Welcome back to our blog where we look at a French word every week. This time, we’re going to get to grips with the adverb ainsi.
To hear its pronunciation, listen to the audio clip below:
function playAudio(url) { new Audio(url).play(); }
Before we look into the meaning of this word, you might first need a refresher on what exactly adverbs do. You can find more information in our Easy Learning French Grammar section on adverbs.
Now for the translation of ainsi. You might find it a little tricky at first, because we don’t have a single-word equivalent in English. We would need to use a combination of words to express the same meaning:
ainsi in this way; like this; like that; like so
It’s a handy word for explaining how to do something, which requires a clunkier set of words in English. Ainsi is also useful for emphasis as well as conveying a sense of conclusion.
Let’s take a look at some examples of ainsi in use:
Je vous ai appris déjà – il faut le faire ainsi. I already taught you – you need to do it like this.
Tes frères ont eu raison d’agir ainsi. Your brothers were right to act in this way.
Viens chez moi à treize heures, ainsi nous pourrons déjeuner ensemble. Come to my house at 1 o’clock, that way we can have lunch together.
pour ainsi dire so to speak; pretty much; as it were
ainsi donc so; and so
Ainsi donc, tu pars demain ? So, you are leaving tomorrow?
C’est ainsi. That’s just how it is.; It is what it is.
C’est mieux ainsi. It’s better this way.; It’s better like this.
There’s also the set phrase ainsi que which is very common in everyday French. But you need to be a bit wary of the fact that this phrase can have two different meanings:
- ainsi que as well as; along with; plus
- ainsi que just as; as
In a sentence, they might look like this:
- J’ai beaucoup aimé son roman ainsi que le film et la série. I really liked her novel as well as the film and the series.
- Il pleuvait à midi, ainsi qu’il a dit. It was raining at midday, just as he said it would.
Another week, another adverb. Make sure to keep coming back to our blog, this way you’ll keep improving your French vocabulary as well as feeling more confident in using the words. Until next time!
Written by Holly Tarbet, freelance copywriter and editor.
All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.
