néanmoins

nevertheless / nonetheless (formal nuance or restriction)

toutefois

however / even so (formal, adds a slight reservation)

en revanche

on the other hand / whereas (contrasts two opposing positive/negative facts)

par contre

on the other hand (informal contrast between two situations)

au contraire

on the contrary (expresses direct opposition)

bien que (+ subjonctif)

although / even though (expresses concession followed by subjunctive)

même si

even if / even though (expresses concession followed by indicative)

malgré

despite / in spite of (followed by a noun phrase)

grâce à

thanks to (introduces a cause with a positive outcome)

à cause de

because of / due to (introduces a cause with a neutral or negative outcome)

c'est pourquoi

that is why / for this reason (states a logical consequence)

par conséquent

consequently / as a result (formal consequence)

ainsi

thus / in this way (shows manner or consequence)

si

if (expresses a condition or hypothesis)

à condition de (+ infinitif)

on condition of / provided that (expresses an essential requirement)

pour (+ infinitif)

in order to / to (expresses a goal or purpose)

pour que (+ subjonctif)

so that / in order that (expresses a goal involving two different subjects)

afin de (+ infinitif)

in order to / so as to (formal expression of purpose)

surtout

especially / above all (emphasizes a specific element)

notamment

notably / in particular (singles out a key example)

en particulier

in particular / especially (highlights a distinct point)

d'un côté..., de l'autre côté...

on the one hand..., on the other hand... (balances two contrasting aspects)

d'une part..., d'autre part...

on the one hand..., on the other hand... (formal structural connector for two points)

soit... soit...

either... or... (presents two alternative choices)

ou bien

or else / alternatively (presents an explicit alternative)

pendant que

while / as (expresses simultaneous actions)

alors que

while / whereas (expresses either simultaneous time or a contrast)

tandis que

while / whereas (highlights a strong contrast between two subjects)

dès que

as soon as (expresses immediate succession in time)

aussitôt que

as soon as (immediate temporal sequence, synonym of dès que)

jusqu'à ce que (+ subjonctif)

until (marks a time limit followed by subjunctive)

avant de (+ infinitif)

before (doing something, with the same subject)

après avoir / être (+ participe passé)

after having done something (expresses completed prior action)

en conclusion

in conclusion (summarizes the end of a presentation or essay)

en résumé

in short / to summarize (condenses main arguments)

bref

in short / anyway (concisely sums up or moves forward informally)

en effet

indeed / actually (confirms or explains what was just stated)

c'est-à-dire

that is to say / meaning (clarifies or rephrases an idea)