If you’re learning French, one of the first things you’ll want to know is how to say “today” in French. Whether you’re making plans with friends, talking about your day, or discussing your schedule, knowing how to use this simple word will help you communicate clearly in many situations.
In French, “today” is translated as “aujourd’hui.” It’s a useful word that you can use to describe what is happening right now or what you plan to do during the current day. Knowing how to say “today” and use it correctly can make you feel more confident when speaking French. Let’s dive into how to say “today” and explore some other ways to talk about time in French!
Ways to Say “Today” in French
There are a few different ways to express the idea of “today” in French, depending on the context. Below are some common ways to say “today” in French, along with their meanings, pronunciation, and examples in sentences to help you understand when to use them. Let’s explore these ways!
Aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: This is the most common and standard way to say “today” in French. It’s used in almost all situations when referring to the current day.
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, il fait beau. (Today, the weather is nice.)
- Aujourd’hui, je vais au cinéma. (Today, I’m going to the cinema.)
- Je travaille aujourd’hui. (I am working today.)
En ce jour
Pronunciation: /ɑ̃ sə ʒuʁ/
Meaning: This phrase translates as “on this day” and is more formal. It’s often used in writing, speeches, or when referring to something special that happened today.
In a Sentence:
- En ce jour, nous célébrons notre anniversaire. (On this day, we celebrate our anniversary.)
- En ce jour, l’histoire a été faite. (On this day, history was made.)
- En ce jour, tout semblait parfait. (On this day, everything seemed perfect.)
Aujourd’hui-même
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi mɛm/
Meaning: This expression means “today itself,” and is used when you want to emphasize that something is happening or has happened the same day.
In a Sentence:
- Je l’ai vu aujourd’hui-même. (I saw him today itself.)
- Aujourd’hui-même, j’ai pris une grande décision. (Today itself, I made a big decision.)
- Nous devons terminer aujourd’hui-même. (We need to finish today itself.)
Ce jour-là
Pronunciation: /sə ʒuʁ la/
Meaning: This expression translates to “that day,” but can sometimes refer to today in casual conversation, especially when reminiscing about something that happened recently.
In a Sentence:
- Ce jour-là, il pleuvait toute la journée. (That day, it rained all day.)
- Je me souviens de ce jour-là comme si c’était hier. (I remember that day as if it were yesterday.)
- Ce jour-là, elle a décidé de partir. (That day, she decided to leave.)
Le jour d’aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /lə ʒuʁ d‿oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: This phrase means “the day of today” and is a more formal way to express “today.” It’s often used when speaking in a more detailed or specific context.
In a Sentence:
- Le jour d’aujourd’hui est important pour nous. (The day of today is important to us.)
- Le jour d’aujourd’hui, je suis très occupé. (The day of today, I am very busy.)
- Nous avons un grand événement le jour d’aujourd’hui. (We have a big event on the day of today.)
Aujourd’hui en particulier
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ paʁtikylɛʁ/
Meaning: This expression translates as “today in particular” and is used when you want to highlight something special about the current day.
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui en particulier, j’ai beaucoup de travail. (Today in particular, I have a lot of work.)
- Aujourd’hui en particulier, je suis vraiment fatigué. (Today in particular, I am really tired.)
- Aujourd’hui en particulier, il pleut tout le temps. (Today in particular, it’s raining all the time.)
Aujourd’hui même
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi mɛm/
Meaning: Used to emphasize that something is happening today itself.
In a Sentence: Nous devons terminer aujourd’hui même. (We need to finish today itself.)
Le jour actuel
Pronunciation: /lə ʒuʁ aktyɛl/
Meaning: This means “the current day” or “the day at hand.”
In a Sentence: Le jour actuel est plus beau que prévu. (The current day is nicer than expected.)
Le jour présent
Pronunciation: /lə ʒuʁ pʁezɑ̃/
Meaning: Another way of saying “the present day” or “today.”
In a Sentence: Le jour présent est rempli de surprises. (The present day is full of surprises.)
Aujourd’hui en date
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ dat/
Meaning: This is a more formal way of saying “today’s date.”
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui en date, je n’ai rien à signaler. (As of today’s date, I have nothing to report.)
