l'hiver dernier
In French, "last winter" is translated as l'hiver dernier.
Use l'hiver dernier to refer to the winter season that occurred most recently before the present time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the definite article and noun l'hiver (the winter) and the adjective dernier (last/previous).
Which one should you use?
While l'hiver dernier refers to the most recent winter, placing the adjective before the noun as le dernier hiver can imply the final winter in a sequence or the very last winter of a person's life.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective dernier must agree in gender with the masculine noun hiver.
Did you know?
- The word dernier has a surprising ancestor in the Latin word *dēretrānus, which is linked to the concept of 'going back' or 'moving backward'.
- If you are booking a trip and say you want le dernier hiver instead of l'hiver dernier, a French speaker might think you are looking for the very last winter ever recorded in history.
- In French, the word hiver is used as a shorthand for the entire cold season, but it can also specifically refer to the astronomical winter, meaning the phrase l'hiver dernier might refer to a different set of dates depending on whether the speaker is a meteorologist or a layperson.
Examples in context
- Mon chien est mort l'hiver dernier.My dog died last winter.This is useful for expressing when a pet passed away using l'hiver dernier.Tatoeba #7967953 by Aiji, translation #3831745 by CK
- Nous étions à Boston l'hiver dernier.We were in Boston last winter.This sentence shows how to state your location during l'hiver dernier.Tatoeba #6637452 by Aiji, translation #6565038 by CK
- Il y a eu beaucoup de neige l'hiver dernier.There was a lot of snow last winter.This sentence describes weather conditions occurring during l'hiver dernier.Tatoeba #336911 by sysko, translation #19429 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their past travels.
- LucasEst-ce que tu es allée à la montagne l'hiver dernier ?Did you go to the mountains last winter?
- LéaNon, je n'y suis pas allée, Lucas.No, I didn't go there, Lucas.
- LucasMoi, j'ai adoré l'hiver dernier.I loved last winter.
- LéaC'est vrai, c'était une saison magnifique.It's true, it was a magnificent season.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dernier, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
