When you're talking about the past in French, you might automatically think of the word passé. And you'd be right! But French, in all its richness, offers many other ways to refer to things that have already happened. Understanding the subtle differences between words like passé, dernier, and ancien can significantly improve your fluency and make you sound more like a native speaker. Ready to travel back in time and explore the different ways to say 'past' in French? Let's dive in!

1. The standard 'past' – le passé

The most common and direct way to say “the past” in French is simply le passé.

Le passé is a noun that literally translates to “the past.” You use it when you're talking about the past as a concept, a period of time, or someone's history.

It's important to remember that passé in this context is a masculine noun. Therefore, it's always preceded by a masculine article like le (the) or un (a). For example, you would say le passé (the past) or talk about un passé difficile (a difficult past).

While le passé refers to the concept of the past, when you want to talk about actions that happened in the past, you need to use specific verb tenses. The term le passé itself is not a verb tense.

The two most essential past tenses you'll encounter are the passé composé and the imparfait (imperfect). Understanding the difference between them is key to speaking about past events accurately.

As a general rule:

Use the passé composé for specific, completed actions (e.g., J'ai mangé une pomme - I ate an apple).
Use the imparfait for descriptions, habits, or ongoing background actions in the past (e.g., Il faisait beau - The weather was nice).

So, you might use the noun le passé to say, “Il faut oublier le passé” (One must forget the past), while using a past tense like the passé composé to describe what actually happened in the past.

💡 * On ne peut pas changer le passé.

Il a un passé très intéressant.

Elle essaie de tirer des leçons de son passé.

Le passé de cette région est riche en événements.

The 'history' or 'story' – l'histoire

The word l'histoire in French is a classic example of a single term holding two distinct English meanings: 'history' and 'story'.

At its core, l'histoire can refer to the academic study of the past and major world events (history), or it can refer to a narrative, a tale, or an anecdote (story). There is no spelling or gender change between the two meanings.

The key to understanding which meaning is intended lies entirely in the context. French speakers seamlessly distinguish between the two based on the surrounding words and the situation.

When discussing academic subjects, past eras, or the chronicle of a nation or person, l'histoire means 'history'. For instance, un livre d'histoire is a 'history book', not a 'story book'.

When referring to a plot in a film, a bedtime tale, or a personal account of an event, l'histoire means 'story'. A common phrase is raconter une histoire, which means 'to tell a story'.

Certain expressions can also provide clues. C'est toute une histoire ! means 'It's a whole long story!' or 'It's complicated!', clearly indicating the narrative sense of the word.

Don't be intimidated by the dual meaning. With practice, you'll find that the context almost always makes the intended definition clear. Listening and reading are the best ways to master this nuance.

💡 * J'adore les cours sur l'histoire de l'art. (I love classes on art history.)

Peux-tu me lire une histoire avant que je m'endorme ? (Can you read me a story before I fall asleep?)

L'histoire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale est très complexe. (The history of the Second World War is very complex.)

Arrête de raconter des histoires, je ne te crois pas. (Stop telling stories/lies, I don't believe you.)

C'est une belle histoire d'amour. (It's a beautiful love story.)

The 'formerly' or 'in the old days' – autrefois

The French adverb autrefois is the perfect word to express the concepts of 'formerly,' 'in the past,' or 'in the old days.' It evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time that is now gone.

Autrefois specifically points to a past period that is completely finished, often highlighting a contrast between the way things were then and the way they are now. It sets a scene in a bygone era.

This adverb is almost always paired with the French imperfect tense (l'imparfait). This is because the imparfait is used to describe past habits, states of being, or ongoing conditions, which aligns perfectly with the 'how things used to be' meaning of autrefois.

Typically, autrefois is placed at the beginning of a sentence to establish the time frame for the entire thought, much like 'In the past...' in English. It can also be placed at the end for emphasis.

Don't confuse autrefois with avant (before). Avant is more general and often introduces a specific event (e.g., avant son départ - before his departure). Autrefois, on the other hand, stands alone and refers to an undefined, more distant past.

