d'après

The French term d'après is a versatile and essential prepositional phrase that English speakers primarily translate as according to, from, or based on. While it is technically composed of the preposition de (of/from) and the adverb après (after), it functions as a single unit to indicate the source of information, a point of reference, or a sequential relationship. In everyday French, you will encounter it most frequently when someone is citing an authority, a text, or even their own personal opinion. It serves as a bridge between a statement and its origin, allowing the speaker to distance themselves slightly from the claim or to provide necessary context for where an idea originated. For instance, when watching the news, you might hear a journalist say, d'après les autorités (according to the authorities), which immediately establishes the credibility and source of the following information. This usage is fundamental in both formal reporting and casual storytelling.

Source Attribution

Used to identify the person, document, or entity providing information. Example: D'après le journal, il va pleuvoir.

Creative Inspiration

Used in the arts to indicate that a work is based on or adapted from another. Example: Un film d'après le roman de Victor Hugo.

Sequential Reference

Used to refer to the thing or person following something else in a series. Example: Le candidat d'après est prêt.

Beyond simple attribution, d'après carries a nuance of observation. When you say d'après ce que je vois (from what I see), you are basing your conclusion on visual evidence. This makes it slightly different from selon, which is often more formal or objective. D'après can feel more immediate and grounded in the speaker's direct experience or the specific context of a situation. It is also used in the construction of opinions, such as d'après moi, which is a very common way to say in my opinion or to my mind. This phrase is particularly useful for learners because it is easy to slot into conversation to express a viewpoint without sounding overly dogmatic. It suggests that your opinion is derived from your personal perspective or the facts at hand, rather than being an absolute truth.

In more modern contexts, specifically after global shifts like the pandemic, the phrase le monde d'après (the world after/the world to come) has become a popular noun-like construct. Here, d'après acts as an adjectival phrase describing a future state or a subsequent era. This demonstrates the flexibility of the term; it isn't just about citing a book or a person, but about defining the relationship between two periods of time or two states of existence. Whether you are discussing the next person in line or the source of a rumor, d'après is the linguistic tool that provides the necessary 'where' or 'after' for your thoughts. Understanding its dual nature—as both a marker of source and a marker of sequence—is key to mastering its use in fluent French conversation.

Finally, it is worth noting that d'après is often used in artistic credits. If you see a painting or a sculpture labeled d'après Picasso, it means the artist created the work by following or imitating Picasso's style or a specific piece by him. This 'after' usage is common in museums and art history, where it signifies a tribute or a study of a master's work. It implies a direct lineage of thought or technique, further reinforcing the idea that d'après is about tracing something back to its origin or its predecessor. For a student of French, recognizing this word in various contexts—from the 8 o'clock news to an art gallery—will significantly broaden their comprehension of how French speakers link ideas and acknowledge influences.

Using d'après correctly involves understanding its grammatical placement and the type of words it typically precedes. Most commonly, it acts as a preposition, meaning it is followed by a noun, a pronoun, or a demonstrative pronoun. It does not require a complex conjugation, but its meaning can shift slightly depending on the noun that follows. When followed by a person or a group, it translates to according to. For example, d'après Marie means according to Marie. When followed by a document or a source of information, it means based on or from. For example, d'après les statistiques means based on the statistics. This simplicity makes it a favorite for learners who want to add depth to their sentences without navigating difficult verb agreements.

With Personal Pronouns

D'après moi, d'après toi, d'après lui/elle, d'après nous, d'après vous, d'après eux/elles. Use these to express opinions or perspectives.

With Demonstrative Pronouns

D'après ce que... (Based on what...). This is a very common structure: D'après ce qu'il a dit, il ne viendra pas.

