French grammar explained
Jour vs Journée in French What’s the difference?
If you are learning French, the difference between jour and journée can be confusing because both words often translate as “day” in English.
Use jour when you count days or talk about a day as a unit of time. Use journée when you talk about the duration, experience, or quality of a day.
When to use “jour” in French
You usually use jour when you are talking about a day as a simple unit of time: one day, two days, three days.
Use “jour” to count days
When the focus is the number of days, French normally uses jour.
I am staying in Paris for three days.
Use jours because you are counting days.
Two days ago.
This is a common time expression with jours.
Use “jour” for a specific day
You also use jour when you talk about a specific day in a sequence or a calendar.
The first day was difficult.
Use jour for a specific day in a sequence.
One day, I will speak French very well.
Use un jour for “one day”.
When to use “journée” in French
You usually use journée when you are talking about the day as a whole period of time, especially the way you experience it.
Use “journée” to describe the experience of a day
When you talk about how a day felt, or what happened during the day, journée is often the natural choice.
I had a good day.
Use journée because you are describing the day as an experience.
The day was long.
Use journée because you are talking about the full experience of the day.
Use “journée” for the whole duration of the day
Expressions like toute la journée focus on the duration of the day.
I worked all day.
Use journée because the focus is the whole duration of the day.
She sleeps during the day.
Use journée because the focus is the period of the day.
Bonjour vs bonne journée
These two expressions are very common, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.
Bonjour
Bonjour means “hello” or “good morning”. You use it when you arrive or start a conversation.
Bonne journée
Bonne journée means “Have a good day”. You use it when you leave or end a conversation.
“Jour” vs “journée”: the simple rule
Counting
Use jour when you count days.
Experience
Use journée when you describe how the day felt.
Duration
Use journée for the whole duration of the day.
Use “jour”
- to count days;
- with numbers;
- for a specific day;
- in expressions like un jour.
Use “journée”
- to describe a day;
- to talk about the whole day;
- to express the experience of a day;
- in expressions like bonne journée.
English speakers often want to use jour every time they see the English word “day”. But in French, journée is often better when you describe the day as an experience.
Less natural
J’ai passé un bon jour.
Natural French
Use journée here because you are talking about the quality and experience of the day.
Complete the sentences with jour, jours, journée, or journées.
- Je reste deux ___ à Lyon.
- J’ai passé une très bonne ___.
- Il y a trois ___, j’ai commencé mon cours.
- Bonne ___ !
- Nous avons travaillé toute la ___.
Answer key
- jours — you are counting days
- journée — you are describing the experience of the day
- jours — time expression with a number
- journée — expression used when leaving: Bonne journée !
- journée — the whole duration of the day
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FAQ
What is the difference between jour and journée in French?
Jour is usually used for a day as a unit of time. Journée is usually used for the duration, experience, or quality of a day.
What is the French word for “day”?
French has two common words for “day”: jour and journée. They can both translate as “day”, but they are used differently.
Do you say bon jour or bonne journée?
Bonjour is used to say “hello” or “good morning”. Bonne journée means “Have a good day” and is used when leaving.
Is journée feminine in French?
Yes. Journée is feminine. You say une journée, la journée, and bonne journée.
Is jour masculine in French?
Yes. Jour is masculine. You say un jour, le jour, and ce jour.
Is journee the same as journée?
Yes. Journee is simply journée written without the accent. The correct French spelling is journée.