💡 * Autrefois, les gens écrivaient des lettres pour communiquer.

Mon village était très petit autrefois.

Il y avait beaucoup moins de voitures autrefois.

Autrefois, on pouvait laisser sa porte d'entrée ouverte.

The literary 'long ago' – jadis

The literary 'long ago' – jadis

Jadis is a sophisticated French adverb that means 'long ago,' 'formerly,' or 'in days of yore.' It carries a distinctly literary, poetic, and often nostalgic tone, setting it apart from more common temporal adverbs.

You will primarily encounter jadis in literature, historical accounts, and formal writing. In spoken French, it's quite rare and can sound overly formal or archaic. It’s the perfect word for evoking a distant, almost mythical past, contrasting with the more neutral autrefois (in the past).

While not a word for casual conversation, understanding jadis is key to appreciating classic French literature and poetry. Using it correctly in your own formal writing can add a touch of elegance and historical depth.

💡 * Jadis, les chevaliers parcouraient ces terres. (Long ago, knights roamed these lands.)

Cette ville moderne était jadis un petit village de pêcheurs. (This modern city was formerly a small fishing village.)

Il se souvenait des promesses faites jadis. (He remembered the promises made long ago.)

Les contes de fées commencent souvent par l'histoire de ce qui s'est passé jadis. (Fairy tales often begin with the story of what happened in days of yore.)

The 'time gone by' – le temps passé

The phrase le temps passé literally translates to 'the time passed' or 'time gone by.' It's a common and slightly poetic way to refer to the past, often with a sense of nostalgia or reflection.

This expression is used when reminiscing or discussing how things have changed over time. Unlike the more neutral term le passé (the past), le temps passé carries an emotional weight, evoking memories and the feeling of time's passage.

The structure is simple: le temps (the time) is a masculine noun, and passé is the past participle of the verb passer (to pass), used here as an adjective. Since temps is masculine singular, passé remains in its basic form.

You can use le temps passé to add a touch of elegance or contemplation to your French. It’s perfect for storytelling, sharing memories, or writing about personal history.

💡 * On parle souvent du temps passé et de nos souvenirs d'enfance. (We often talk about time gone by and our childhood memories.)

Cette chanson me rappelle le temps passé. (This song reminds me of the past.)

Au temps passé, les choses étaient bien différentes. (In times gone by, things were very different.)

Il est inutile de regretter le temps passé. (It's useless to regret the time that has passed.)

The 'olden times' – l'ancien temps

To talk about 'the olden times' or 'the good old days' in French, the most common and evocative phrase is l'ancien temps.

Literally translating to 'the ancient time,' l'ancien temps refers to a bygone era, often viewed with nostalgia. It’s the French equivalent of saying 'back in the day' and implies a time that was simpler or different from the present. It's less about a specific historical period and more about a collective, often idealized, memory of the past.

This phrase is typically used in set expressions. You'll frequently hear dans l'ancien temps (in the olden times) to describe how things were, or à l'ancien temps to mean 'in the old-fashioned way' or 'like in the old days.'

Using l'ancien temps adds a touch of wistfulness or charm to a sentence. It's perfect for storytelling, especially when reminiscing about family traditions, childhood memories, or how society has changed over the generations.

💡 *Dans l'ancien temps, on écrivait des lettres au lieu d'envoyer des e-mails.
*Ma grand-mère cuisine à l'ancien temps, sans recettes écrites.
*Il regrette la convivialité de l'ancien temps.
*Cette histoire me rappelle l'ancien temps.

The 'memory' or 'recollection' – le souvenir

The French word for a 'memory' or 'recollection' is le souvenir. It refers to a specific memory that you hold in your mind about a past event, person, or feeling.

Le souvenir is a masculine noun. Therefore, you should always use masculine articles like un souvenir (a memory) or le souvenir (the memory). For plural, it becomes les souvenirs.

Be aware that un souvenir also means a 'souvenir' or 'memento'—an object you bring back from a place. Context is key to understanding the meaning. For instance, un souvenir de vacances could be a memory of a vacation or a physical object from that vacation.

