Aujourd'hui is the most common and straightforward way to say “today” in French. But did you know there are several other nuances and expressions you can use to convey the same idea?

Whether you're planning your day, discussing current events, or simply talking about what's happening right now, having a variety of options can make your French sound more natural and sophisticated.

Let’s dive into 9 different ways to say “today” (and similar concepts) in French, enriching your vocabulary and making your conversations more dynamic!

The standard and most common 'today' – aujourd'hui

Aujourd'hui is the most common and standard French word for 'today'. It's an essential word for daily conversation and indicating the present time.

Interestingly, aujourd'hui is a compound word. It literally means 'to the day of now', combining au (to the), jour (day), and d'hui (an archaic form of 'of now'). This makes it a unique and historically rich term.

As an adverb, aujourd'hui is invariable, meaning it doesn't change its form based on gender or number. This makes it relatively straightforward to use once you know its meaning.

Its primary function is to refer to the current day. Whether you're talking about plans, events, or simply stating the date, aujourd'hui is your go-to word.

Beyond just the literal 'this day', aujourd'hui can also be used to mean 'nowadays' or 'these days', referring to the current era or period. This adds a layer of nuance to its usage.

Generally, aujourd'hui is placed after the verb in a simple sentence or at the beginning/end for emphasis. For example, Je travaille aujourd'hui (I work today) or Aujourd'hui, il fait beau (Today, the weather is nice).

You might also encounter it in expressions like à partir d'aujourd'hui (from today onwards) or le journal d'aujourd'hui (today's newspaper).

💡 Que fais-tu aujourd'hui ? (What are you doing today?)
Aujourd'hui, je vais au marché. (Today, I'm going to the market.)
Le monde d'aujourd'hui est très différent. (The world today is very different.)
À partir d'aujourd'hui, je commence un nouveau régime. (From today onwards, I'm starting a new diet.)
Je n'ai pas le temps aujourd'hui. (I don't have time today.)

The more formal 'this day' – ce jour

While aujourd'hui is the everyday word for 'today' in French, ce jour also translates to 'this day' but carries a distinctly more formal or literary tone.

You'll most commonly encounter ce jour in official documents, legal texts, administrative announcements, or elevated literary contexts. It imparts a sense of gravity or importance to the day being referred to.

It's often used when referring to a specific, significant day, perhaps in a historical context or for an event of considerable importance, rather than simply the current calendar day.

Phrases like en ce jour ('on this day') or dès ce jour ('from this day forward') highlight its formal register and are often used to mark the beginning of a new period or declaration.

In casual, everyday conversation, using ce jour instead of aujourd'hui would sound overly dramatic, old-fashioned, or even a bit pompous. Stick to aujourd'hui for regular 'today'.

💡 *En ce jour solennel, nous célébrons la paix. (On this solemn day, we celebrate peace.)
*Le contrat a été signé en ce jour. (The contract was signed on this day.)
*Dès ce jour, de nouvelles règles s'appliqueront. (From this day forward, new rules will apply.)
*Nous nous souviendrons de ce jour pour toujours. (We will remember this day forever.)

The literary 'on this day' – en ce jour

For those delving into French literature, historical texts, or even formal news reports, you might encounter the phrase en ce jour.

Literally translating to "on this day," en ce jour serves to mark a specific, often significant, day within a narrative or historical account.

Unlike the more common and conversational aujourd'hui (today), en ce jour carries a distinctly formal or literary tone. It's less about the current calendar day and more about 'this particular day' in a historical or narrative sense.

Its usage often imbues the day with a sense of gravity, solemnity, or historical importance, making it a stylistic choice rather than a simple statement of time.

You'll most frequently find en ce jour in written works, speeches, or formal pronouncements, especially when recounting past events or marking anniversaries.

💡 * En ce jour mémorable, la paix fut signée. (On this memorable day, peace was signed.)

