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Using "le" with days of the week + the weekend (French Definite Articles)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-08-07
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Unlike English, the definite article le is used with days of the week + the term weekend in the following 3 cases.

Learn how to use the French definite article "le" with days of the week

- when talking about days of the week in general, such as :

Je déteste le vendredi.I hate Fridays.

Le lundi est mon jour préféré.Monday is my favourite day.

Le weekend est la meilleure partie de la semaine !The weekend is the best part of the week!

- when meaning "on Mondays", as a habit :

Je vais au cinéma le lundi.I go to the cinema on Mondays.

Le vendredi, je joue au tennis.On Fridays, I play tennis.

On aime aller se balader le weekend.We like going for walks at the weekend.

Note that in these cases, the day remains singular in French: le vendredi

- when giving a whole date (day/number/month/[year]), such as :

Michaël a gagné au loto le jeudi douze juin.Michaël won the lottery on Thursday, the twelfth of June.

Le mardi 5 mars, j'ai rencontré Lola.On Tuesday the 5th of March, I met Lola.

Le monde a changé le dimanche 3 septembre 1939.The world changed on Sunday the 3rd of September 1939.

See also Expressing dates in French
 

ATTENTION:

You will NOT use le when talking about weekdays in a specific context (on Monday):

Mercredi, tu iras à l'école.On Wednesday, you will go to school.

Mardi, je vais au théâtre.On Tuesday, I'm going to the theatre.

This rule does not apply to weekend which always needs an article (ce = this)

Ce weekend, on est allés au Futuroscope.This weekend, we went to the Futuroscope.



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Examples and resources

Le weekend est la meilleure partie de la semaine !The weekend is the best part of the week!
Le mardi 5 mars, j'ai rencontré Lola.On Tuesday the 5th of March, I met Lola.
Michaël a gagné au loto le jeudi douze juin.Michaël won the lottery on Thursday, the twelfth of June.
Je vais au cinéma le lundi.I go to the cinema on Mondays.
On aime aller se balader le weekend.We like going for walks at the weekend.
Le lundi est mon jour préféré.Monday is my favourite day.
Le monde a changé le dimanche 3 septembre 1939.The world changed on Sunday the 3rd of September 1939.
Mardi, je vais au théâtre.On Tuesday, I'm going to the theatre.
Le vendredi, je joue au tennis.On Fridays, I play tennis.
Mercredi, tu iras à l'école.On Wednesday, you will go to school.
Le dimanche, j'aime me reposer.On Sundays, I like to rest.
Je déteste le vendredi.I hate Fridays.
Ce weekend, on est allés au Futuroscope.This weekend, we went to the Futuroscope.
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