French word

dès

Pronunciation

IPA/dɛ/

Meaning

  • prepositionas early as ___

Example

Je pars dès lundi.

I am leaving as early as Monday.

Illustration for dès (as early as ___)

More examples

Vous pouvez m'appeler dès demain.

You can call me starting tomorrow.

Core concept

A precise starting point that immediately opens the time or state that follows.

Common phrases

  • dès maintenant

    starting now

  • dès demain

    starting tomorrow

  • dès lundi

    starting Monday

  • dès le début

    from the beginning

Similar words

depuis: Continuing from a past starting point until now or another stated time.
à partir de: Beginning at a specified time or place and proceeding from that point.

Definition in French

Marque le point de départ immédiat d'une action ou d'un état, employée pour dire qu'une chose vaut ou commence à partir d'un moment précis.

Word origin

French dès comes from Old French des, which continues Latin de ex, meaning 'from out of'; the accent was added later in French spelling.

Usage tips

  • Dès que introduces a clause meaning 'as soon as', with que followed by a subject and verb.

Other meanings

  • from ___ onwardpreposition
  • from the startpreposition

Opposites

  • jusqu'àuntilpreposition
  • avantbeforepreposition

Word lists with this word