C'est en ce jour que l'empereur a abdiqué. (It was on this day that the emperor abdicated.)

Nous célébrons, en ce jour, l'anniversaire de notre fondation. (We celebrate, on this day, the anniversary of our foundation.)

En ce jour de deuil, nos pensées vont aux victimes. (On this day of mourning, our thoughts go to the victims.)

Specifying a part of today – ce matin/cet après-midi/ce soir

To specify a particular part of today in French, you use ce matin (this morning), cet après-midi (this afternoon), and ce soir (this evening/tonight). These expressions are crucial for indicating actions or events happening on the current day.

These are fixed expressions. Ce and cet act as demonstrative adjectives, meaning 'this' or 'that'. They are always used in their singular form and directly precede the time of day without an additional article (e.g., not le ce matin). Note that cet is used before après-midi because après-midi starts with a vowel sound, following the rule for masculine nouns.

It's important to distinguish these from le matin, l'après-midi, and le soir. The latter refer to mornings, afternoons, and evenings in a general sense or as a habitual occurrence (e.g., Je travaille le matin - I work in the mornings). Ce matin specifically means this morning (of today), cet après-midi means this afternoon, and ce soir means this evening/tonight.

💡 * J'ai un rendez-vous ce matin. (I have an appointment this morning.)

Elle travaille cet après-midi. (She is working this afternoon.)

Nous allons au cinéma ce soir. (We are going to the cinema tonight.)

Qu'est-ce que tu fais ce matin ? (What are you doing this morning?)

Ils ont étudié cet après-midi. (They studied this afternoon.)

Referring to the current moment or period – actuellement

Referring to the current moment or period – actuellement

Actuellement is a French adverb that translates to 'currently,' 'at present,' or 'right now.' It refers specifically to the present time, indicating something happening at this very moment or period.

A common and significant mistake for English speakers is to confuse actuellement with the English word 'actually.' They are false friends! While they look similar, their meanings are entirely different, leading to frequent misunderstandings.

If you want to say 'actually' in French, you would typically use phrases like en fait (in fact), à vrai dire (to tell the truth), or effectivement (indeed, effectively), depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Always remember that actuellement is about time – specifically the present moment. Think of it as answering 'When?' (now) rather than 'Is it true?' or 'In reality?'

💡 * Actuellement, je travaille sur un nouveau projet. (Currently, I'm working on a new project.)

Que fais-tu actuellement ? (What are you doing at present?)

Actuellement, le magasin est fermé. (Currently, the store is closed.)

Nous habitons actuellement à Paris. (We currently live in Paris.)

The immediate 'now' – maintenant

The French word for 'now' is maintenant. It's a fundamental adverb used to indicate the present moment or immediate future.

Most commonly, maintenant directly translates to 'now' and is used to refer to the current time. It answers the question 'When?' with 'at this moment'.

Beyond just 'now,' maintenant can also convey a sense of immediacy, urgency, or a new starting point, similar to 'from now on' or 'right now,' depending on the context and intonation.

While maintenant means 'now,' it's important to distinguish it from tout de suite, which implies 'right away' or 'immediately' with a stronger sense of urgency. Think of maintenant as 'at present' and tout de suite as 'without delay'.

Maintenant typically comes at the beginning or end of a sentence, or sometimes after the verb, just like 'now' in English.

💡 * Je pars maintenant. (I'm leaving now.)

Que fais-tu maintenant ? (What are you doing now?)

Maintenant, nous pouvons commencer. (Now, we can start.)

Il faut le faire maintenant ! (It must be done now!)

Elle habite à Paris maintenant. (She lives in Paris now.)

Referring to 'these days' or 'nowadays' – de nos jours

The French phrase for 'these days' or 'nowadays' is de nos jours.

This idiomatic expression literally means 'of our days' and serves to indicate the current period, often drawing a subtle or explicit contrast with the past.

You'll find de nos jours commonly used when discussing contemporary trends, societal shifts, or modern challenges and conveniences.

