Beyond hier and demain

ByFast French

Translating “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after” into French

You may already know the French words “hier” (yesterday) and “demain” (tomorrow). French offers several expressions to convey concepts like “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after.” Each has its unique nuances depending on the context.

1. “The day before”

The English phrase “the day before” can be translated as la veille in French. This term is often used in storytelling or reporting events in the past. It implies the day that precedes a specific point in time.

Explanation:

  • La veille comes from the verb veiller, meaning “to stay awake,” but in this context, it refers to “the eve” or “the previous day.”
  • It is used without an article when referring generally to “the day before yesterday” (discussed later).

Examples:

  • Il est arrivé la veille.
    (He arrived the day before.)
  • La veille de son anniversaire, elle était très excitée.
    (The day before her birthday, she was very excited.)

2. “Tomorrow”

The word “tomorrow” is translated as demain in French. It is straightforward and commonly used to refer to the day following today.

Explanation:

  • Demain is an adverb and does not change based on gender or number.
  • It can also be used metaphorically to refer to a near or distant future.

Examples:

  • Nous partons demain matin.
    (We’re leaving tomorrow morning.)
  • Demain est un autre jour.
    (Tomorrow is another day.)

Proverbs and Idioms:

  • À demain!
    (See you tomorrow!)
  • Remettre à demain ce qu’on peut faire aujourd’hui.
    (To put off until tomorrow what one can do today.)

3. “The day after”

The French equivalent of “the day after” is le lendemain. It is frequently used in narratives to refer to the day following a specific event or moment.

Explanation:

  • Le lendemain is a noun that literally translates to “the next day.”
  • It’s often paired with events mentioned in the past or future, providing temporal context.

Examples:

  • Le lendemain de la fête, tout le monde était fatigué.
    (The day after the party, everyone was tired.)
  • Nous avons continué notre voyage le lendemain.
    (We continued our journey the next day.)

Temporal Contexts and Related Expressions

“Yesterday” vs. “The day before”

While “yesterday” translates to hier, the difference between hier and la veille lies in the narrative perspective:

  • Hier refers to the actual calendar day before today.
  • La veille references the day before a past or future event.

Example:

  • Hier, il a neigé. (Yesterday, it snowed.)
  • La veille de Noël, il a neigé. (The day before Christmas, it snowed.)

Other Temporal Expressions

  • “The day after tomorrow” → Après-demain
    Nous partirons après-demain. (We’ll leave the day after tomorrow.)
  • “The day before yesterday” → Avant-hier
    Je l’ai vu avant-hier. (I saw him the day before yesterday.)

Summary Table

English PhraseFrench TranslationNotes
The day beforeLa veilleUsed for past/future narrative contexts
TomorrowDemainGeneral term for the next day
The day afterLe lendemainUsed in storytelling or planned events
The day before yesterdayAvant-hierRefers to two days ago
The day after tomorrowAprès-demainRefers to two days ahead

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • rien que

    ByFast French

    rien que is a fixed French phrase with several common uses. It can mean only, just, nothing but, or if only. The exact meaning depends on the context and sentence structure. 1) meaning “only” or “just” This is the most common use. rien que limits what follows. It often stresses that something is small in…

  • pas vrai ?

    ByFast French

    The French expressions pas vrai and c’est pas vrai are common in everyday speech. They are both used to express surprise, disbelief or doubt. While they literally mean “not true” or “it’s not true,” they are often better translated as “no way,” “really?” or “you’re kidding.” These phrases are informal and frequently heard in spoken…

  • beau comme un camion

    ByFast French

    The literal translation of “beau comme un camion” is “beautiful as a truck.” On the surface, this phrase appears to be an ironic or humorous comparison. After all, trucks are not typically associated with beauty. Instead, they are functional vehicles designed for transporting goods. This expression is used to describe a person, typically a woman,…

  • balader

    ByFast French

    Meaning and Usage The verb “balader” is a versatile French verb that primarily means “to walk” or “to take a stroll,” but it can have several meanings depending on its context and usage. Most commonly, it is used in its reflexive form “se balader,” which means “to go for a walk” or “to wander around.”…

  • Auxiliary verbs

    ByFast French

    French auxiliary verbs, also known as helper verbs, are used alongside main verbs to express tense, mood, or voice. Some of the most common auxiliary verbs in French include aller, vouloir, devoir, savoir, and pouvoir. These verbs modify the meaning of the main verb and are essential for constructing various grammatical structures. Aller (To Go)…

  • en fait, on fête

    ByFast French

    French can be tricky, especially when it comes to homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Two common examples are “en fait” and “on fête.” En fait “En fait” is a very common French phrase that means “in fact” or “actually.” It’s used to clarify or correct a statement,…