contre/kɔ̃tʁ/
preposition / noun · A2 · Frequency 334
preposition
Meanings
against (in physical contact with)
Indicates physical contact or proximity between objects.
against (not in favor of)
Indicates opposition to a viewpoint or proposal.
against (having as an opponent)
Indicates opposing sides in a competition or conflict.
as against (as opposed to, compared to, in contrast with)
Used to compare or contrast two things.
in exchange for
Indicates exchanging one thing for another.
Examples
Le vélo est appuyé contre le mur du garage.
The bicycle is leaning against the garage wall.
La majorité a voté contre le projet de loi.
The majority voted against the bill.
Notre équipe joue contre les champions régionaux samedi.
Our team is playing against the regional champions on Saturday.
Cette lampe consomme dix watts, contre vingt pour l'ancien modèle.
This lamp uses ten watts, compared with twenty for the old model.
Collocations
- appuyé contreleaning against
- être contreto be against
Common mistakes
Je suis contre la table.
Je suis contre la porte.
When 'contre' indicates physical contact, it is usually used with hard or fixed objects; 'porte' is more common than 'table' in this context.
Je suis contre pour ce projet.
Je suis contre ce projet.
‘contre’ is not followed by ‘pour’; it directly precedes the object.
Related words
Grammar note
The preposition contre is used with a noun to indicate physical contact (contre + noun), opposition (contre + noun/pronoun), opposition in contest (contre + noun/pronoun), comparison (contre + noun), and exchange (contre + noun).
nounmasculine
Meanings
double (in sports, e.g., tennis or badminton)
Commonly used in sports contexts to refer to a doubles match.
opposition, resistance
Used to express opposition or resistance, often in political or social contexts.
Examples
Le match de contre a été très disputé entre les deux équipes de tennis.
The doubles match was very competitive between the two tennis teams.
Il a exprimé son contre face aux nouvelles lois proposées par le gouvernement.
He expressed his opposition to the new laws proposed by the government.
Le contre des manifestants a conduit à des débats publics importants.
The protesters' opposition led to significant public debates.
Collocations
- match de contre en tennisdoubles match in tennis
- opposition contre le gouvernementopposition against the government
- résistance contre l'injusticeresistance against injustice
Common mistakes
un contre
un double
Mistakenly using “contre” alone as a noun to mean “double”; the correct term is “double”.
contre de la guerre
contre la guerre
Do not add the article “de” after the preposition “contre”; the correct usage is “contre la guerre”.
Related words
synonymoppositionopposition, resistance
nounmasculine
Meanings
double (in sports, e.g., tennis or badminton)
Commonly used in sports contexts to refer to a doubles match.
opposition, resistance
Used to express opposition or resistance, often in political or social contexts.
Examples
Le match de contre a été très disputé entre les deux équipes de tennis.
The doubles match was very competitive between the two tennis teams.
Il a exprimé son contre face aux nouvelles lois proposées par le gouvernement.
He expressed his opposition to the new laws proposed by the government.
Le contre des manifestants a conduit à des débats publics importants.
The protesters' opposition led to significant public debates.