Learn to Properly Use the French Expression 'Grâce à'

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."

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!

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.