au
/o/
The French word au means "to the" or "at the" (masculine singular).
What does it mean word for word?
au is a contraction of the preposition à and the masculine article le.
Which one should you use?
While au is used for masculine singular nouns, you must use aux for plural nouns regardless of their gender. For feminine singular nouns, do not use a contraction but instead use à la.
How does it change in a sentence?
au is the mandatory contraction of à and le used before masculine singular nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/o/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the uncontracted form à le. You must use the contracted form au instead.
Did you know?
- In French, the word au is used in the expression au courant, meaning 'up to date', which literally describes being 'in the current' of a river.
- The English phrase 'au pair' literally means 'at the equal' or 'on equal terms', referring to the arrangement where a host family provides room and board instead of a salary.
- The phrase au secours! is an urgent cry for help that literally translates to 'to the help!' or 'to the rescue!'
Examples in context
- Elle travaille comme jeune-fille au pair.She works as an au pair.This sentence shows how au is used in the phrase 'au pair'.Tatoeba #4885258 by sacredceltic, translation #2467141 by Hybrid
- Au contraire.Au contraire.This sentence demonstrates the use of au in the common expression 'Au contraire'.Tatoeba #8737408 by Julien_PDC, translation #8737479 by shekitten
- Parmi les friandises que j'ai goûtées en France, celles que j'aimerais le plus manger sont la brioche, le baba au rhum et les marrons glacés.Of the sweets that I tasted in France, the ones that I'd like to eat most are the brioche, the baba au rhum and the marrons glacés.This sentence shows au used in the context of food, specifically in 'baba au rhum'.Tatoeba #1244302 by sacredceltic, translation #1244251 by Scott
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking about their plans for the afternoon.
- EmmaTu vas au cinéma ce soir ?Are you going to the cinema tonight?
- NathanNon, je reste au bureau.No, I am staying at the office.
- EmmaC'est dommage, il y a un bon film au programme.That's a shame, there is a good movie on the program.
- NathanPeut-être que je passerai au cinéma demain.Maybe I will stop by the cinema tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry au, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
