nuit
/nɥi/
nuit is the French word for night.
nuit refers to the period of time from sunset to sunrise when it is dark outside. You may encounter the poetic expression la nuit tombée to describe the moment when nightfall occurs. Additionally, the phrase bonne nuit is used specifically to say goodbye to someone before they go to sleep.
Which one should you use?
nuit refers to the dark period of sleep or the late hours, whereas soir refers to the evening period after work or during sunset.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun nuit is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article la to form la nuit (the night). The plural form is les nuits (the nights).
How do you pronounce it?
/nɥi/
Did you know?
- In French, the term nuit blanche literally translates to 'white night', but it is used to describe a 'sleepless night' or an all-nighter.
- The English word 'nocturnal' comes from the same Latin root, 'nox', that gives us the French nuit.
- If you are invited to a soirée, you are going to an evening party, but if someone mentions a nuit de noces, they are referring specifically to a wedding night.
Examples in context
- Nous profitons du calme du soir.We are enjoying the calm of the night.
- J'ai réservé une nuitée à l'hôtel pour notre escapade à Paris.I booked an overnight stay at the hotel for our trip to Paris.
- Il fait noir pendant la nuit.It is dark during the night.
- La nuit est très calme ici.The night is very calm here.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are finishing dinner late in the evening.
- HugoRegarde, la nuit tombe vite.Look, night is falling quickly.
- ManonOui, il fait très noir dehors.Yes, it is very dark outside.
- HugoOn devrait rentrer pour la nuit.We should go home for the night.
- ManonJe suis d'accord, allons-y.I agree, let's go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
