Jadis or autrefois: two ways to say “in the past” in French
Compare autrefois with the more literary jadis. Read a family memory, learn four pictured childhood objects and choose the right past-time expression.
In short
Autrefois means “in the past” or “in the old days” and suits a description of how things used to be. Jadis means “long ago” or “once” and gives the sentence a more literary feel. Use a date or a life period when you need to say exactly when.
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What is the difference between jadis and autrefois?
autrefoisin the past; in the old days
Focus: a past situation compared with the present
autrefois + a past situation
Autrefois, ma grand-mère habitait ici. Maintenant, elle vit près de chez nous.
My grandmother used to live here. Now she lives near us.
jadislong ago; once
Focus: an earlier time presented in a literary voice
jadis + a past situation
Jadis, cette maison résonnait de rires.
Long ago, this house rang with laughter.
Both words can introduce the same memory: Autrefois, nous jouions ensemble and Jadis, nous jouions ensemble. The second sounds more like a narrated recollection. Neither gives you a calendar date. For an ordinary recent event, name it directly: L’an dernier, nous avons passé une semaine ensemble.
Four objects in a childhood memory
Find:
An ordinary memory and a story opening
- Léa
C’est toi sur la photo, avec le vélo rouge ?
Is that you in the photo, with the red bicycle?
- Grand-mère
Oui. Autrefois, quand j’étais petite, je passais tous mes étés ici.
Yes. In the old days, when I was little, I spent all my summers here.
- Léa
Et maintenant, c’est moi qui joue dans ce jardin !
And now I’m the one who plays in this garden!
Jadis, une petite fille parcourait les chemins sur un vélo rouge.
Long ago, a little girl rode along the paths on a red bicycle.
The same bicycle becomes the opening image of a story. Jadis suits that narrative voice.
| Your meaning | French expression | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A broad earlier period | autrefois | Autrefois, nous habitions ensemble. |
| A literary look back | jadis | Jadis, nous habitions ensemble. |
| A named life period | quand j’étais enfant | Quand j’étais enfant, nous habitions ensemble. |
| A specific recent year | l’an dernier | L’an dernier, nous habitions ensemble. |