Aujourd’hui en tout cas
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ tu ka/
Meaning: This phrase means “today, in any case” and is used when expressing certainty about today.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui en tout cas, je ne travaille pas. (Today, in any case, I’m not working.)
Aujourd’hui même en fin de journée
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi mɛm ɑ̃ fɛ̃ də ʒuʁne/
Meaning: Refers to the end of today.
In a Sentence: Nous serons partis aujourd’hui même en fin de journée. (We will leave today itself at the end of the day.)
En ce moment précis
Pronunciation: /ɑ̃ sə mɔmɑ̃ pʁɛsi/
Meaning: “At this exact moment,” often used to emphasize the exact time today.
In a Sentence: En ce moment précis, je suis en réunion. (At this exact moment, I am in a meeting.)
En ce jour précis
Pronunciation: /ɑ̃ sə ʒuʁ pʁɛsi/
Meaning: “On this specific day,” often used for something that happened or is happening today.
In a Sentence: En ce jour précis, nous avons célébré l’anniversaire. (On this specific day, we celebrated the anniversary.)
Ce jour précis
Pronunciation: /sə ʒuʁ pʁɛsi/
Meaning: Similar to the previous, but used more informally.
In a Sentence: Ce jour précis est important pour nous. (This specific day is important to us.)
Aujourd’hui, aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: Used to emphasize “today, today” when the speaker is particularly focused on the day.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, aujourd’hui, je vais commencer mon nouveau projet. (Today, today, I’ll start my new project.)
Le jour courant
Pronunciation: /lə ʒuʁ kuʁɑ̃/
Meaning: Another way of saying “the current day” or “this very day.”
In a Sentence: Le jour courant, je travaille sur des dossiers importants. (On this very day, I am working on important files.)
Le jour de maintenant
Pronunciation: /lə ʒuʁ də mɛ̃tənɑ̃/
Meaning: This translates to “the day of now,” and can refer to the present day.
In a Sentence: Le jour de maintenant, nous avons une réunion de projet. (The day of now, we have a project meeting.)
Aujourd’hui à ce moment précis
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi a sə mɔmɑ̃ pʁɛsi/
Meaning: This phrase emphasizes “today, at this specific moment.”
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, à ce moment précis, je me sens bien. (Today, at this specific moment, I feel good.)
En cette journée
Pronunciation: /ɑ̃ sɛt ʒuʁne/
Meaning: A way of saying “on this day,” used to refer to the day in a formal context.
In a Sentence: En cette journée, nous avons organisé une fête. (On this day, we organized a party.)
Au jour d’aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /o ʒuʁ d‿oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: A formal or old-fashioned way of saying “today.”
In a Sentence: Au jour d’aujourd’hui, la situation est meilleure. (Today, the situation is better.)
Aujourd’hui, en toute vérité
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, ɑ̃ tut veʁite/
Meaning: This means “today, in all truth,” and is used when speaking truthfully or honestly about today.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, en toute vérité, je ne suis pas content. (Today, in all truth, I am not happy.)
Aujourd’hui, sous le soleil
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, su lə sɔlɛj/
Meaning: This means “today, under the sun,” often used when the weather is nice.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, sous le soleil, je vais me promener. (Today, under the sun, I will go for a walk.)
En ce jour particulier
Pronunciation: /ɑ̃ sə ʒuʁ paʁtikylɛʁ/
Meaning: “On this particular day,” used to highlight something special.
In a Sentence: En ce jour particulier, je n’oublierai jamais ce moment. (On this particular day, I will never forget this moment.)
Ce jour-là précisément
Pronunciation: /sə ʒuʁ la pʁɛsizəmɑ̃/
Meaning: “That day precisely,” often used when looking back at an important day.
In a Sentence: Ce jour-là précisément, j’ai rencontré mon meilleur ami. (That day precisely, I met my best friend.)
Aujourd’hui, ce matin
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, sə matɛ̃/
Meaning: “Today, this morning,” used when talking about events in the morning.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, ce matin, il a plu. (Today, this morning, it rained.)
