They often go together

Les cooccurrences en français

Collocation are words that go well together, like croissant and coffee! Photo by montatip lilitsanong on Unsplash

We don’t learn a language by memorizing rules. We learn a language by learning units of meaning.

When you speak English, or your native language, you can anticipate what other people will say, based on what they just said.

Certain combinations of words recur so often in a language that they sound “just right.”

Those are called collocations.
In French: Les cooccurrences.

Let me give you an example. Try the following exercise, in English. I put the first letter of each missing word, to help you find it.

• Are you a_______ of the implications of your actions?

• Let's give Beyoncé a big r_______of applause.

• The bomb went o_______ when he started the car engine.

• At first, when he learned that his mother had died, he she b_______into tears.

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Answers: aware, round, off, burst

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If you were not able to complete the exercise, it’s probably because English is not your native language. Combinations of words such as a “round of applause” and “a bomb going off” or “bursting into tears,” are examples of collocations.

It would be impossible to learn all of these collocations from a list. You have to learn them in context through thousands of hours of comprehensible input in your target language. The 10,000 hour rule of talent probably applies here.

Try the following exercise in French, to evaluate your level. I’ve tested this exercise on native speakers who are competent with the language, and they were all able to find at least 90% of the missing words.

1. Par conviction, il a refusé ce poste qui offrait un salaire de $500,000 par année, et maintenant, faisant face à des difficultés financières, il le regrette a_______.

2. Les crimes qu’il a c_______   sont impardonnables.

3. Sur la mer, il faut être prêt à a_______  les intempéries.

4. Avant de partir aller vivre en Chine, je dois f_______ mes adieux à tous mes amis.

5. Quand j’ai vu son costume, j’ai é_______ de rire.

6. Il pense qu’il ne va plus revoir la c_______ de son argent.

7. Il ne compte jamais se marier. C’est un célibataire e_______.

8. Les Québécois doivent se préparer à faire f_______ à l’hiver

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Answers: amèrement, commis, affronter, faire, éclaté, couleur, endurci, face

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Again, there is no way to learn all of these collocations by heart. I’m bringing up this topic to yet again, emphasize the importance of comprehensible input.

By reading (and listening) more in French, and paying attention to what you read, you will eventually develop an instinct for which words go with which words. This will be the next level of your journey learning French!