preposition

avec

with

Ce mot sert à montrer qu’une chose ou une personne est en compagnie d’une autre.

Definition & meaning

The word "avec" is a primary preposition in the French language that most commonly translates to "with" in English. It is used in several different contexts:

Accompaniment: It indicates being together with someone or something. For example, "going with a friend" or "coffee with milk."
Instrumentality: It describes the tool or means used to perform an action. For example, "writing with a pen" or "cutting with a knife."
Manner: It describes how an action is performed or the state of mind of the subject. For example, "working with passion" or "listening with attention."
Simultaneity: It can indicate that two events are happening at the same time or that one thing follows another closely.
Opposition or Relation: In certain contexts, it defines a relationship or an opposition between two parties, such as "being angry with someone."

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, "avec" is an invariable preposition. It is generally placed before a noun, a pronoun, or occasionally an infinitive verb. In formal French, "avec" is rarely used at the very end of a sentence, unlike the English "with," although this happens more frequently in colloquial spoken French (e.g., "Tu viens avec ?").

The word originates from Old French "avuec," which stems from the Vulgar Latin phrase "apud hoc." The Latin word "apud" means "near," "at," or "with," and "hoc" means "this." Over centuries, the phrase evolved from meaning "near this" to the general preposition for accompaniment.