French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Yesterday" in French: hier
hier
Yesterday in French is hier. Hier soir means yesterday evening. Avant-hier is the day before yesterday. Use passé composé often with hier: j'ai vu… hier.
Catching up
Hier j'ai vu un bon film.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce hier
Say it
ee-AIR
/jɛʁ/
Ee-AIR—two beats, soft h silent so it starts with a vowel sound. Soft French r at the end. Link: ee-AIR.
"Yesterday" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| hier | yesterday Default adverb. | Default adverb. |
| hier soir / matin | yesterday evening / morning Add a time of day. | Add a time of day. |
| avant-hier | the day before yesterday Two days back. | Two days back. |
| dès hier | since yesterday Starting from yesterday. | Starting from yesterday. |
How to use hier in real life
- 1Catching up
Hier j'ai vu un bon film.
Yesterday I saw a good film.
Hier + passé composé.
- 2Work talk
Tu étais où hier soir ?
Where were you yesterday evening?
Hier soir chunk.
- 3Two days back
Avant-hier il a plu toute la journée.
The day before yesterday it rained all day.
Avant-hier.
Mistakes English speakers make with hier
Incorrect: Je suis allé yesterday.
Correct: Je suis allé hier.
Use hier.
Incorrect: L'hier était long.
Correct: Hier était long. / La journée d'hier était longue.
Hier is an adverb; do not treat it like a normal noun with l'.
Good to know
News and chats pin events with hier and ce matin. Learners should pair hier with a past tense early—French listeners expect that time anchor with completed actions.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Recapping a weekend market visit
ChatPal
Tu as aimé le marché hier ?
Did you like the market yesterday?
You
Oui. Hier j'ai acheté du fromage.
Yes. Yesterday I bought some cheese.
ChatPal
Moi, hier soir, j'étais trop fatigué.
Me, yesterday evening, I was too tired.
You
Dommage. Hier était super pour moi.
Shame. Yesterday was great for me.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Yesterday" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Yesterday" in French
How do you pronounce hier?
Ee-AIR—the h is silent.
What is avant-hier?
The day before yesterday.
Which tense do I use with hier?
Often passé composé for completed actions: j'ai mangé hier.
What does hier soir mean?
Yesterday evening.
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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