The French word "jour" (pronounced [ʒuʁ]) corresponds to the English word "day" and is one of the most fundamental time-related vocabulary words in French. This masculine noun derives from the Latin "diurnus" (of the day) and forms the basis for many important French expressions and compound words.
Definition for the autodidact student: "Jour" refers to a 24-hour period, the time of daylight as opposed to night, or a specific date. Like its English counterpart, it can be used both for counting days and for describing the quality of daylight.
Question: What does "jour" mean in French? Answer: "Jour" means "day" in French. It is a masculine noun (le jour) that refers to a 24-hour period, daylight hours, or a specific date. It's pronounced [ʒuʁ] with a soft 'j' sound like the 's' in "measure" and a French 'r' sound.
In this lesson, you'll encounter "jour" in various contexts: time expressions, daily routines, special occasions, weather descriptions, and idiomatic phrases. The examples progress from simple constructions to more complex sentences, helping you understand how "jour" functions grammatically and culturally in French.
Subject: Language Learning - French for English Speakers Level: Beginner to Intermediate Topic: Basic Time Vocabulary - "jour" (day) Learning Objectives: -
Master the use of "jour" in various contexts -
Understand gender agreement with "jour" -
Learn common expressions using "jour" -
Practice reading authentic French texts
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"Jour" is masculine (le jour, un jour) -
It can mean both "day" (24 hours) and "daylight" -
Common expressions include "bonjour" (good day/hello), "tous les jours" (every day) -
"Jour" vs "journée" - "jour" is countable unit, "journée" emphasizes duration -
Essential for discussing time, schedules, and daily life in French
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96.1 Le The jour day se itself lève rises tôt early en in été summer
96.2 Chaque Each jour day apporte brings de of nouvelles new opportunités opportunities
96.3 Il It fait makes jour day à at six six heures hours du of-the matin morning
96.4 Trois Three jours days ont have passé passed depuis since son his départ departure
96.5 Un A beau beautiful jour day de of printemps spring nous us attend awaits
96.6 Le The jour day de of l'An the-Year est is férié holiday en in France France
96.7 Elle She travaille works jour day et and nuit night sur on ce this projet project
96.8 Au At-the jour day le the jour day il he écrit writes ses his mémoires memoirs
96.9 Quel What jour day sommes are -nous we aujourd'hui today
96.10 Les The jours days raccourcissent shorten en in automne autumn
96.11 De From jour day en in jour day sa her santé health s'améliore improves
96.12 Un One jour day je I visiterai will-visit Paris Paris
96.13 Le The grand great jour day est is enfin finally arrivé arrived
96.14 Tous All les the jours days elle she prend takes le the métro metro
96.15 Il It faut must profiter profit du of-the jour day présent present
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96.1 Le jour se lève tôt en été. The day breaks early in summer.
96.2 Chaque jour apporte de nouvelles opportunités. Each day brings new opportunities.
96.3 Il fait jour à six heures du matin. It gets light at six o'clock in the morning.
96.4 Trois jours ont passé depuis son départ. Three days have passed since his departure.
96.5 Un beau jour de printemps nous attend. A beautiful spring day awaits us.
96.6 Le jour de l'An est férié en France. New Year's Day is a holiday in France.
96.7 Elle travaille jour et nuit sur ce projet. She works day and night on this project.
96.8 Au jour le jour, il écrit ses mémoires. Day by day, he writes his memoirs.
96.9 Quel jour sommes-nous aujourd'hui? What day is it today?
96.10 Les jours raccourcissent en automne. The days grow shorter in autumn.
96.11 De jour en jour, sa santé s'améliore. From day to day, her health improves.
96.12 Un jour, je visiterai Paris. One day, I will visit Paris.
96.13 Le grand jour est enfin arrivé. The big day has finally arrived.
96.14 Tous les jours, elle prend le métro. Every day, she takes the metro.
96.15 Il faut profiter du jour présent. One must make the most of the present day.
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96.1 Le jour se lève tôt en été.