💡 * J'ai un très bon souvenir de cette journée. (I have a very good memory of that day.)

Quel est ton plus beau souvenir d'enfance ? (What is your best childhood memory?)

Ce voyage nous a laissé des souvenirs inoubliables. (This trip left us with unforgettable memories.)

Elle a acheté un souvenir de la Tour Eiffel. (She bought a souvenir of the Eiffel Tower.)

The 'lived experience' – le vécu

The 'lived experience' – le vécu

The French noun le vécu translates directly to 'lived experience.' Derived from the past participle of the verb vivre (to live), this term refers to the collection of personal, subjective experiences that shape an individual's life and perspective. It's not just about what happened, but how it was felt and internalized.

Le vécu emphasizes the subjective, emotional reality of one's life over a simple, objective recounting of events. You'll often encounter this term in discussions about psychology, sociology, or personal history, where the focus is on an individual's unique journey and the wisdom gained from it.

When someone shares their vécu, they are offering insight into their personal history and the emotional weight it carries. For instance, saying son vécu est touchant means 'his/her life story is touching,' acknowledging the deep personal experiences behind it.

💡 * Pour comprendre sa poésie, il faut connaître son vécu. (To understand his poetry, you have to know his lived experience.)

Ce documentaire raconte le vécu des soldats pendant la guerre. (This documentary tells the story of the soldiers' lived experience during the war.)

Chacun a un vécu différent qui forge sa personnalité. (Everyone has a different lived experience that forges their personality.)

Son art est le reflet de son vécu. (Her art is a reflection of her lived experience.)

1. Understanding L'Antériorité: Expressing Prior Actions

In French grammar, l'antériorité is the principle of expressing an action that occurs before another action. It's a way to clearly establish a sequence of events. While it sounds complex, it simply means 'priorness' or 'anteriority'. Mastering this concept is key to building more sophisticated sentences that accurately reflect a timeline.

When describing two events in the past, the action that happened first must be in a compound tense to show it is 'anterior' to the second action. The most common tense for this is the plus-que-parfait (pluperfect). This is especially important after the conjunction après que (after), which requires the indicative mood. For example, in the sentence 'After he had finished, he left,' the finishing happened before the leaving.

The same logic applies to future events. To describe an action that will be completed before another future action begins, you use the futur antérieur (future perfect). This tense is frequently used with conjunctions like quand (when), dès que (as soon as), and lorsque (when). It signals that one task must be finished before the next one can happen.

💡 * Après que nous avions mangé, nous avons fait une promenade. (After we had eaten, we took a walk.)

Elle a commencé son nouveau travail après qu'elle avait déménagé à Lyon. (She started her new job after she had moved to Lyon.)

Quand tu auras terminé tes devoirs, tu pourras regarder la télévision. (When you have finished your homework, you will be able to watch television.)

Je t'appellerai dès que j'aurai reçu des nouvelles. (I will call you as soon as I have received news.)

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

Our guide has covered the essential terms like le passé, l'imparfait, and expressions using dernier or d'avant. However, French offers a rich tapestry of words to discuss history, memory, and bygone eras, each with its own subtle meaning.

To dive deeper, try searching online for phrases like “expressions pour parler du passé” (expressions for talking about the past) or “comment parler de ses souvenirs en français” (how to talk about one's memories in French).

You might discover interesting synonyms or related concepts. Before using a new term, always check its definition and observe how it’s used in context. For instance, l'histoire refers to the historical past, while le passé is often more personal.

As you immerse yourself in French media—whether it's historical films, classic literature, or even songs—pay close attention to how native speakers refer to different aspects of the past. This is the best way to grasp the nuances.

For a comprehensive list of related terms and discussions on their usage, the WordReference entry for passé is an excellent resource. You'll find idioms and forum discussions that can clarify tricky distinctions.

I hope this article has clarified how to talk about the past in French. To conclude, here is a fitting quote from the master of memory and the past, Marcel Proust: « Les vrais paradis sont les paradis qu'on a perdus. » (The only true paradise is a paradise that has been lost.)

'9 ways to say "past" in French'