Aujourd’hui, cette après-midi
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, sɛt apʁɛ midi/
Meaning: “Today, this afternoon,” used when talking about events later in the day.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, cette après-midi, je vais au parc. (Today, this afternoon, I’m going to the park.)
Aujourd’hui, la journée
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, la ʒuʁne/
Meaning: Used to refer to the day in a more general sense.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui, la journée a été longue. (Today, the day was long.)
Aujourd’hui en fin de compte
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ fɛ̃ də kɔ̃t/
Meaning: “Today, in the end,” used when concluding about today.
In a Sentence: Aujourd’hui en fin de compte, j’ai réussi mon examen. (Today, in the end, I passed my exam.)
Ce jour-là encore
Pronunciation: /sə ʒuʁ la ɑ̃kɔʁ/
Meaning: “That day again,” often used when something significant happened again today.
In a Sentence: Ce jour-là encore, ils ont eu une dispute. (That day again, they had an argument.)
Other Ways to Say “Today” in French
Here are more ways to express “today” in French, each with its own context. This table will help you understand the meaning, pronunciation, and how to use each phrase in sentences.
| Other ways to say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Le jour présent | /lə ʒuʁ pʁezɑ̃/ | The present day; used in a formal context. | Le jour présent, il y a beaucoup de travail. (The present day, there is a lot of work.) |
| Aujourd’hui même | /oʒuʁdɥi mɛm/ | Emphasizing “today itself.” | Je vais voir le film aujourd’hui même. (I will watch the movie today itself.) |
| Ce jour-là | /sə ʒuʁ la/ | “That day”; used when referring to something that happened. | Ce jour-là, il pleuvait. (That day, it was raining.) |
| Le jour actuel | /lə ʒuʁ aktyɛl/ | The current day. | Le jour actuel est important pour notre travail. (The current day is important for our work.) |
| Aujourd’hui, en particulier | /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ paʁtikylɛʁ/ | Today, in particular. Often used when highlighting something special. | Aujourd’hui, en particulier, je suis libre. (Today, in particular, I am free.) |
| En ce moment précis | /ɑ̃ sə mɔmɑ̃ pʁɛsi/ | “At this exact moment,” focusing on a specific time. | En ce moment précis, je suis occupé. (At this exact moment, I am busy.) |
| En ce jour particulier | /ɑ̃ sə ʒuʁ paʁtikylɛʁ/ | “On this particular day,” often used for emphasis. | En ce jour particulier, j’ai décidé de changer de travail. (On this particular day, I decided to change jobs.) |
| Le jour d’aujourd’hui | /lə ʒuʁ d‿oʒuʁdɥi/ | A more formal version of “today.” | Le jour d’aujourd’hui, les choses ont changé. (The day of today, things have changed.) |
| Ce jour-ci | /sə ʒuʁ si/ | “This day,” used when referring to today. | Ce jour-ci, je vais au marché. (This day, I am going to the market.) |
| Aujourd’hui en date | /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ dat/ | Refers to “today’s date” or the current date. | Aujourd’hui en date, j’ai encore une réunion. (As of today’s date, I have another meeting.) |
| Le jour de maintenant | /lə ʒuʁ də mɛ̃tənɑ̃/ | “The day of now,” referring to the present day. | Le jour de maintenant, je me repose. (The day of now, I am resting.) |
| Aujourd’hui, à ce moment précis | /oʒuʁdɥi a sə mɔmɑ̃ pʁɛsi/ | “Today, at this specific moment.” | Aujourd’hui, à ce moment précis, il est au téléphone. (Today, at this specific moment, he is on the phone.) |
| Aujourd’hui en fin de compte | /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ fɛ̃ də kɔ̃t/ | “Today, in the end,” used when summarizing events. | Aujourd’hui en fin de compte, tout s’est bien passé. (Today, in the end, everything went well.) |
| Aujourd’hui, sous le soleil | /oʒuʁdɥi, su lə sɔlɛj/ | “Today, under the sun,” often used when talking about good weather. | Aujourd’hui, sous le soleil, on va pique-niquer. (Today, under the sun, we will have a picnic.) |
