When you think of the word 'century' in French, siècle is almost certainly the first word that comes to mind. And for good reason – it's the most direct and common translation. However, French offers a rich tapestry of expressions to talk about this hundred-year span of time. Depending on the context, whether you're discussing a specific historical era, a literary movement, or simply the passage of time, there are more nuanced and elegant ways to express yourself. Ready to sound like you've been poring over French history books? Let's dive into nine ways to say 'century' in French!

1. The standard 'century' – un siècle

The most common and direct way to say 'century' in French is un siècle. It is a masculine noun, so you will always see it used with masculine articles like un or le.

To refer to a specific century, you use the structure le + [ordinal number] + siècle. For example, 'the 20th century' is le vingtième siècle. In writing, it is very common to use Roman numerals, such as le XXe siècle.

Just like in English, un siècle can be used figuratively to mean 'a very long time' or 'ages'. This is a common exaggeration in everyday conversation. For example, 'I've been waiting for ages!' translates to J'attends depuis un siècle !

The word siècle is fundamental for discussing history. You'll often encounter it in names for specific eras, such as le Siècle des Lumières (The Age of Enlightenment) or le Grand Siècle (The Great Century, referring to the 17th century in France).

💡 * Nous vivons au vingt et unième siècle. (We live in the 21st century.)

• La Révolution française a eu lieu au XVIIIe siècle. (The French Revolution took place in the 18th century.)
• Ça fait un siècle que je ne t'ai pas vu ! (I haven't seen you in an age!)
• Ce château a été construit il y a plusieurs siècles. (This castle was built several centuries ago.)

The literal 'one hundred years' – cent ans

The most straightforward meaning of cent ans is its literal one: 'one hundred years'. This is used when discussing a century, a historical period, or the specific age of something or someone.

More commonly in everyday conversation, cent ans is used as a hyperbole to mean 'a very long time' or 'ages'. It’s an exaggeration used for emphasis, similar to how an English speaker might say 'it's been forever' or 'it took a million years'.

You will frequently encounter the phrase 'Ça fait cent ans que...' (It's been a hundred years that...). This structure is a classic way to complain or express longing about something you haven't done or someone you haven't seen in a long time.

Using cent ans figuratively often injects a strong emotional tone into a sentence, such as impatience, frustration, or surprise. Saying you've been waiting for cent ans is a much more dramatic and expressive way to say you've been waiting for a while.

Distinguishing between the literal and figurative meanings is entirely dependent on context. If the conversation is about a historic building, cent ans is likely literal. If your friend is complaining about a slow internet connection, they are definitely exaggerating.

💡 * Ça fait cent ans que je ne t'ai pas vu ! (I haven't seen you in ages!)

• Cette maison de famille a presque cent ans. (This family house is almost one hundred years old.)
• J'ai attendu le médecin pendant ce qui m'a semblé cent ans. (I waited for the doctor for what felt like a hundred years.)
• Il faut cent ans pour qu'il se prépare le matin. (It takes him forever to get ready in the morning.)

The specific 'Great Century' (17th century France) – le Grand Siècle

A specific and culturally significant historical period in France is known as le Grand Siècle, which translates literally to 'the Great Century'.

This term refers specifically to the 17th century in France. It is most strongly associated with the reigns of King Louis XIII and, most famously, his son and successor, King Louis XIV, the 'Sun King' (le Roi-Soleil).

The era is called 'Great' because it marks a time when France achieved political and military dominance in Europe. It was also a golden age for French arts and literature, witnessing the works of iconic figures like playwrights Molière, Racine, and Corneille, and the philosopher Descartes.

The ultimate symbol of le Grand Siècle is the Palace of Versailles. This opulent palace, built under Louis XIV, represented the centralization of absolute monarchical power and the pinnacle of French artistic and architectural achievement during that time.

The dominant artistic and literary movement of le Grand Siècle was French Classicism, which emphasized reason, order, clarity, and harmony, drawing inspiration from the art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome.

