French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Day" in French: jour
le jour
Note: whole day: la journée
Day in French is le jour, masculine, said ZHOOR. Un jour means one day or someday. Tous les jours means every day. La journée focuses on the stretch of the day as you live it.
Making plans
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How to pronounce jour
Say it
ZHOOR
/ʒuʁ/
Jour is one syllable: ZHOOR. The j is soft like measure. The final r is a light French r. Do not pronounce an English "day" vowel.
"Day" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le jour | the day Calendar day, daylight, or "day" in general. | Calendar day, daylight, or "day" in general. |
| un jour | one day / someday Storytelling or future hope. | Storytelling or future hope. |
| tous les jours | every day Habit or routine. | Habit or routine. |
| de jour | by day / daytime As opposed to de nuit. | As opposed to de nuit. |
| bonjour | hello / good day Built on bon + jour. | Built on bon + jour. |
How to use jour in real life
- 1Making plans
On se voit quel jour la semaine prochaine ?
Which day next week shall we meet?
Quel jour asks for the weekday or date.
- 2Talking about habits
Je cours tous les jours avant le travail.
I run every day before work.
Tous les jours is the everyday habit phrase.
- 3Storytelling
Un jour, j'ai raté mon train.
One day, I missed my train.
Un jour opens an anecdote.
Mistakes English speakers make with jour
Incorrect: Bonne jour !
Correct: Bonne journée ! / Bonjour !
As a goodbye wish say bonne journée. Bonjour is the greeting; jour alone does not take bonne that way.
Incorrect: Il y a trois jours jours.
Correct: Il y a trois jours.
Do not double jours. Il y a trois jours means three days ago.
Good to know
French often contrasts jour (the unit or daylight) with journée (the lived day: bonne journée). Shop staff wish you bonne journée when you leave; bonjour greets you on the way in.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking a weekday for coffee
ChatPal
Tu es libre quel jour ?
Which day are you free?
You
Jeudi, c'est le seul jour calme pour moi.
Thursday is the only quiet day for me.
ChatPal
Parfait. On fixe ce jour-là à dix heures.
Perfect. Let's set that day for ten o'clock.
You
Ça marche. À jeudi !
Works for me. See you Thursday!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Day" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Day" in French
What is the difference between jour and journée?
Jour is the day as a unit or daylight. Journée is the day as you experience it. Bonne journée is the usual "have a nice day".
How do I say every day?
Tous les jours. You will also hear chaque jour.
How do I say three days ago?
Il y a trois jours.
Does bonjour use jour?
Yes: bon + jour. It is the standard hello through much of the day.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