Another important usage is the sequential one, where d'après identifies something that comes immediately after another. In this case, it often follows a noun to act as an adjective. For example, la porte d'après (the next door) or la personne d'après (the next person). This is an idiomatic way to express 'the next' when you are thinking in terms of sequence or physical proximity. It is different from using prochain, which often refers to a future time (like la semaine prochaine). D'après in this context is very spatial and immediate. You are standing at a door, and you refer to the one right after it. This usage is vital for giving directions or managing a queue.

Syntactically, d'après can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the scene or provide the source upfront, which is very common in journalistic writing. Alternatively, it can be placed at the end of a clause to add a qualifying source. For example, C'est une bonne idée, d'après moi. (It's a good idea, in my opinion.) The flexibility of its position allows for different stylistic emphases. Placing it at the start emphasizes the source (According to the law...), while placing it later focuses more on the statement itself. Learners should practice both to become comfortable with the natural rhythm of French speech, which often uses these qualifying phrases to soften or justify statements.

One nuanced area is the use of d'après in comparisons or evaluations. You might say juger d'après les apparences (to judge by appearances). Here, d'après functions as the criteria for judgment. It tells the listener what evidence is being used to form a conclusion. This is a higher-level usage that transitions from simple attribution to logical reasoning. By mastering d'après, you aren't just saying 'who said what'; you are explaining the 'why' and 'how' behind your thoughts and observations. It is a small phrase that carries the weight of logic and evidence in the French language, making your speech sound more reasoned and sophisticated.

The phrase d'après is ubiquitous in French life, appearing in contexts ranging from the highly formal to the completely casual. If you turn on a French news channel like BFM TV or France 24, you will hear it constantly. Journalists use it to cite their sources while maintaining a professional distance: D'après nos informations (According to our information) or D'après un témoin oculaire (According to an eyewitness). In this setting, it is the standard way to relay news that hasn't been personally verified by the speaker but comes from a reliable (or sometimes anonymous) source. It adds a layer of journalistic integrity and precision to the reporting.

In the Office

Colleagues use it to refer to reports or emails. D'après le dernier compte-rendu, le projet avance bien.

In Schools

Teachers use it to guide students through texts. D'après l'auteur, quelle est la cause du conflit ?

In everyday social interactions, d'après is the go-to phrase for sharing gossip or relaying what a friend said. You might hear someone say, D'après Julie, ils vont se marier cet été ! (According to Julie, they are getting married this summer!). It’s also used when people are trying to figure out a situation together. If a group is looking at a map or a set of instructions, someone might say, D'après le plan, on devrait tourner à gauche ici. (According to the map, we should turn left here.) In these moments, d'après serves as a collaborative tool, pointing everyone to the same piece of evidence to reach a shared conclusion.

Culturally, d'après has taken on a significant role in French intellectual and political discourse, especially with the phrase le monde d'après. This term became a buzzword during the COVID-19 lockdowns, referring to the societal changes people hoped for or feared after the crisis. You will see it in newspaper headlines, book titles, and political speeches. It represents a collective looking-forward, a way of defining an era by its relationship to what came before. Hearing this phrase in a podcast or reading it in an editorial instantly signals a discussion about future trends, environmentalism, or social reform. It’s a powerful example of how a simple prepositional phrase can capture a complex national mood.

Finally, you will hear d'après in very mundane sequential contexts. In a waiting room, the receptionist might call out, La personne d'après, s'il vous plaît ! (The next person, please!). Or when discussing a series of events, someone might say, Le jour d'après, tout était redevenu normal. (The day after, everything had gone back to normal.) This usage is so common it often goes unnoticed, but it is the glue that holds chronological narratives together. Whether it's the high-stakes world of political forecasting or the simple act of waiting in line for a baguette, d'après is an indispensable part of the French auditory landscape.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make with d'après is confusing it with the simple word après (after). While they are related, they function differently. Après is used for time or sequence (après le dîner), whereas d'après is used for attribution or reference (d'après le livre). A common error is saying après moi when you mean d'après moi. If you say après moi, you are literally saying 'after me' in a physical or temporal sense (e.g., 'he arrived after me'). If you want to say 'in my opinion', you must use the d' prefix. This distinction is crucial for being understood correctly.

