Connectors (connecteurs) link words or sentences and show how they relate: adding, choosing, contrasting, giving a reason, or placing something in time or as a condition.
Adding: et (and)
et joins things of equal weight: two words, two phrases or two sentences.
J'aime le café et le thé.
I like coffee and tea.
Pierre et Marie sont amis.
Pierre and Marie are friends.
Je travaille et il se repose.
I'm working and he's resting.
Contrasting: mais (but)
mais expresses a contrast or a restriction.
Il est riche mais malheureux.
He is rich but unhappy.
Je veux sortir, mais il pleut.
I want to go out, but it's raining.
Choosing: ou (or)
ou offers a choice. It sounds exactly like où (where), which carries a grave accent: ou = or, où = where.
Tu veux du thé ou du café ?
Do you want tea or coffee?
Tu viens lundi ou mardi ?
Are you coming on Monday or Tuesday?
Où est la gare ?
Where is the station?
Giving a reason: parce que (because)
parce que gives the reason and answers pourquoi (why). Before a vowel, que becomes qu'.
Je reste à la maison parce qu'il pleut.
I'm staying home because it's raining.
Elle est contente parce qu'elle a réussi.
She is happy because she passed.
A
Pourquoi tu ne viens pas ?
Why aren't you coming?
B
Parce que je suis occupé.
Because I'm busy.
Time and condition: quand, si
quand (when) gives the moment something happens.
Quand j'ai faim, je mange.
When I'm hungry, I eat.
Quand j'étais petit, j'habitais à Paris.
When I was little, I lived in Paris.
si (if) states a condition. Compare: Quand il pleut, je reste à la maison means “whenever it rains”, S'il pleut, je reste à la maison means “if it rains”. Before il and ils, si becomes s'; before elle it stays si.
Si tu veux, je t'aide.
If you want, I'll help you.
S'il fait beau, on va à la plage.
If the weather is nice, we go to the beach.
