matin
/ma.tɛ̃/
matin is the French word for the early part of the day from sunrise until noon.
Which one should you use?
Use le matin to refer to the specific time of day (the morning), whereas matin alone is typically used in compound phrases or as a noun in specific contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /ma.tɛ̃/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the final 'n' as a hard consonant (like 'mat-in'), but it should be a nasalized vowel /ɛ̃/.
Did you know?
- In France, using the phrase bon matin as a greeting is often considered an anglicism and is rarely used by locals. While it is a common way to say 'good morning' in Quebec, a person in Paris would find it quite unusual.
- The word matin is linked to Matuta, the Roman goddess of the dawn who protected the early hours of the day.
- While matin refers to the time of day, the word matinée refers to the entire duration of the morning, often used to describe an activity that lasts several hours.
Examples in context
- Je vous souhaite une agréable matinée.I wish you a pleasant morning.
- Tôt le matinEarly in the morning
- En fin de matinéeLate morning
- Il fait frais ce matin.It's chilly this morning.
- Je bois mon café chaque matin.I drink my coffee every morning.
- Le ciel est très clair ce matin.The sky is very clear this morning.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are discussing their schedules.
- LucasEs-tu libre demain matin ?Are you free tomorrow morning?
- ManonOui, je n'ai rien de prévu.Yes, I have nothing planned.
- LucasOn peut aller au marché alors.We can go to the market then.
- ManonC'est une bonne idée, Lucas.That is a good idea, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry matin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries matin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
