This is the 102nd most frequent French word.
près
"Près" means "near" or "close" in English.
In this sentence, the word 'près' means 'near' and is used as a preposition to indicate proximity to a location.
L'école est située près de la rivière.
The school is located near the river.
Here, 'près' is part of the phrase 'près de,' indicating something about to happen, close to completion.
Il est près de terminer son travail.
He is close to finishing his work.
In this usage, 'près' conveys physical closeness or being at someone's side.