Published October 21, 2024 • Updated April 24, 2026 — By French teacher David Issokson • Native Audio by Marie Assel Cambier
Alors que is a frequently used French connector meaning “while”, “whereas”, and “even though”. It’s slightly advanced yet extremely common in everyday French. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use it naturally with clear examples and native audio.
📘 Alors que meaning
Alors que is a common French connector meaning “while”, “whereas”, or “even though”, depending on the context. It’s used to contrast two ideas or describe two actions happening at the same time. In everyday French, alors que often introduces a difference between people, situations, or opinions.
It’s normally followed by the indicative, not the subjunctive. This is because alors que usually introduces a fact, comparison, or real situation. For example, Il continue alors qu’il est fatigué (He continues even though he is tired).
🎧 Alors que pronunciation
The pronunciation of alors que is /a.lɔʁ kə/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “ah-lor kuh”.
📝 Alors que examples
Le téléphone a sonné alors que nous étions à table.
The phone rang while we were at the table.
Cet homme gagne bien sa vie alors qu‘il travaille très peu.
This man makes a good living even though he works very little.
Je préfère la glace au chocolat alors que ma femme préfère la glace à la vanille.
I prefer chocolate ice cream, whereas my wife prefers vanilla ice cream.
Il m’a critiqué alors que j’attendais des compliments !
He criticized me even though I was expecting compliments.
💡 Alors que vs tandis que
The closest expression in French to alors que is tandis que. Both can mean “whereas” or “while” when contrasting two ideas. Tandis que often sounds slightly more formal or more explicitly contrastive, while alors que is more common in everyday French. The following two sentences both mean “He likes tea, whereas she prefers coffee”, with only a slight shift in tone.
➞ Il aime le thé, alors qu’elle préfère le café.
➞ Il aime le thé, tandis qu’elle préfère le café.
👉 Learn how to use tandis que in real sentences.
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- alors — so / then
- tandis que — whereas / while
- bien que — although
- par contre — on the other hand
- au contraire — on the contrary
- en revanche — however / on the other hand
- puisque — since
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