French Conversation · Level 59
74 words
French word
alentour
Pronunciation
IPA/alɑ̃tuʁ/
Meaning
- adverbnearby
Example
Il y a un bon café alentour.
There is a good cafe nearby.
More examples
On trouve souvent des petits commerces alentour.
Small shops are often found nearby.
Core concept
A nearby surrounding area, with attention on what lies around a place rather than on one exact point.
Common phrases
tout alentour
all around
des commerces alentour
nearby shops
Similar words
autour: In the area surrounding a place or object.
aux alentours: In the wider area around a place, with things present at scattered points.
dans les parages: In the local area or nearby neighborhood, in a conversational tone.
à proximité: Close by, at a distance that makes getting there fairly easy.
Definition in French
S'emploie pour dire qu'on trouve quelque chose non loin, dans les environs.
Word origin
Alentour comes from the fusion of the phrase à l'entour, with entour referring to what surrounds a place.
Usage tips
- Alentour is an invariable adverb, while les alentours is a plural noun meaning the surrounding area.
Other meanings
- aroundadverb
Opposites
- loinfar awayadverb