Nowadays, as we are living in the 21st century, the world has revolutionized quite a lot. In this world, with a population of more than 8 billion, approximately, there are more than 7,100 languages usually spoken all over the world, and according to the ratio, English is the most essential and crucial language so far.
The emphasis on the learning process of this language to be comfortable in communication is so high that it has become the primary subject in educational institutes for every grade student, as per recent records.
Apart from the English language, there are some other languages as well which are playing an equal part, and they have also become a parameter for measuring many qualities and usual things. To narrow it down, from calculating a person’s intelligence to regular daily life casualties, vocab.
The word “donc” can be used as “so” or “therefore“, whereas “alors” is used like “then” or “thus” in English. Just like any other language, French is famous for its usage, and most of its words are being redirected to English.
The terms “donc” and “alors” are discussed extensively in this article; so keep reading!
“Donc” and “Alors” Have The Same Meaning As Some English Words
So far, what we have come to know is that these words are from the French language, and they both possess different meanings, but one thing that is common about them is that they are used to help in the joining of two sentences, so they act like connectors between statements.
The word “donc” has a meaning of “therefore” or “so,” while “alors” means “then”.
Now they might be used alternatively in one another’s position, but they are different in general meanings. They both are being used where any result or consequences, reaction, or effects of an action are considered to show.
In detail, “donc” itself is enough to use in any consequential sentence to show the emphasis on results, and this word is quite popular and is usually used.
If we consider “alors,” then they are mainly used to give options, like an alternative situation to something, which is usually possible with conditional sentences.
Examples of “Alors” and “Donc”
Still, it should be clear that “alors”, if used after a verb, then, can lead the sentences to consequences of other actions that are more likely to be considered in the second part of the statements.
As far as “donc” is being discussed, then it should be clear that in the French language this word is often used to compare two statements, things, situations, or anything.
Donc
Some common examples of “donc” French word’s usage could be:
- It is cold outside, so I closed the doors and windows. → (Il fait froid dehors, alors j’ai fermé les portes et les fenêtres)
- So what are we gonna do? → (Alors qu’est-ce qu’on va faire ?)
- He didn’t come early, So I had to leave myself. → (Il n’est pas venu tôt, alors j’ai dû partir)
- She is talented, so I insisted. → (Elle a du talent, alors j’ai insisté)
All the above-mentioned examples show that this word precisely gives an alternate situation to solve or go for.
Alors
Some common examples of “alors” French word’s usage are as follows:
- If we don’t work out on this problem, then we will have to find something for the backup. → (Si nous ne résolvons pas ce problème, nous devrons trouver quelque chose pour la sauvegarde)
- The glass is then broken. → (Le verre est alors brisé)
- It was too late; that is why she was then already left. → (C’était trop tard; c’est pourquoi elle était alors déjà partie.)
- He did it like that when he could have solved it differently. → (Il l’a fait comme ça alors qu’il aurait pu le résoudre différemment.)
In all the examples mentioned above, if we look with focus, then “alors” is used in the same meaning but in a variety of contexts, and it proves that “alors” can be used in comparisons, conditional sentences, and as an alternative.
French Language And Its Emphasis
The French language is spoken in 53 different countries, which makes it the most frequented language across the board. This language is spoken on four continents as the countries that utilize the French language as either a first or second spoken language.
Just like any other language, it is also a foreign language that gives freedom and choice to people to go for the option of communicating with people who are not fluent in English, and just like English, the French language is also quite popular in many regions.
It is a norm that if you know French very well, then people consider you a well-spoken person.
It has an equal reputation in many countries, just like English, and is a unique language that is being learned, taught, and spoken alongside the English language.
Differentiating Factors Between French Words Donc and Alors
| Features | “Donc“ | “Alors“ |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Difference | As we have already come to know that this “donc” French word has a meaning to go for sentence joining purposes, because originally it has a meaning of “so”, “therefore” and “thus” and if we structure sentences then they all probably use them for two purposes whether for joining of two statements or just giving a conclusion directly | Similarly, “alors” which is also a French word can be used in place of “then” and it also functions in the same way as donc, because in conditional sentences we will give some results after a certain condition as an option |
| Similarities | Many people confuse “donc” and “alors” because they look similar from the meaning and usage point of view, but there is a slight difference between them, donc gives the results of a previously defined statement in the next part of the sentence starting with “so” | Whereas “alors” is different because when we use it and we are comparing things then, we use then to reach a certain result in contrast to the first given statement and it can be used where there are some alternatives required |
| Usage | French: Il fait si froid dehors alors ferme toutes les fenêtres English: It’s so cold outside so close all the windows | French: si elle ne pouvait pas le pirater, nous irons chercher un prochain candidat English: If she could not hack it then we will be going for the next candidate |
Conclusion
- To sum it up, both words (“donc” and “alors”) so far have had some of the most stimulating and foremost effects on the daily lives of foreign people.
- Both are useful and highly impactful according to their functioning properties, but the difference is based on the words; one has the use of “so” or “therefore” to show the importance and emphasis of the sentence.
- The other one has the “then” word in it, which is another way of describing any situation that is being affected by any particular situation or specifying the use of comparisons if it is being used after a verb.
- Overall, even though they possess different behaviors and properties, they can still be considered the same apart from the fact that they can both be used alternatively and often.
- There are so many other words that are being used for the same purpose after adding many conditional and comparative sentences. On the other hand, many quantitative and qualitative terms are being used like donc and alor words on a large scale, but we should be able to keep them distinguished because they are almost identical.
Other Articles
- What Is The Difference Between “I got stuck” And “I’m stuck”?
- What’s the Difference Between the Mellophone and the Marching French Horn? (Are They The Same?)
- What Is The Difference Between Employees And Employee’s?