💡 * Molière est l'un des plus grands dramaturges du Grand Siècle.

• Le château de Versailles est un symbole architectural du Grand Siècle.
• L'influence de la France en Europe était à son apogée pendant le Grand Siècle.
• On étudie le règne de Louis XIV pour comprendre le Grand Siècle.

1. The 'Century of Enlightenment' (18th century) – le Siècle des Lumières

The 18th century in France is famously known as le Siècle des Lumières, which translates directly to 'the Century of Enlightenment' or 'the Century of Lights'.

In this historical context, 'Lumières' (lights) refers to the illumination brought by reason, knowledge, and critical thinking. The term symbolizes the effort to dispel the 'darkness' of ignorance, superstition, and absolute monarchy.

This period was dominated by influential thinkers known as les philosophes. Key figures like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu championed ideals of liberty, progress, and tolerance, which became the hallmarks of the era.

The ideas that flourished during le Siècle des Lumières had a profound impact, laying the intellectual groundwork for the French Revolution and influencing modern democratic principles worldwide.

💡 * Le Siècle des Lumières est une période clé de l'histoire européenne.

• Les idées des philosophes des Lumières ont changé le monde.
• Voltaire était une figure majeure du Siècle des Lumières.
• On étudie le Siècle des Lumières pour comprendre la Révolution française.

1. The 'turn of the century' – le tournant du siècle

The French expression for “the turn of the century” is a direct and literal translation: le tournant du siècle.

Let's look at the components: le tournant means “the turn” or “the turning point,” derived from the verb tourner (to turn). Du siècle means “of the century.” Combined, the phrase literally translates to “the turning point of the century.”

This phrase is used to describe the transitional years when one century ends and another begins. While it can apply to any century, it most often refers to the period around 1900—the transition from the 19th to the 20th century, an era of significant artistic and industrial change.

If the context isn't clear, you can specify which century you mean. For instance, you could say le tournant du XXe siècle (the turn of the 20th century) to refer to the years around 1900, or le tournant du XXIe siècle for the period around the year 2000.

💡 * L'Art Nouveau était un mouvement artistique populaire au tournant du siècle.

• Mon arrière-grand-père est né au tournant du XXe siècle.
• Le tournant du siècle a été une période de grandes innovations technologiques.
• Cette exposition explore la mode parisienne au tournant du siècle.

1. The 'era' or 'age' – une ère

When you want to talk about a distinct period in history, an 'era' or an 'age', the French word you'll use is une ère. It's a key term for discussing historical, geological, or even personal timelines.

Luckily for English speakers, une ère is a direct cognate of 'era', making it very easy to remember. The most important thing to note is its gender: it's a feminine noun. This means you will always pair it with feminine articles like une or l' (when it precedes a vowel, as in l'ère).

The primary use of une ère is to define significant, long periods in history or geology. You can refer to well-known periods like l'ère chrétienne (the Christian era), l'ère glaciaire (the Ice Age), or l'ère jurassique (the Jurassic era).

Beyond strict historical contexts, une ère is also used figuratively to signify a new beginning or a major shift. The phrase une nouvelle ère (a new era) is commonly used to describe the start of a new chapter in technology, politics, or even someone's personal life.

💡 * La chute du mur de Berlin a marqué la fin d'une ère.

• Nous entrons dans une nouvelle ère de l'intelligence artificielle.
• Les historiens étudient les différentes ères de la civilisation humaine.
• L'ère victorienne est connue pour ses innovations et ses contrastes sociaux.

The formal 'period of one hundred years' – une période de cent ans

The phrase une période de cent ans is the direct and formal way to say 'a period of one hundred years' in French. It is used when you want to be precise about the duration.

While the more common word for 'century' is un siècle, une période de cent ans is often preferred in historical, scientific, or official contexts to emphasize the specific length of time rather than a named century (e.g., the 19th century).

