When to use le in front of days of the week?

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

When to use le in front of days of the week?

Bonjour!!

I had these two sentences in a work book and one of them doesn't use le in front of the day of the week, why is that?


Vas- tu au cinema dimanche?

Are you going to the movies on Sunday?


il va à la bibliothéque le samedi

He goes to the library on Saturday. 


Merci

Nicole

Asked 4 years ago
Cary G.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributorCorrect answer

Bonjour Nicole,

You use the day of the week without an article if you are talking about a one-time event. 

Are you going to the library Sunday?  means only this Sunday.

    =   Tu vas à la bibliothèque dimanche?

For something that is repeated each week on a certain day, use the article before the day. 

My grand-daughter goes to chemistry lab on Thursday. (every Thursday.) = 

Ma petite-fille va au laboratoire de chimie le jeudi.

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you I understand now 

John W.C1Kwiziq community member

to make the distinction in English, we make the day of the week into a plural (by adding -S): ie., - on Thursdays. This is commonly used to express 'every Thursday'.  "He goes to the gym on Thursdays" - means he goes regularly on that day.

When to use le in front of days of the week?

Bonjour!!

I had these two sentences in a work book and one of them doesn't use le in front of the day of the week, why is that?


Vas- tu au cinema dimanche?

Are you going to the movies on Sunday?


il va à la bibliothéque le samedi

He goes to the library on Saturday. 


Merci

Nicole

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Let me take a look at that...