French Conversation · Level 107
58 words
French word
aube
Pronunciation
IPA/ob/
Meaning
- feminine noundawn
Example
À l'aube, les oiseaux chantent.
At dawn, the birds sing.
More examples
Le marché ouvre à l'aube.
The market opens at dawn.
Core concept
The first pale light spreading across the sky before sunrise, when the night begins to give way to day.
Common phrases
à l'aube
at dawn
à l'aube du jour
at daybreak
Similar words
matin: The early part of the day from after dawn until before noon.
aurore: The very early morning glow in the sky before the sun rises.
lever du soleil: The moment when the sun appears above the horizon.
Definition in French
Moment où la lumière perce l'obscurité et annonce le début du jour, avant le lever du soleil.
Word origin
Aube comes from Old French aube, from Latin alba, the feminine form of albus meaning 'white', referring to the sky's pale dawn light.
Usage tips
- Aube is feminine, so the basic form is une aube, although the common phrase à l'aube uses l' after the preposition because the noun begins with a vowel.
Opposites
- crépusculedusknoun
- nuitnightnoun