Dernier (or its feminine form, dernière) is the most common way to say “last” in French. But just like in English, "last" can mean many things – from the final item in a series to the previous occurrence of something, or even a sense of being the only one left.\n\nAs you learn French, you'll encounter situations where simply using "dernier" might not quite capture the nuance you're aiming for. Knowing the right word can make your French sound much more natural and precise!\n\nLet's dive into 9 different ways to say "last" in French, covering various contexts and connotations!

The standard 'last' (e.g., last year, the last person) – dernier/dernière

The standard “last” (e.g., last year, the last person) – dernier/dernière

Dernier/dernière is the most common and versatile French adjective for “last”.

Like other French adjectives, dernier/dernière must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You will see it as:dernier - masculine singular (e.g., le dernier train)dernière - feminine singular (e.g., la dernière fois)derniers - masculine plural (e.g., les derniers jours)dernières - feminine plural (e.g., les dernières nouvelles)

The meaning of dernier/dernière changes significantly depending on whether it's placed before or after the noun. This is a crucial distinction for accurate usage and understanding.

When placed before the noun, dernier/dernière means “the final one in a series” or “the ultimate one”. For example, le dernier chapitre (the last chapter, implying there are no more chapters after this one) or sa dernière chance (his/her last chance, meaning the final opportunity).

When placed after the noun, dernier/dernière means “the most recent” or “the preceding one in time”. This usage is very common for time expressions. For instance, l'année dernière (last year, meaning the year that just passed) or la semaine dernière (last week, meaning the week that just ended).

This distinction is particularly important for expressing “last” in time phrases. Remember this key difference:L'année dernière (last year, the one that recently passed) vs. Le dernier jour de l'année (the last day of the year, the final day in its sequence).La semaine dernière (last week, the one that recently passed) vs. Le dernier jour de la semaine (the last day of the week, e.g., Sunday).

Dernier/dernière can also be used in other contexts, often implying sequence or ranking. For example, le dernier rang (the last row) or le dernier verre (the last drink). It can also function as a pronoun: le dernier arrivé (the last one to arrive).

While the placement rule is generally reliable, context will almost always clarify any potential ambiguity. French speakers intuitively understand the intended meaning based on the sentence's overall flow and the situation.

💡 * C'est le dernier épisode de la série. (This is the last episode of the series.)

• J'ai voyagé en France l'année dernière. (I traveled to France last year.)
• Elle a pris le dernier train pour Paris. (She took the last train to Paris.)
• Nous avons mangé dans ce restaurant la semaine dernière. (We ate at this restaurant last week.)
• C'est la dernière personne à qui j'ai parlé. (This is the last person I spoke to.)

The 'final' or 'concluding' (e.g., the final scene, the final outcome) – final/finale

The 'final' or 'concluding' (e.g., the final scene, the final outcome) – final/finale

In French, to express the idea of 'final' or 'concluding,' you will most commonly use the adjective final (masculine singular) or finale (feminine singular).

Like many French adjectives, final/finale must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The masculine plural is finals, and the feminine plural is finales.

This adjective is used to denote the last stage, outcome, or part of a sequence, event, or process. It emphasizes the end or conclusion of something.

You'll frequently encounter it in phrases like la scène finale (the final scene), le résultat final (the final result), la décision finale (the final decision), or l'examen final (the final exam).

While dernier also means 'last,' final/finale specifically implies the absolute end or culmination, often with a sense of definitive closure, whereas dernier can simply mean the most recent or the last in a series that might continue.

💡 * La scène finale du film était très émouvante. (The final scene of the movie was very moving.)

• Quel est le résultat final du match ? (What is the final score of the match?)
• Nous attendons la décision finale du jury. (We are awaiting the jury's final decision.)
• Il a réussi son examen final avec brio. (He brilliantly passed his final exam.)
• C'est la version finale du document. (This is the final version of the document.)

The 'extreme' or 'ultimate' (e.g., the extreme limit, the last resort) – extrême

The French word extrême directly translates to 'extreme' in English and is used in very similar contexts to denote something at the furthest point, of the highest degree, or very intense.

Most commonly, extrême functions as an adjective, agreeing in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It can describe situations, temperatures, opinions, or actions that are far beyond the usual or moderate.

