Linking Words And Connectors In French (Mots De Liaison)

When I first moved to France, my French sounded like a series of polite but disconnected text messages. I’d say something like:
Je veux un café. pause Je suis fatigué. pause Il pleut.

One afternoon, a Parisian friend finally sighed and said, “Tu parles comme un GPS.”
You speak like a GPS.
He wasn’t wrong.

Everything changed the day I discovered mots de liaison /mo də ljɛ.zɔ̃/ — linking words. Suddenly my French went from staccato to smooth, from “robot politely asking for caffeine” to “human making actual sentences”. If you want your French to sound natural, coherent, and wonderfully non-GPS-like, connectors are your best friends.

This guide gives you the most common linking words for reasons, results, contrast, sequence, time, adding information, and expressing conditions — all with IPA, examples, and easy dialogues you can steal.

Quick Primer: What Linking Words Do

Mots de liaison help your sentences flow. They show:

Cause (because, since)
Consequence (so, therefore)
Opposition (but, however)
Addition (and, also)
Sequence (first, then, finally)
Condition (if, unless)
Time (when, while)

Think of them as little linguistic bridges — once you start using them, native speakers will immediately hear the difference.

Core Linking Words You’ll Use Daily

Examples:

Je suis fatigué, mais je dois travailler.
/ʒə sɥi fa.ti.ɡe mɛ ʒə dwa tʁa.va.je/
I’m tired, but I have to work.

Il pleut, alors je reste chez moi.
/il plø a.lɔʁ ʒə ʁɛst ʃe mwa/
It’s raining, so I’m staying home.

Cause: Because, Since, Why Something Happens

Examples:

Je pars tôt parce que je travaille à 8h.
/ʒə paʁ to paʁs kə ʒə tʁa.vaj a øit œʁ/
I’m leaving early because I work at 8.

Comme il pleuvait, nous sommes restés.
/kɔm il plø.vɛ nu sɔm ʁɛs.te/
Since it was raining, we stayed.

Usage note:
Comme meaning “since/as” is only used when the cause comes at the beginning.

Consequence: What Happens Because Of Something

Examples:

Il est malade, donc il reste à la maison.
/il ɛ ma.lad dɔ̃k il ʁɛst a la mɛ.zɔ̃/
He’s sick, so he’s staying home.

Je n’avais pas d’argent, du coup je n’ai rien acheté.
/ʒə n‿a.vɛ pa daʁ.ʒɑ̃ dy ku ʒə n‿e ʁjɛ̃ na.ʃe/
I had no money, so I didn’t buy anything.

Usage note:
Du coup is extremely common in France — expect to hear it every hour.

Addition: Adding More Information

Examples:

Il parle anglais et français.
/il paʁl ɑ̃.ɡlɛ e fʁɑ̃.sɛ/
He speaks English and French.

J’ai beaucoup travaillé, en plus j’ai aidé mon frère.
/ʒe bo.ku tʁa.va.je ɑ̃ ply ʒe e.de mɔ̃ fʁɛʁ/
I worked a lot, and on top of that I helped my brother.

Contrast & Opposition: But, However, Although

Examples:

Il fait beau, mais il fait froid.
/il fɛ bo mɛ il fɛ fʁwa/
It’s nice out, but it’s cold.

Bien que je sois fatigué, je continue.
/bjɛ̃ kə ʒə swa fa.ti.ɡe ʒə kɔ̃.ti.ny/
Although I’m tired, I’m continuing.

Usage note:
Bien que triggers the subjunctive. Don’t panic — you’ll absorb it with time.

Sequence: First, Then, After, Finally

Example:

D’abord, on mange, ensuite on sort.
/da.bɔʁ ɔ̃ mɑ̃ʒ ɑ̃.sɥit ɔ̃ sɔʁ/
First we eat, then we go out.

Condition: If, Unless, As Long As

Example:

Si tu veux, on peut regarder un film.
/si ty vø ɔ̃ pø ʁə.ɡaʁ.de œ̃ film/
If you want, we can watch a movie.

Time Links: When, While, As Soon As

Examples:

Quand j’arrive, je t’appelle.
/kɑ̃ ʒa.ʁiv ʒə ta.pɛl/
When I arrive, I’ll call you.

Dès que je peux, je viens.
/dɛ kə ʒə pø ʒə vjɛ̃/
As soon as I can, I’m coming.

Mini Dialogues (Natural French Flow)

Dialogue 1: Making Plans

Tu veux sortir ce soir ?
/ty vø sɔʁ.tiʁ sə swaʁ/
Do you want to go out tonight?

Je veux bien, mais je finis tard.
/ʒə vø bjɛ̃ mɛ ʒə fi.ni taʁ/
I’d like to, but I finish late.

Pas grave, on peut manger puis aller au cinéma.
/pa ɡʁav ɔ̃ pø mɑ̃.ʒe pɥi a.le o si.ne.ma/
No problem, we can eat and then go to the movies.

Dialogue 2: Cause & Effect

Pourquoi t’es en retard ?
/puʁ.kwa te ɑ̃ ʁə.taʁ/
Why are you late?

Parce que il y avait un accident.
/paʁs kə il j‿a.vɛ œ̃ ak.si.dɑ̃/
Because there was an accident.

Ah, d’accord. Du coup, on commence maintenant ?
/a da.kɔʁ dy ku ɔ̃ kɔ.mɑ̃s mɛ̃.tə.nɑ̃/
Ah okay. So, shall we start now?

Dialogue 3: Sequence Storytelling

D’abord, j’ai pris un café, ensuite j’ai étudié.
/da.bɔʁ ʒe pʁi œ̃ ka.fe ɑ̃.sɥit ʒe e.ty.dje/
First, I had a coffee, then I studied.

Et après ?
/e a.pʁɛ/
And after?

Enfin, j’ai fait une sieste.
/ɑ̃.fɛ̃ ʒe fɛ yn sjɛst/
Finally, I took a nap.

Quick Reference: Top Linking Words At A Glance

Five-Minute Practice Plan (Smooth French Mode)

Linking Shuffle (1 minute)
Combine 3 ideas using et, mais, donc.
Example:
Je suis fatigué, mais je travaille, donc je prends un café.
Cause & Effect Drill (1 minute)
Make 3 pairs: parce que → donc.
Example:
Je suis en retard parce que je dors trop. Donc j’arrive à 10h.
Sequence Builder (1 minute)
Tell a 3-step mini-story with d’abord, ensuite, enfin.
Contrast Practice (1 minute)
Say three “but” sentences:
Il fait beau mais il fait froid.
Condition Game (1 minute)
Create 3 si sentences:
Si j’ai le temps, je lis.

The Yak’s Final Thought: Your French Starts Flowing Here

Once you start using parce que, donc, alors, ensuite, and si naturally, your French stops sounding like isolated puzzle pieces and starts sounding like actual conversation.

It’s one of the fastest hacks for sounding fluent — and unlike irregular verbs, linking words don’t fight back.

Quick Primer: What Linking Words Do

Core Linking Words You’ll Use Daily

Cause: Because, Since, Why Something Happens

Consequence: What Happens Because Of Something

Addition: Adding More Information

Contrast & Opposition: But, However, Although

Sequence: First, Then, After, Finally

Condition: If, Unless, As Long As

Time Links: When, While, As Soon As

Mini Dialogues (Natural French Flow)

Dialogue 1: Making Plans

Dialogue 2: Cause & Effect

Dialogue 3: Sequence Storytelling

Quick Reference: Top Linking Words At A Glance

Five-Minute Practice Plan (Smooth French Mode)

The Yak’s Final Thought: Your French Starts Flowing Here

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