French · Travel & Getting Around
"Near" in French: près
près
Near in French is près, usually with de: près de la gare. Say tout près for very near and ici près for around here.
Giving directions
La pharmacie est juste près d'ici.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce près
Say it
preh
/pʁɛ/
Preh. Open e; final s silent alone, can liaison before a vowel in some phrases.
"Near" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| près | near Core adverb. | Core adverb. |
| près de | near / close to Before a place. | Before a place. |
| tout près | very near Emphasis. | Emphasis. |
| ici près | near here Local area. | Local area. |
How to use près in real life
- 1Giving directions
La pharmacie est juste près d'ici.
The pharmacy is right near here.
Près de.
- 2Choosing seats
Assieds-toi près de moi.
Sit near me.
Près de + person.
- 3Checking distance
On est tout près maintenant.
We're very near now.
Tout près.
Mistakes English speakers make with près
Incorrect: Près la gare.
Correct: Près de la gare.
Use près de before a noun.
Incorrect: Je habite near le parc.
Correct: J'habite près du parc.
Use près de; de + le → du.
Good to know
Près de is the everyday near; à côté de is more beside/next to. Proche is the adjective (un ami proche). Metro announcements use prochain for next stop, not près.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Finding a café on foot
ChatPal
Il y a un café près d'ici ?
Is there a café near here?
You
Oui, tout près, au coin.
Yes, very near, on the corner.
ChatPal
Parfait. On reste près l'un de l'autre.
Perfect. We'll stay near each other.
You
Ok, je te suis.
Okay, I'll follow you.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Near" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Near" in French
How do you say near?
Près, usually près de…
How do I say near the station?
Près de la gare.
What is very near?
Tout près.
How do you pronounce près?
Preh.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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