While primarily an adjective, extrême can also be used as a noun, especially in the masculine singular form l'extrême. This often refers to 'the ultimate point,' 'the extreme limit,' or 'the last resort,' particularly in philosophical or critical contexts.

You'll often encounter extrême in common expressions like à l'extrême (to the extreme, to the utmost), en cas d'extrême urgence (in case of extreme emergency), or l'extrême droite/gauche (the extreme right/left in politics).

Like its English counterpart, extrême can carry a connotation of danger, intensity, or a departure from the norm, making it a strong word in both positive and negative contexts.

💡 * Les conditions météorologiques sont extrêmes. (The weather conditions are extreme.)

• Il aime les sports extrêmes. (He likes extreme sports.)
• Ne pousse pas les choses à l'extrême. (Don't push things to the extreme.)
• C'est une solution d'extrême recours. (It's a last resort solution.)
• L'extrême pauvreté est un problème mondial. (Extreme poverty is a global problem.)

The 'most recent' or 'latest' (e.g., the latest model, the most recent discovery) – le plus récent/la plus récente

When you want to express 'the most recent' or 'the latest' in French, you'll use the superlative form le plus récent or la plus récente.

As an adjective, récent (recent) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Thus, you'll use le plus récent for masculine singular nouns, la plus récente for feminine singular, les plus récents for masculine plural, and les plus récentes for feminine plural.

This phrase is commonly used to describe the newest version of something, the most up-to-date information, or the latest event. It emphasizes recency above all other similar items.

💡 * C'est notre modèle le plus récent. (It's our most recent model.)

• C'est la découverte la plus récente. (It's the latest discovery.)
• Quelles sont les nouvelles les plus récentes ? (What's the latest news?)
• Nous avons étudié les événements les plus récents. (We studied the most recent events.)
• Il a acheté la version la plus récente du logiciel. (He bought the latest version of the software.)

The adverbial 'lastly' or 'in the last place' (e.g., lastly, I want to thank you) – en dernier lieu

The adverbial 'lastly' or 'in the last place' – en dernier lieu

En dernier lieu is a French adverbial phrase that translates to 'lastly,' 'finally,' or 'in the last place.' It's used to introduce the final point in a series or to emphasize something as the ultimate consideration.

This phrase tends to be more formal than simpler adverbs like finalement or enfin. It's often encountered in written discourse, official statements, or structured arguments, lending a more considered tone.

It serves to structure arguments or lists, indicating that the point being made is the last one to be discussed or presented. It can also imply a sense of ultimate conclusion or a final resort, highlighting the finality of an action or statement.

Typically, en dernier lieu is placed at the beginning of a clause or sentence to signal the upcoming final statement. However, it can sometimes appear within a sentence, often set off by commas, for added emphasis on the 'last' aspect.

💡 * En dernier lieu, je voudrais vous remercier tous pour votre présence. (Lastly, I would like to thank you all for your presence.)

• Il a été interrogé par la police et, en dernier lieu, il a avoué. (He was questioned by the police and, lastly, he confessed.)
• La décision sera prise par le conseil, et en dernier lieu par le président. (The decision will be made by the council, and lastly by the president.)
• Nous avons examiné les données, analysé les rapports et, en dernier lieu, formulé nos recommandations. (We examined the data, analyzed the reports, and, lastly, formulated our recommendations.)

The 'last one to arrive' (referring to a person or thing that comes last) – le dernier arrivé/la dernière arrivée

The French phrase le dernier arrivé (masculine singular) or la dernière arrivée (feminine singular) literally means 'the last one to arrive.' It refers to the final person or thing in a sequence or event.

This expression is widely used for the final participant in a race, the last guest at a gathering, or the newest model of a product. It highlights their position as the concluding entry, applicable to both people and objects.

It's essential to match dernier/dernière and arrivé/arrivée in gender and number with the subject. For instance, for multiple women, use les dernières arrivées, and for multiple men or mixed groups, les derniers arrivés.

Beyond physical arrival, the phrase can also convey being the 'newest member' or 'latest addition' to a group or collection, subtly implying a sense of being the fresh face or the most recent item.

