What are conjunctions and connectives?
Conjunctives and connectives are linking words which are used all the time in language to join phrases and sentences together.
They are generally used at the beginning of or in the middle of a sentence. They can be little words which explain why something happens:
| French | English |
| car | because |
| parce que/parce qu’ | because |
| donc | therefore |
| puisque | since |
| comme | as/since |
| French | car |
|---|---|
| English | because |
| French | parce que/parce qu’ |
|---|---|
| English | because |
| French | donc |
|---|---|
| English | therefore |
| French | puisque |
|---|---|
| English | since |
| French | comme |
|---|---|
| English | as/since |
Examples:
- je n’aime pas les bonbons parce qu’ils sont mauvais pour la santé - I don’t like sweets because they are bad for your health
- il ne peut pas venir puisqu’il est en vacances - he can’t come as/since he is on holiday
Or they can be words used to explain when something happens:
| French | English |
| lorsque/quand | when |
| ensuite/puis | then |
| après que | after |
| aussitôt que/dès que | as soon as |
| tandis que/pendant que | while/whilst |
| alors que | whereas |
| French | lorsque/quand |
|---|---|
| English | when |
| French | ensuite/puis |
|---|---|
| English | then |
| French | après que |
|---|---|
| English | after |
| French | aussitôt que/dès que |
|---|---|
| English | as soon as |
| French | tandis que/pendant que |
|---|---|
| English | while/whilst |
| French | alors que |
|---|---|
| English | whereas |
Examples:
- elle est arrivée dès qu’il est parti - she arrived as soon as he left
- il est revenu, puis elle est partie ! - he came back then she left!