D'après vs. Selon

While often interchangeable, 'selon' is slightly more formal. 'D'après' is better for personal observations or specific sources you are looking at right now.

The Apostrophe Error

Never write 'de après'. Because 'après' starts with a vowel, the 'de' must always elide into 'd''. This is a non-negotiable rule of French spelling.

Another stumbling block is the phrase d'après ce que. English speakers often forget the ce and try to say d'après que. This is grammatically incorrect in French. You need the demonstrative ce to act as the object of the preposition d'après before you can start a relative clause with que. Think of it as saying 'according to that which' rather than just 'according to that'. Forgetting this ce is a hallmark of an intermediate learner and is something to watch out for when trying to explain complex ideas or relay what you have heard or seen.

There is also a subtle mistake involving the use of d'après when suivant or selon might be more appropriate in a legal or technical context. While d'après is fine for general reference, conformément à (in accordance with) is often preferred for strict adherence to rules. Using d'après can sometimes sound a bit too casual if you are citing a strict law or a mathematical theorem where there is no room for interpretation. However, for A2 and B1 learners, d'après is a safe and versatile choice that will be understood in almost any context, provided the basic grammar rules are followed.

Finally, be careful with the word order when using d'après in the sense of 'the next one'. It almost always follows the noun it modifies. You wouldn't say le d'après jour; it must be le jour d'après. This mirrors the English 'the day after' but can be confusing if you are used to placing adjectives before nouns in other contexts. Keeping the 'd'après' as a trailing modifier is the standard way to handle sequential references. By paying attention to these small details—the apostrophe, the 'ce', and the word order—you can avoid the most common pitfalls and sound much more like a native speaker.

In French, there are several ways to express the idea of 'according to' or 'following', and choosing the right one can add nuance to your speech. The most direct synonym for d'après is selon. Both are extremely common, but selon tends to be a bit more formal and objective. You will see selon in textbooks and official reports more often than d'après. However, in conversation, they are often used interchangeably. Another alternative is suivant, which also means 'according to' or 'following'. Suivant often carries a sense of 'following the logic of' or 'in accordance with a sequence'.

D'après vs. Selon

'Selon' is more formal and often used for laws or experts. 'D'après' is more versatile and common in speech.

D'après vs. Suivant

'Suivant' is often used in technical or sequential contexts, like 'following the instructions'.

D'après vs. À mon avis

'À mon avis' is specifically for opinions, while 'd'après moi' can mean 'based on my calculations' or 'from my perspective'.

If you want to sound more sophisticated, you might use aux dires de (according to the words of). This is a very formal way to attribute a statement to someone, often used in literature or high-level journalism. On the other hand, if you are talking about something being based on a specific model or example, you could use sur le modèle de. This is more specific than d'après and is great for describing design or architecture. For sequential 'after', you have le suivant (the following one) or le prochain (the next one). While le jour d'après and le jour suivant are very similar, le prochain jour is less common than le lendemain (the next day).

Another interesting comparison is with conformément à. This means 'in compliance with' or 'in accordance with'. It is much stronger than d'après. If you say a project was done d'après le plan, it means you followed the plan. If you say it was done conformément au plan, it implies a strict, legalistic adherence to every detail. Understanding these subtle differences helps you choose the word that best fits the tone of your conversation. For most A2 learners, mastering d'après and selon is the first step, as they cover 90% of situations where you need to cite a source or express a sequence-based opinion.

In summary, while d'après is incredibly versatile, don't be afraid to branch out to selon, suivant, or even à mon avis to keep your French varied and precise. Each of these alternatives offers a slightly different 'flavor' to your sentences, allowing you to indicate whether you are being objective, subjective, formal, or casual. By comparing these words, you gain a deeper understanding of the internal logic of the French language and how it categorizes information and its sources.