Using prepositions with celebration days, like Christmas

Aurélie Drouard
2019-01-18
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Look at these examples:

À Noël, on mange toujours trop!At Christmas, we always eat too much.

Je t'ai vu le jour de Noël.I saw you on Christmas Day.

À Pâques, les enfants vont à la chasse aux oeufs.At Easter, the children go egg hunting.

À Hanoucca, on allume des bougies.At Hanukkah, we light candles.

Note that:

- when talking about the celebration in a general context (at Christmas), you use the preposition à + [célébration];

- when you're talking about the very day of the celebration (on Christmas Day), you use le jour de + [célébration].

Case of Eid = l'Aïd

À l'Aïd, on prie et on va à la mosquée.At Eid, we pray and go to the mosque.


Je vais chez mes parents le jour de l'Aïd.I'm going to my parents' on Eid day.
As Aïd starts with a vowel, we use à l' or le jour de l', in order to ease the pronunciation.  

Also see Using prepositions with name days, like Saint Valentine's Day

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Examples and resources

À Hanoucca, on allume des bougies.At Hanukkah, we light candles.
À Pâques, les enfants vont à la chasse aux oeufs.At Easter, the children go egg hunting.
Le jour de Pâques, nous faisons un grand repas familial.On Easter Day, we have a big family meal.
Je t'ai vu le jour de Noël.I saw you on Christmas Day.
Je vais chez mes parents le jour de l'Aïd.I'm going to my parents' on Eid day.
À Noël, on mange toujours trop!At Christmas, we always eat too much.
À l'Aïd, on prie et on va à la mosquée.At Eid, we pray and go to the mosque.
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