French word

donc

Pronunciation

IPA/dɔ̃k/

Meaning

  • adverbso

Example

Il fait froid, donc je reste chez moi.

It's cold, so I stay home.

Illustration for donc (so)

More examples

Il a beaucoup travaillé, donc il a réussi.

He worked a lot, so he succeeded.

Core concept

A spoken hinge that points from a stated fact to the consequence that follows.

Common phrases

  • et donc ?

    so, then?

  • donc voilà

    So there you are

Similar words

alors: Shows the result of an event or situation.
du coup: Casually signals a brief next action or conclusion caused by what happened.

Definition in French

Marque qu'une idée ou une action découle de ce qui a été dit; en oral, usage discursif fréquent.

Word origin

Donc is inherited through Old French from Latin dunc, a form related to dumque, and its earlier temporal or sequential sense developed into a marker of consequence.

Usage tips

  • Donc often appears at the start of a spoken sentence to resume a topic, draw a conclusion, or move the discussion forward.

Other meanings

  • thereforeadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word