French word

jadis

Pronunciation

IPA/ʒadis/

Meaning

  • adverbformerly

Example

Les rues étaient jadis plus calmes le soir.

The streets were formerly quieter in the evening.

Illustration for jadis (formerly)

More examples

Ma grand-mère chantait jadis dans ce café.

My grandmother used to sing in this café long ago.

Core concept

A clearly marked earlier time, separated from the present by the passage of years.

Similar words

autrefois: Once or formerly, referring to past periods or customs in everyday speech.
avant: Earlier than a particular time, as commonly used in conversation.

Definition in French

Indique qu'un fait ou un état appartenait au passé, souvent employé dans un registre un peu ancien ou littéraire.

Word origin

Jadis comes from Old French ja, from Latin iam meaning "already," combined with an old word related to "days."

Usage tips

  • Jadis is literary or old-fashioned in tone, while autrefois is generally more neutral in everyday French.

Opposites

Word lists with this word