Languages › French Learn to Properly Use the French Expression 'Grâce à' Share Flipboard Email Print Jon Feingersh/Getty Images French Vocabulary Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated April 19, 2018 The French expression grâce à (pronounced "grah sa") is a common phrase that people use to give credit to someone or something for a positive event or outcome. It is the rough equivalent in English of the phrase "thanks to." Examples Like most French grammar you'll use, grâce à is spoken in the normal register, meaning it's used in everyday conversation, neither formal nor informal in tone. You may find yourself saying in any number of situations, such as these: Grâce à mon mari, j'ai une idée pour un livre. Thanks to my husband, I have an idea for a book. Grâce à ton assistance, il a fini le travail. Thanks to your help, he finished the work. Grâce à Dieu! Thank God! Variations You can also modify this phrase to say "it's thanks to..." by placing the word c'est in front of grâce à: S'il a réussi à l'examen, c'est grâce à toi. If he passed the test, it's all thanks to you.Remember that à followed by the definite article le or les must contract: C'est grâce au centre de loisirs que je sais utiliser Facebook. It's thanks to the leisure center that I know how to use Facebook. Grâce aux conseils de Pierre, nous avons trouvé la maison parfaite. Thanks to Pierre's advice, we found the perfect house.Antonym: To blame someone or something for a negative event or situation, use the expression à cause de. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation ThoughtCo. "Learn to Properly Use the French Expression 'Grâce à'." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/grace-a-vocabulary-1371256. ThoughtCo. (2020, August 27). Learn to Properly Use the French Expression 'Grâce à'. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/grace-a-vocabulary-1371256 ThoughtCo. "Learn to Properly Use the French Expression 'Grâce à'." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/grace-a-vocabulary-1371256 (accessed March 2, 2021). copy citation