96.2 Chaque jour apporte de nouvelles opportunités.
96.3 Il fait jour à six heures du matin.
96.4 Trois jours ont passé depuis son départ.
96.5 Un beau jour de printemps nous attend.
96.6 Le jour de l'An est férié en France.
96.7 Elle travaille jour et nuit sur ce projet.
96.8 Au jour le jour, il écrit ses mémoires.
96.9 Quel jour sommes-nous aujourd'hui?
96.10 Les jours raccourcissent en automne.
96.11 De jour en jour, sa santé s'améliore.
96.12 Un jour, je visiterai Paris.
96.13 Le grand jour est enfin arrivé.
96.14 Tous les jours, elle prend le métro.
96.15 Il faut profiter du jour présent.
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Gender and Number: "Jour" is a masculine noun. The singular form is "le jour" (the day) or "un jour" (a day). The plural form is "les jours" (the days) or "des jours" (some days). Note that unlike English, French requires gender agreement with articles and adjectives.
Article Usage: "Jour" typically requires an article in French where English might omit it. For example, "day and night" becomes "jour et nuit" (without articles in this fixed expression), but "the day is beautiful" requires "le jour est beau."
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Gender confusion: English speakers often mistakenly use "la jour" instead of "le jour" because many French words ending in -our are feminine. Remember: "jour" is masculine. -
Jour vs. Journée: English has only "day," but French distinguishes between "jour" (countable unit, masculine) and "journée" (duration/quality of day, feminine). Use "jour" for counting: "trois jours" (three days). Use "journée" for duration: "toute la journée" (all day long). -
Preposition errors: "In the day" is "dans la journée" or "pendant le jour," not "dans le jour." "On that day" is "ce jour-là," not "sur ce jour." -
Article omission: Unlike English, French usually requires articles with "jour." "Every day" is "tous les jours," not "tous jours."
English "day" covers all uses, while French splits the concept between "jour" and "journée." Think of "jour" as the calendar unit and "journée" as the experiential time period. English "good day" becomes "bonjour" (one word) in French. The expression "day by day" translates to "jour après jour" or "au jour le jour," showing different prepositional patterns.
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Identifying when to use "jour": Count days? Use "jour." Describe what happens during a day? Consider "journée." -
Making it plural: Add -s to make "jours." The pronunciation doesn't change. -
Adding adjectives: Adjectives typically follow "jour" unless they're very common (beau, grand, petit): "un beau jour" (a beautiful day) but "un jour spécial" (a special day). -
Common expressions memorization: Learn fixed expressions as units: "jour de congé" (day off), "jour férié" (public holiday), "jour ouvrable" (working day).
Declension pattern: Singular: le jour, un jour, ce jour, mon jour Plural: les jours, des jours, ces jours, mes jours
With prepositions: de jour (by day) du jour (of the day) au jour (to the day) par jour (per day) pour un jour (for a day)
In compounds: aujourd'hui (today) - literally "on the day of today" toujours (always) - literally "all days" bonjour (hello) - literally "good day"
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The concept of "jour" in French culture extends beyond mere timekeeping. The French greeting "bonjour" (literally "good day") is used throughout the day until evening, unlike the time-specific English "good morning" or "good afternoon." This reflects a more unified view of the daylight hours in French culture.
The French distinction between "jour" and "journée" reveals a cultural attention to the quality and experience of time, not just its measurement. When a French speaker asks "Comment s'est passée ta journée?" (How was your day?), they're inquiring about your experiences, not just acknowledging that a day has passed.
French has many day-related expressions that don't translate directly to English. "Au jour le jour" (day by day) suggests living without long-term planning, while "voir le jour" (to see the day) means to be born. These expressions show how "jour" is woven into French philosophical and poetic thinking.
The French workday concept differs from anglophone countries. The "journée continue" (continuous day) means working through lunch with an earlier finish, while traditional French businesses often close for a long lunch. Understanding these cultural uses of "jour" helps learners navigate French society beyond mere vocabulary.
