sous

Under with Sous

Level 1

Use sous to describe something located directly underneath another object, or to express being 'in' certain weather or 'under' a specific condition.

How It Works

The preposition sous is a versatile word in French used in several contexts:

  • Physical Location: It indicates that something is vertically below something else. Unlike English, it doesn't matter if there is physical contact or not.
    Ex: Le chat est sous la table. (The cat is under the table.)
  • Weather: French uses sous where English often uses 'in' for rain, snow, or sun.
    Ex: Marcher sous la pluie. (To walk in the rain.)
  • Figurative States: It describes being under authority, pressure, or a specific name.
    Ex: sous pression (under pressure), sous le règne de... (under the reign of...).
  • Timeframes: In formal contexts, it means 'within' a certain period.
    Ex: sous huit jours (within eight days).

Pronunciation Note: The final 's' is usually silent, but you must perform a liaison (pronouncing it as a 'z' sound) if the next word starts with a vowel or silent 'h'.
Ex: sous un arbre [su-zɛ̃-naʁbʁ].

Examples (5)

  1. Le chien dort sous la table.

    The dog is sleeping under the table.

    Word by Word: The dog sleeps under the table.

    This is the most common spatial use of 'sous' to show direct vertical position.

  2. Il ne faut pas courir sous le soleil.

    You shouldn't run in the sun.

    Word by Word: It not must not run under the sun.

    French uses 'sous' for weather conditions like sun, rain, or snow.

  3. Le dossier est sous mes yeux.

    The file is right under my eyes.

    Word by Word: The file is under my eyes.

    Here 'sous' is used with a body part to indicate immediate proximity/visibility.

  4. Répondez-nous sous quarante-huit heures.

    Reply to us within forty-eight hours.

    Word by Word: Reply to us under forty-eight hours.

    In professional contexts, 'sous' indicates a deadline or timeframe.

  5. Elle travaille sous la direction de Marc.

    She works under Marc's direction.

    Word by Word: She works under the direction of Marc.

    This demonstrates 'sous' used to show authority or supervision.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding 'de' after 'sous'.

    Le livre est sous de la chaise.
    Le livre est sous la chaise.

    Learners often confuse 'sous' with 'en dessous de'. 'Sous' is a simple preposition and never takes 'de' before the noun.

  • Using 'sous' without an object.

    Regarde, le chat est sous !
    Regarde, le chat est dessous !

    'Sous' is a preposition and must be followed by a noun. If you want to say 'underneath' without naming the object, you must use the adverb 'dessous'.

  • Using 'dans la pluie' for being out in the rain.

    Different MeaningJ'aime marcher dans la pluie.
    J'aime marcher sous la pluie.

    'Dans la pluie' is correct, but it sounds poetic, as if you were inside the rain. The usual phrase is 'sous la pluie'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

sousLevel 1Under with Sous

Learn This First

To use 'sous' (under), you need to understand basic sentence structure and how to use definite articles, as 'sous' usually describes a relationship between a subject and a specific object.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

sous