Making Substitutions: "Au lieu de"
To state that you are choosing one option instead of another, use the phrase au lieu de.
You can use it directly before a noun to substitute one thing for another.
| I choose the kick-scooter instead of the car. | Je choisis la trottinette au lieu de la voiture. |
You can also use it to substitute actions. While English uses the -ing form ("instead of doing"), French uses the infinitive (the unconjugated dictionary form).
| We carpool instead of taking the car. | Nous faisons du covoiturage au lieu de prendre la voiture. |
| We take the train instead of driving. | Nous prenons le train au lieu de conduire. |
If the verb or noun that follows begins with a vowel or a silent h, de contracts to d'.
| You save fuel instead of buying gasoline. | Vous économisez du carburant au lieu d'acheter de l'essence. |
To emphasize the action being replaced, you can place au lieu de at the beginning of the sentence.
| Instead of consuming gas, I take the bike lane. | Au lieu de consommer de l'essence, je prends la piste cyclable. |
Highlighting Contrasts: "Whereas"
To express "whereas" or "while" to contrast two differing facts (like the cost or environmental impact of different transport methods), use the conjunctions alors que or tandis que. They are interchangeable.
| The kick-scooter is ecological, whereas the car is polluting. | La trottinette est écologique, alors que la voiture est polluante. |
| The toll is expensive, whereas carpooling costs nothing. | Le péage est cher, tandis que le covoiturage ne coûte rien. |
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