This phrase is grammatically straightforward. Période is a feminine noun, so it takes the article une. The number cent (one hundred) remains invariable in this context and is followed by ans (years).

💡 * Cette étude analyse l'évolution de la ville sur une période de cent ans. (This study analyzes the city's evolution over a period of one hundred years.)

• La dynastie a régné pendant une période de cent ans. (The dynasty reigned for a period of one hundred years.)
• Imaginez tous les changements qui peuvent survenir au cours d'une période de cent ans. (Imagine all the changes that can occur during a period of one hundred years.)

The 'golden age' – un âge d'or

The 'golden age' – un âge d'or

The French expression un âge d'or literally translates to 'a golden age.' It is used to describe a period of great happiness, prosperity, and achievement, much like its English counterpart. This phrase is perfect for adding a touch of historical or cultural elegance to your vocabulary.

You can use un âge d'or to refer to a specific historical era (like the Golden Age of a particular country), a flourishing period in arts and culture (the golden age of cinema), or even a nostalgic, perfect time in a person's life. It evokes a sense of peak performance and idyllic conditions.

A key grammatical point to remember is that the noun âge (age) is masculine. Therefore, the phrase is always un âge d'or (a golden age) or l'âge d'or (the golden age). You will never see it written as une.

💡 * Pour beaucoup, les années 80 furent l'âge d'or de la musique pop.

• L'historien a écrit un livre sur l'âge d'or de l'Empire romain.
• Ma grand-mère considère sa jeunesse comme son âge d'or personnel.
• Le cinéma français a connu son âge d'or dans les années 1960.

1. Understanding 'La Fin du Siècle'

The French phrase la fin du siècle directly translates to 'the end of the century'. In its most basic sense, it can be used to refer to the closing period of any century. For example, you could talk about la fin du 20e siècle to mean 'the end of the 20th century'.

However, the term Fin de Siècle (often capitalized in English and French when used this way) has a much richer, specific meaning. It refers to the end of the 19th century, particularly the 1880s and 1890s in Europe. This period was known for its unique cultural mood.

The Fin de Siècle era is associated with a mood of cynicism, pessimism, and world-weariness, but also with artistic innovation and decadence. It's linked to major artistic movements like Symbolism, Decadence, and Art Nouveau, which rejected realism in favor of subjectivity and spirituality.

Today, when historians or art critics use the term fin de siècle, they are almost always referring to that specific period at the end of the 19th century. It’s a shorthand for the complex cultural shifts that occurred as the world transitioned into the 20th century. It evokes a sense of both decay and rebirth.

💡 * L'art de la fin du siècle était marqué par le symbolisme et la décadence.

• Son roman capture parfaitement l'atmosphère de la fin du siècle à Paris.
• Il y avait un sentiment de pessimisme fin de siècle dans la société avant la guerre.
• Nous avons étudié la littérature française de la fin du siècle.

Are there other ways to say 'century' in French?

Are there other ways to say “century” in French?

Our list features the most common word, siècle. But French, with its deep historical roots, has other ways to refer to periods of a hundred years, especially when giving them a specific cultural or historical character.

You can also do an online search for a specific era, like “le Grand Siècle” (the Great Century, i.e., the 17th century) or “le Siècle des Lumières” (the Century of Enlightenment, i.e., the 18th century) to see how these periods are named.

While siècle is the direct translation, pay attention to context. Words like époque (era) or période (period) are often used to describe historical timespans, and might be more appropriate depending on what you want to say.

Pay attention as you read French history or watch historical films. You'll notice how specific centuries are given unique names that reflect their cultural and political significance, enriching your vocabulary.

If you're looking for more vocabulary related to time and history in French, the Larousse dictionary entry for siècle is an excellent starting point for finding related terms and expressions.

I hope this article has been helpful. Let’s finish with a quote from the great French writer Victor Hugo that puts the concept of a century into perspective: Ce que les siècles ont fait, les siècles peuvent le défaire. (What the centuries have done, the centuries can undo.)