💡 * De nos jours, beaucoup de gens travaillent depuis chez eux. (Nowadays, many people work from home.)

Les jeunes, de nos jours, sont très conscients des problèmes environnementaux. (Young people, these days, are very aware of environmental issues.)

Il est plus facile de voyager à l'étranger de nos jours qu'il y a cinquante ans. (It's easier to travel abroad nowadays than fifty years ago.)

De nos jours, la technologie fait partie intégrante de notre quotidien. (These days, technology is an integral part of our daily life.)

Referring to 'during the day' (of today) – dans la journée

To refer to something happening "during the day" but specifically of today, the French expression is dans la journée.

Unlike a general 'during the day' (which might be pendant la journée or en journée), dans la journée explicitly implies the current day. It's used for events or actions expected to occur before the day ends.

This phrase is frequently used when discussing plans, appointments, or events scheduled to occur within the current calendar day. It conveys a sense of immediacy and expectation for today.

It's important to remember that dans la journée is a fixed expression and usually doesn't require further specification of the day, as 'today' is inherently understood from context.

💡 * Je vous rappellerai dans la journée. (I will call you back during the day [today].)

La livraison aura lieu dans la journée. (The delivery will take place during the day [today].)

Pouvez-vous me l'envoyer dans la journée ? (Can you send it to me during the day [today]?)

Nous devrions avoir une réponse dans la journée. (We should have an answer during the day [today].)

Emphasizing 'the very day' (today itself) – le jour même

To emphasize 'the very day,' 'that same day,' or 'today itself' in French, the most common and direct phrase is le jour même. This expression literally translates to 'the day itself,' clearly conveying the idea of immediacy or a specific, already-mentioned day.

Le jour même is used to stress that an event happened on the exact day being discussed or referred to, often implying a quick turnaround or a lack of delay. It adds a layer of emphasis that a simple 'aujourd'hui' (today) or 'ce jour-là' (that day) might not fully capture.

While aujourd'hui simply means 'today,' and ce jour can mean 'this day' or 'that day,' le jour même specifically highlights the sameness or immediacy of the day in question. It's particularly useful when you want to convey that something occurred without any intervening time, or on the exact day it was expected or mentioned.

💡 * Il a reçu la lettre et y a répondu le jour même. (He received the letter and replied to it the very same day.)

La décision a été prise le jour même de la réunion. (The decision was made on the very day of the meeting.)

Elle a appris la nouvelle et est partie le jour même. (She learned the news and left the very same day.)

Nous avons réservé les billets et avons voyagé le jour même. (We booked the tickets and traveled on the very same day.)

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

While aujourd'hui is the most common and universally understood way to say 'today' in French, the language offers a rich tapestry of expressions to convey the present moment or the current day, depending on the context and desired nuance. Some are formal, some poetic, and others simply variations in phrasing.

To delve deeper, you might explore phrases like ce jour (this day), which can sometimes be used more formally or in written contexts, or even regionalisms. An online search for 'expressions pour dire aujourd'hui en français' could reveal interesting historical or literary uses.

When you encounter alternatives, always pay attention to the context. Some expressions might be archaic, highly formal, or specific to certain literary styles. A quick check in a reliable dictionary will help you understand their appropriate usage.

As you immerse yourself in French media — books, films, podcasts, or conversations — keep an ear out for how native speakers refer to 'today.' You'll notice that while aujourd'hui reigns supreme, there are subtle ways to express the immediacy of the present.

For a comprehensive understanding of aujourd'hui and its related temporal expressions, the WordReference entry is an excellent starting point. It often provides detailed usage notes and examples that can clarify subtle differences.

I hope this exploration of 'today' in French has been insightful. Remember, language is dynamic, and even common words can have layers of meaning. As the French proverb says, Chaque jour est un nouveau départ (Every day is a new beginning).

9 ways to say "today" in French