French word

chez

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃe/

Meaning

  • prepositionat ___'s place

Example

Je dîne ce soir chez moi.

I am having dinner at home tonight.

Illustration for chez (at ___'s place)

More examples

On achète du pain chez le boulanger le matin.

One buys bread at the baker's in the morning.

Core concept

The interior place associated with a particular person, from a private home to a professional's workplace.

Common phrases

  • chez soi

    at home

  • chez le boulanger

    at the baker's

Similar words

à: At a location or point.
dans: Inside an enclosed space.
chez soi: In one's own home.

Definition in French

Indique le lieu lié à une personne, surtout son domicile ou son lieu de service : chez quelqu'un, chez moi, chez le médecin.

Word origin

The preposition chez developed from Old French chies, derived from Latin casa, 'house', so its personal reference reflects an older meaning connected with a person's house.

Usage tips

  • Chez moi usually presents a private personal setting, while à la maison more neutrally means at home and can refer to the home as a place.

Other meanings

  • at ___'s shoppreposition
  • at ___'s workplacepreposition

Opposites

  • à l'extérieur deoutside ofpreposition

Related words

  • chez-soione's homenoun

Word lists with this word