Religious and historical days using "jour" remain important in French culture: "le jour des Rois" (Epiphany), "le jour des morts" (Day of the Dead), and "le jour J" (D-Day) all carry cultural weight that extends beyond their literal translations.
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"J'ai ainsi vécu seul, sans personne avec qui parler véritablement, jusqu'à une panne dans le désert du Sahara, il y a six ans. Quelque chose s'était cassé dans mon moteur. Et comme je n'avais avec moi ni mécanicien, ni passagers, je me préparai à essayer de réussir, tout seul, une réparation difficile. C'était pour moi une question de vie ou de mort. J'avais à peine de l'eau à boire pour huit jours."
J' I avais had à to peine hardly de of l' the eau water à to boire drink pour for huit eight jours days
This excerpt uses "jours" in a survival context, showing how the narrator has only eight days' worth of water in the Sahara desert. The construction "pour huit jours" demonstrates how French expresses duration differently from English.
"J'avais à peine de l'eau à boire pour huit jours."
I had barely enough water to drink for eight days.
"J'avais à peine de l'eau à boire pour huit jours."
In this passage from "Le Petit Prince," Saint-Exupéry uses "huit jours" (eight days) to create dramatic tension. The counting of days here isn't merely temporal but existential - each day represents diminishing chances of survival. The preposition "pour" (for) with "jours" indicates duration and limitation simultaneously.
The phrase structure "de l'eau à boire pour huit jours" shows how French expresses "eight days' worth of water" differently from English. The infinitive "à boire" (to drink) modifies "l'eau" (water), while "pour huit jours" specifies the duration. This construction is typical in French survival contexts.
Note how "jours" appears without an article after "pour" when expressing duration. This is a special case where French mirrors English in omitting the article, unlike the usual requirement for articles with "jour." The stark simplicity of "huit jours" emphasizes the precise, countable nature of the narrator's predicament.
The author's choice of "jour" rather than "journée" here is significant - he's counting units of survival, not describing the quality of those days. This grammatical choice reinforces the mechanical, desperate nature of rationing water in the desert.
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96.16 Premier First jour day à in Paris Paris : : nous we avons have visité visited la the Tour Tower Eiffel Eiffel
96.17 Le The deuxième second jour day fut was consacré devoted au to-the Louvre Louvre
96.18 Chaque Each jour day nous we découvrons discover de of nouveaux new quartiers neighborhoods
96.19 Le The jour day où when nous we sommes are arrivés arrived , , il it pleuvait was-raining
96.20 Après After trois three jours days de of marche walking , , nos our pieds feet sont are fatigués tired
96.21 Un A jour day de of repos rest est is nécessaire necessary
96.22 Le The meilleur best jour day était was celui that-one passé spent à at Versailles Versailles
96.23 Demain Tomorrow sera will-be notre our dernier last jour day ici here
96.24 Pendant During le the jour day nous we explorons explore , , le the soir evening nous we nous ourselves reposons rest
96.25 Cinq Five jours days ne not suffisent suffice pas not pour for tout everything voir see
96.26 Le The jour day se itself termine ends par by un a dîner dinner sur on la the Seine Seine
96.27 Quel What beau beautiful jour day pour for une a promenade walk ! !
96.28 Les The jours days passent pass trop too vite quickly en in vacances vacation
96.29 Ce This jour day restera will-remain gravé engraved dans in ma my mémoire memory
96.30 Le The jour day du of-the départ departure approche approaches tristement sadly
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96.16 Premier jour à Paris : nous avons visité la Tour Eiffel. First day in Paris: we visited the Eiffel Tower.