💡 *Le dernier arrivé paie la tournée! (The last one to arrive buys a round!)
*Elle est toujours la dernière arrivée à nos réunions. (She is always the last one to arrive at our meetings.)
*Ce nouveau smartphone est le dernier arrivé sur le marché. (This new smartphone is the latest arrival on the market.)
*Les dernières arrivées sont les plus performantes. (The latest arrivals (e.g., of cars) are the most powerful.)

The 'latest to date' or 'most current' (emphasizing recency in a series) – le dernier en date/la dernière en date

The phrase le dernier en date (masculine) or la dernière en date (feminine) translates to 'the latest to date' or 'the most current' in English.

This expression is specifically used to highlight the most recent item or event within a series or sequence, implying that it's the newest addition or the most up-to-date version among others.

Like many French adjectives, dernier/dernière must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. Use le dernier en date for masculine nouns and la dernière en date for feminine nouns.

💡 * Le dernier en date projet est le plus ambitieux. (The latest project to date is the most ambitious.)

• C'est la dernière en date de ses inventions. (This is the latest of her inventions to date.)
• Quel est le dernier en date film qu'il a réalisé ? (What is the latest film he directed to date?)
• Nous attendons la dernière en date mise à jour du logiciel. (We are waiting for the latest software update to date.)

The 'last survivor' (specific context of remaining) – le dernier survivant/la dernière survivante

To speak of a 'last survivor' in French, especially in the context of someone who remains after others are gone, you would use le dernier survivant (masculine) or la dernière survivante (feminine).

This phrase emphasizes not just survival, but the idea of being the only one or the final one remaining from a group, event, or generation. It carries a sense of solitude or historical significance.

It's often used in historical narratives, dramatic situations, or when referring to the final member of a species, a family line, or a group that faced a catastrophic event. It implies a unique, often poignant, status.

Remember to match the gender: le dernier survivant for a male survivor and la dernière survivante for a female survivor. The adjective dernier/dernière (last) agrees with the noun survivant/survivante (survivor).

💡 * Il est le dernier survivant de son régiment. (He is the last survivor of his regiment.)

• Elle est la dernière survivante de sa famille après la guerre. (She is the last survivor of her family after the war.)
• Selon l'histoire, il était le dernier survivant du naufrage. (According to history, he was the last survivor of the shipwreck.)
• La dernière survivante de cette espèce rare a été découverte. (The last survivor of this rare species was discovered.)

The idiomatic 'in the end' or 'ultimately' (implies the last consideration) – au bout du compte

The French idiom au bout du compte directly translates to 'at the end of the count,' but it's used to mean 'in the end,' 'ultimately,' or 'when all is said and done.' It signifies the final outcome or the ultimate conclusion after considering various factors.

This phrase is particularly useful when you want to convey that something is the final result or the bottom line after a series of events, decisions, or thoughts. It implies that all aspects have been weighed, and this is the concluding perspective or reality.

While similar to finalement (finally/eventually) or en fin de compte (which is almost interchangeable), au bout du compte often carries a slightly stronger sense of definitive summing up or the ultimate truth of a situation. It's about the final assessment.

💡 *Nous avons essayé plusieurs méthodes, mais au bout du compte, aucune n'a fonctionné. (We tried several methods, but in the end, none worked.)
*Il a beaucoup hésité, mais au bout du compte, il a décidé de partir. (He hesitated a lot, but ultimately, he decided to leave.)
*Le projet a été difficile, mais au bout du compte, ce fut un succès. (The project was difficult, but in the end, it was a success.)
*Au bout du compte, l'argent n'est pas le plus important. (Ultimately, money isn't the most important thing.)
*Après toutes ces discussions, au bout du compte, nous sommes revenus à la case départ. (After all these discussions, in the end, we were back to square one.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “last” in French. But French, being a rich and nuanced language, offers many other expressions for ‘last,’ depending on whether you mean 'final,' 'previous,' 'latest,' 'least,' or 'at last!'

You can also do an online search for “comment dire dernier en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to see if there are local variations.

You might find some interesting synonyms or phrases for ‘last’ on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it, especially with expressions that carry specific nuances.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different, more subtle ways to express 'last' in various situations.

And if you’re looking for ways to express different aspects of 'last,' or delve into related vocabulary, the WordReference entry for dernier is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of a common French saying: Le dernier pas est toujours le plus difficile. (The last step is always the most difficult.)