| Aujourd’hui, la journée | /oʒuʁdɥi, la ʒuʁne/ | “The day of today,” used to refer to the day in a general sense. | Aujourd’hui, la journée est assez tranquille. (Today, the day is quite calm.) |
| Aujourd’hui, aujourd’hui | /oʒuʁdɥi, oʒuʁdɥi/ | Repeated for emphasis on the present day. | Aujourd’hui, aujourd’hui, j’ai des plans spéciaux. (Today, today, I have special plans.) |
| Aujourd’hui même en fin de journée | /oʒuʁdɥi mɛm ɑ̃ fɛ̃ də ʒuʁne/ | “Today, even at the end of the day,” used when something is happening later. | Aujourd’hui même en fin de journée, je dois finir le travail. (Today, even at the end of the day, I must finish the work.) |
| En cette journée | /ɑ̃ sɛt ʒuʁne/ | “On this day,” more formal, used in serious contexts. | En cette journée, je réfléchis à mes décisions. (On this day, I reflect on my decisions.) |
| Aujourd’hui, en tout cas | /oʒuʁdɥi ɑ̃ tu ka/ | “Today, in any case,” often used when expressing certainty. | Aujourd’hui, en tout cas, je serai là. (Today, in any case, I will be there.) |
| Aujourd’hui, en toute vérité | /oʒuʁdɥi, ɑ̃ tut veʁite/ | “Today, in all truth,” used when being honest. | Aujourd’hui, en toute vérité, c’est ma dernière journée. (Today, in all truth, it’s my last day.) |
| Aujourd’hui, cette après-midi | /oʒuʁdɥi, sɛt apʁɛ midi/ | “Today, this afternoon,” used to talk about events in the afternoon. | Aujourd’hui, cette après-midi, je vais rencontrer mes amis. (Today, this afternoon, I will meet my friends.) |
| Aujourd’hui, ce matin | /oʒuʁdɥi, sə matɛ̃/ | “Today, this morning,” used when talking about events that happened earlier in the day. | Aujourd’hui, ce matin, j’ai fait du yoga. (Today, this morning, I did yoga.) |
Response to “Today” in French
When someone says “today” in French, there are various responses you can give based on the situation. Whether you are agreeing, commenting, or giving your own thoughts, it’s helpful to know a few common responses. Below are some examples of how you might respond when someone uses the word “today” in French.
Oui, aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /wi, oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: “Yes, today”
In a Sentence:
- Oui, aujourd’hui, je suis libre. (Yes, today, I’m free.)
- Oui, aujourd’hui, il pleut beaucoup. (Yes, today, it’s raining a lot.)
Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée spéciale
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, sɛt yn ʒuʁne spesjal/
Meaning: “Today is a special day.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée spéciale, nous avons un événement important. (Today is a special day, we have an important event.)
- Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée spéciale, j’ai un rendez-vous important. (Today is a special day, I have an important appointment.)
Aujourd’hui, je suis occupé(e)
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, ʒə sɥi okype/
Meaning: “Today, I’m busy.”
In a Sentence:
- Désolé, aujourd’hui, je suis occupé. (Sorry, today, I’m busy.)
- Aujourd’hui, je suis occupé à préparer mes examens. (Today, I’m busy preparing for my exams.)
Non, pas aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /nɔ̃, pa oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: “No, not today.”
In a Sentence:
- Non, pas aujourd’hui, je ne peux pas sortir. (No, not today, I can’t go out.)
- Non, pas aujourd’hui, j’ai trop de travail. (No, not today, I have too much work.)
Aujourd’hui, je vais me détendre
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, ʒə vɛ mədɛtɑ̃dʁ/
Meaning: “Today, I’m going to relax.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, je vais me détendre à la maison. (Today, I’m going to relax at home.)
- Après toute la semaine, aujourd’hui, je vais me détendre. (After the whole week, today, I’m going to relax.)
Je travaille aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /ʒə tʁavɑj oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: “I’m working today.”
In a Sentence:
- Je travaille aujourd’hui, mais je serai libre demain. (I’m working today, but I’ll be free tomorrow.)
- Je travaille aujourd’hui, donc je ne peux pas sortir. (I’m working today, so I can’t go out.)
