What are Time Expressions?
Time expressions are French words and phrases used to describe when events occur in relation to the present, past or future. They help you communicate about schedules, appointments and temporal relationships in everyday conversation.
Time expressions are French words and phrases like maintenant (now), demain (tomorrow) and hier (yesterday) that tell you when something happens.
- 1↓Presentmaintenant (now), aujourd'hui (today)
- 2↓Pasthier (yesterday), la semaine dernière (last week)
- 3↓Futuredemain (tomorrow), la semaine prochaine (next week)
- 4Frequencytoujours (always), parfois (sometimes), jamais (never)
Step-by-step worked examples
How do you say 'I work every day' in French?
Je travaille chaque jour. (literally: I work each day) Or: Je travaille tous les jours. (I work all the days)
Express 'She arrives tomorrow morning' in French.
Elle arrive demain matin. demain = tomorrow, matin = morning
How to say 'They never come on time' in French?
Ils n'arrivent jamais à l'heure. jamais = never, à l'heure = on time
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.What does 'demain' mean in English?
Q2.Which phrase means 'last week' in French?
Q3.How do you express 'never' in French?
Q4.What does 'à l'heure' mean?
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Common mistakes
Confusing 'hier' (yesterday) with 'hier' (here) in context. — Correct: 'Hier' means yesterday; 'ici' means here.
Using 'toujours' to mean 'still' in every context. — Correct: 'Toujours' primarily means always; 'encore' means still/yet.
Forgetting that time expressions often need 'la' or 'le'. — Correct: Say 'le matin' (the morning), 'l'après-midi' (the afternoon).
Treating 'jamais' as optional in negative sentences. — Correct: 'Jamais' must come with 'ne' for double negation: ne...jamais.
FAQ
What are common French time expressions?
Common ones include maintenant (now), demain (tomorrow), hier (yesterday), aujourd'hui (today), ce soir (tonight), et la semaine prochaine (next week).
How do you say 'never' in French?
'Jamais' means never. It's used with 'ne': Je n'y vais jamais (I never go there).
What is the difference between 'toujours' and 'parfois'?
'Toujours' means always; 'parfois' means sometimes.
How do you express daily actions in French?
Use 'chaque jour' (each day), 'tous les jours' (all the days), or 'quotidiennement' (daily).