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Learn to express specific moments in time using French terms like hier (yesterday), demain (tomorrow), la semaine dernière (last week), and l'année prochaine (next year), mastering temporal expressions essential for everyday communication.
  1. The words "dernier" and "prochain" conjugate with the noun and specify the time.
  2. Adding the words "avant" and "après" allows you to talk about the day before yesterday and the day after tomorrow.
  3. They can be at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
Expressions (Expressions)Exemples (Examples)

Hier

Avant-hier

Demain

Après-demain

Je t'ai vu en ville hier. (I saw you in town yesterday.)

Tu as perdu ton match avant-hier. (You lost your match the day before yesterday.)

Je vais venir te voir demain. (I am going to come and see you tomorrow.)

Tu vas gagner ton match après-demain. (You are going to win your match the day after tomorrow.)

La semaine dernière

La semaine prochaine

Je te l'ai dit la semaine dernière. (I told you last week.)

Tu vas faire du foot la semaine prochaine. (You are going to play football next week.)

Le mois dernier

Le mois prochain

Nous sommes allés au cinéma le mois dernier. (We went to the cinema last month.)

Vous allez à un concert le mois prochain. (You are going to a concert next month.)

L'année dernière

L'année prochaine

Tu as eu 5 ans l'année dernière. (You were 5 years old last year.)

Tu vas avoir 7 l'année prochaine. (You are going to be 7 next year.)

Exercise 1: Expression des moments

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

le mois prochain, Le mois dernier, Avant-hier, Hier, L'année prochaine, la semaine dernière, la semaine prochaine, Après-demain

1. Le jour d'avant hier :
..., j'ai traversé le passage piéton.
(The day before yesterday, I crossed the pedestrian crossing.)
2. Le mois d'après :
Je vais traverser le pays ....
(I am going to travel across the country next month.)
3. La semaine d'après :
Elle va voir sa famille ....
(She is going to see her family next week.)
4. La semaine d'avant :
Paul a fait du foot ....
(Paul played football last week.)
5. Le jour d'avant :
..., j'ai cherché ma direction.
(Yesterday, I looked for my direction.)
6. L'année d'après :
..., elle va avoir douze ans.
(Next year, she will be twelve years old.)
7. Le jour d'après demain :
..., tu vas voir un nouveau panneau.
(The day after tomorrow, you will see a new sign.)
8. Le mois d'avant :
..., j'ai pris plusieurs rond-points.
(Last month, I took several roundabouts.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je cherche la place ___ la rue.

(I am looking for the square ___ the street.)

2. Traverse la rue tout droit puis prends à ___ gauche.

(Cross the street straight ahead then take a ___ left.)

3. Tu trouveras le panneau juste ___ le rond-point.

(You will find the sign just ___ the roundabout.)

4. ___, j’ai demandé mon chemin à un passant.

(___, I asked a passerby for directions.)

5. La semaine ___, je vais demander des directions dans le centre-ville.

(The week ___, I am going to ask for directions in the city center.)

6. Fais demi-tour ___ le panneau et prends à ta droite.

(Make a U-turn ___ the sign and take a right.)

Understanding Expressions of Time in French

This lesson focuses on common French expressions used to indicate specific moments in time, essential for discussing past and future events.

Key Time Expressions

  • Hier (Yesterday)
  • Avant-hier (The day before yesterday)
  • Demain (Tomorrow)
  • Après-demain (The day after tomorrow)
  • La semaine dernière / La semaine prochaine (Last week / Next week)
  • Le mois dernier / Le mois prochain (Last month / Next month)
  • L'année dernière / L'année prochaine (Last year / Next year)

Using "dernier" and "prochain"

The adjectives dernier (last) and prochain (next) are paired with nouns to specify the exact time frame. For example:

  • la semaine dernière – last week
  • le mois prochain – next month

These words agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Note also that:

  • Adding avant or après before a time expression denotes one day before or after the given day, such as avant-hier (day before yesterday) and après-demain (day after tomorrow).
  • Time expressions can be positioned either at the beginning or end of the sentence for emphasis or style.

Examples for Practice

Consider these examples illustrating the use of time expressions in sentences:

  • Je t'ai vu en ville hier.
  • Tu as perdu ton match avant-hier.
  • Je vais venir te voir demain.
  • Tu vas gagner ton match après-demain.
  • Je te l'ai dit la semaine dernière.
  • Tu vas faire du foot la semaine prochaine.
  • Nous sommes allés au cinéma le mois dernier.
  • Vous allez à un concert le mois prochain.
  • Tu as eu 5 ans l'année dernière.
  • Tu vas avoir 7 l'année prochaine.

Important Differences Between English and French Time Expressions

In English, time references like “last week” or “next month” are quite straightforward and often placed before the verb. French follows a similar pattern but requires agreement in gender and number for adjectives like dernier and prochain with the noun they modify, a concept absent in English.

The French also have specific words for the day before yesterday (avant-hier) and the day after tomorrow (après-demain), which are less commonly expressed as single words in English.

Useful Phrases

  • Hier – Yesterday
  • Avant-hier – The day before yesterday
  • Demain – Tomorrow
  • Après-demain – The day after tomorrow
  • La semaine dernière – Last week
  • La semaine prochaine – Next week

Understanding these expressions and their correct placement in sentences will help you talk about time accurately and naturally in French.

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Azéline Perrin

Bachelor Degree in Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 01:32