Aujourd’hui, je vais faire du shopping
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, ʒə vɛ fɛʁ dy ʃɔpiŋ/
Meaning: “Today, I’m going shopping.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, je vais faire du shopping pour acheter des vêtements. (Today, I’m going shopping to buy clothes.)
- Aujourd’hui, je vais faire du shopping avec ma sœur. (Today, I’m going shopping with my sister.)
Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée calme
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, sɛt yn ʒuʁne kɑlm/
Meaning: “Today is a calm day.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée calme, pas de stress. (Today is a calm day, no stress.)
- Aujourd’hui, c’est une journée calme, je peux me reposer. (Today is a calm day, I can relax.)
Ça va bien aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /sa va bjɛ̃ oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: “It’s going well today.”
In a Sentence:
- Ça va bien aujourd’hui, merci pour demander. (It’s going well today, thank you for asking.)
- Ça va bien aujourd’hui, j’ai beaucoup de choses à faire. (It’s going well today, I have a lot to do.)
Aujourd’hui, je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, ʒə nɛ pa boku də tɑ̃/
Meaning: “Today, I don’t have much time.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps pour discuter. (Today, I don’t have much time to chat.)
- Aujourd’hui, je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps, mais je vais essayer de t’appeler. (Today, I don’t have much time, but I’ll try to call you.)
C’est une belle journée aujourd’hui
Pronunciation: /sɛt yn bɛl ʒuʁne oʒuʁdɥi/
Meaning: “It’s a beautiful day today.”
In a Sentence:
- C’est une belle journée aujourd’hui, allons faire une promenade. (It’s a beautiful day today, let’s go for a walk.)
- C’est une belle journée aujourd’hui, je vais profiter du soleil. (It’s a beautiful day today, I’ll enjoy the sunshine.)
Aujourd’hui, tout est possible
Pronunciation: /oʒuʁdɥi, tu ɛ pɔsibl/
Meaning: “Today, anything is possible.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, tout est possible, je peux enfin commencer mon projet. (Today, anything is possible, I can finally start my project.)
- Aujourd’hui, tout est possible, j’ai un plan génial! (Today, anything is possible, I have a great plan!)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Today” in French
Now, let’s practice using the different ways to say “today” in French! Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises. For each sentence, fill in the blank with the correct form of “today” based on the options we’ve discussed. Afterward, you can check the answers and see how well you did!
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences in French
- __________, j’ai une réunion importante.
(Today, I have an important meeting.) - __________, il pleut toute la journée.
(Today, it’s raining all day.) - __________, je vais me reposer après une longue semaine.
(Today, I’m going to relax after a long week.) - __________, je suis très occupé.
(Today, I’m very busy.) - __________, je vais à l’école.
(Today, I’m going to school.) - __________, je vais faire du shopping avec mes amis.
(Today, I’m going shopping with my friends.) - __________, c’est une belle journée.
(Today, it’s a beautiful day.) - __________, j’ai un examen important.
(Today, I have an important exam.) - __________, tout est calme.
(Today, everything is calm.) - __________, je vais à la bibliothèque pour étudier.
(Today, I’m going to the library to study.) - __________, je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps.
(Today, I don’t have much time.) - __________, je vais voir mes grands-parents.
(Today, I’m going to see my grandparents.)
Answers
- Aujourd’hui
(Today, I have an important meeting.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, it’s raining all day.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m going to relax after a long week.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m very busy.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m going to school.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m going shopping with my friends.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, it’s a beautiful day.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I have an important exam.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, everything is calm.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m going to the library to study.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I don’t have much time.) - Aujourd’hui
(Today, I’m going to see my grandparents.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “today” in French and understanding the different ways to use it can greatly enhance your ability to communicate in everyday situations. From the basic expression “aujourd’hui” to more specific phrases like “aujourd’hui-même” or “en ce jour particulier,” you now have a variety of options to describe the present day in French.
By practicing these phrases and responses, you can sound more natural and confident when speaking with native speakers. Remember, whether you’re talking about plans, discussing the weather, or simply reflecting on how your day is going, knowing how to talk about today is a key part of mastering the language.
Keep practicing and don’t hesitate to use these phrases in your daily conversations. The more you use them, the easier it will become to incorporate them into your speech. Happy learning!