French word

dans

Pronunciation

IPA/dɑ̃/

Meaning

  • prepositionin

Example

Le chat est dans la boîte.

The cat is in the box.

Illustration for dans (in)

More examples

Dans cinq minutes, nous partons.

In five minutes, we are leaving.

Core concept

A point lies inside a bounded space, while future time is pictured as a span containing a later point.

Common phrases

  • dans la maison

    in the house

  • dans le train

    on the train

  • dans cinq minutes

    in five minutes

Similar words

en: Indicates being within a broad span of space or time, or in a state.
à: Indicates a point reached, a location, or a destination.
sur: Indicates a position resting on and touching a surface.
chez: Indicates a person's home, a professional's office, or a shop.

Definition in French

Indique la position à l'intérieur d'un espace ou, en contexte temporel, le moment futur mesuré à partir du présent.

Word origin

Dans developed from Old French dens, which came from Latin de intus and expressed an inward or internal relation.

Usage tips

  • Dans trois jours means three days from now, whereas a calendar month uses en, as in en juin.

Other meanings

  • intopreposition

Opposites

  • hors deoutside ofpreposition

Word lists with this word