96.17 Le deuxième jour fut consacré au Louvre. The second day was devoted to the Louvre.
96.18 Chaque jour nous découvrons de nouveaux quartiers. Each day we discover new neighborhoods.
96.19 Le jour où nous sommes arrivés, il pleuvait. The day we arrived, it was raining.
96.20 Après trois jours de marche, nos pieds sont fatigués. After three days of walking, our feet are tired.
96.21 Un jour de repos est nécessaire. A day of rest is necessary.
96.22 Le meilleur jour était celui passé à Versailles. The best day was the one spent at Versailles.
96.23 Demain sera notre dernier jour ici. Tomorrow will be our last day here.
96.24 Pendant le jour nous explorons, le soir nous nous reposons. During the day we explore, in the evening we rest.
96.25 Cinq jours ne suffisent pas pour tout voir. Five days are not enough to see everything.
96.26 Le jour se termine par un dîner sur la Seine. The day ends with a dinner on the Seine.
96.27 Quel beau jour pour une promenade ! What a beautiful day for a walk!
96.28 Les jours passent trop vite en vacances. The days pass too quickly on vacation.
96.29 Ce jour restera gravé dans ma mémoire. This day will remain engraved in my memory.
96.30 Le jour du départ approche tristement. The day of departure approaches sadly.
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96.16 Premier jour à Paris : nous avons visité la Tour Eiffel.
96.17 Le deuxième jour fut consacré au Louvre.
96.18 Chaque jour nous découvrons de nouveaux quartiers.
96.19 Le jour où nous sommes arrivés, il pleuvait.
96.20 Après trois jours de marche, nos pieds sont fatigués.
96.21 Un jour de repos est nécessaire.
96.22 Le meilleur jour était celui passé à Versailles.
96.23 Demain sera notre dernier jour ici.
96.24 Pendant le jour nous explorons, le soir nous nous reposons.
96.25 Cinq jours ne suffisent pas pour tout voir.
96.26 Le jour se termine par un dîner sur la Seine.
96.27 Quel beau jour pour une promenade !
96.28 Les jours passent trop vite en vacances.
96.29 Ce jour restera gravé dans ma mémoire.
96.30 Le jour du départ approche tristement.
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Ordinal Numbers with "jour": In travel diaries, days are often numbered: "premier jour" (first day), "deuxième jour" (second day). Note that "premier" is irregular, while other ordinals follow the pattern of adding -ième to the cardinal number.
"Jour" with Relative Pronouns: The construction "le jour où" (the day when) is common in travel narratives. The relative pronoun "où" is used for time expressions, not "que" as English speakers might expect.
Prepositions with "jour" in Travel Contexts: -
"à" for activities during a day: "jour à Paris" -
"de" for types of days: "jour de repos" (day of rest) -
"pour" for duration: "pour trois jours" (for three days) -
"pendant" for during: "pendant le jour" (during the day)
Counting Days in French: When counting days of travel, use cardinal numbers directly before "jours": "trois jours" (three days), "cinq jours" (five days). No preposition is needed between the number and "jours."
Emotional Expressions with "jour": Travel writing often includes emotional reactions to days: "quel beau jour!" (what a beautiful day!), "jour inoubliable" (unforgettable day), "jour mémorable" (memorable day).
Time Expressions Specific to Travel: -
"jour de départ/d'arrivée" (day of departure/arrival) -
"jour de voyage" (travel day) -
"jour libre" (free day) -
"tous les jours" becomes more significant in travel contexts as daily routines change
Verb Tenses with "jour" in Diaries: Past tenses dominate (passé composé for completed actions, imparfait for descriptions), but future tense appears for planning: "demain sera notre dernier jour" (tomorrow will be our last day).
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute's comprehensive language learning series, designed specifically for autodidacts seeking to master foreign languages through systematic, self-directed study. The method, developed by Evan der Millner BA MA (Cantab. NZ, London), combines traditional philological approaches with modern pedagogical insights.
Since 2006, Evan der Millner has been creating innovative online language learning materials that bridge the gap between academic rigor and practical accessibility. The Latinum Institute's approach emphasizes: -
Interlinear translations that reveal language structure -
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Genre-specific vocabulary for practical application
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