👉 See also: D’accord (okay, alright, agreed) »
Level B1 (Intermediate)
🎧 Audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a native speaker & professional voice artist from France
The French Word of the Day is au contraire, meaning “on the contrary.” This is a commonly used — and even fun — French phrase that has found its way into English as well. In this lesson, you’ll see how the French use it naturally in real conversation.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
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📘 Au contraire meaning
The French phrase au contraire means “on the contrary.” It’s what you say when you want to push back against someone — not in a rude way, but with emphasis. You can use it to correct someone, express the exact opposite opinion, or politely disagree. It is also commonly used in English and carries the same meaning.
🎧 Au contraire pronunciation
👉 The pronunciation of au contraire is /o kʁɑ̃.tʁɛʁ/ — roughly “oh krawn-trair.”
📝 French and English example sentences
Tu détestes ma peinture. – Au contraire ! Elle est magnifique.
You hate my painting. – On the contrary! It’s magnificent.
Est-ce que tu veux arrêter ? – Bien au contraire ! J’ai encore plein d’idées.
Do you want to stop? – Quite the opposite! I still have plenty of ideas.
Il pensait que j’étais fatigué ; au contraire, je me sens plein d’énergie.
He thought I was tired; on the contrary, I feel full of energy.
Au contraire de ce que tu prétends, tout s’est bien passé.
Contrary to what you claim, everything went well.
👉 See also: être d’accord (to agree) »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- pas du tout — not at all
- par contre/en revanche — on the other hand
- cependant — however
- toutefois — nevertheless
- plutôt — rather / instead
- n’empêche que… — even so / still
- au lieu de… — instead of…
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