French grammar - Matin and matinée, soir and soirée, jour and journée and an and année

Matin & matinée, soir & soirée, jour & journée and an & année

In French there are two words for 'morning', 'evening', 'day' and 'year' - a masculine form and a feminine form.

We use the masculine forms matin, jour, soir or an when counting or referring to them generically.

-- We already saw the use of the masculine forms to count for durations of time.

-- Additionally with an article le matin, le jour and le soir the masculine forms refer reoccurring or repetitive instances. Likewise with tous les.

-- With adverbs of time like hier soir or demain matin we use the masculine form.

We use the feminine forms matinée, journée, soirée and année to refer one distinct instance or distinct duration.

-- Note that une année is often used in place of un an probably because it is easier to say and hear.

-- The feminine -née forms are sometimes used to emphasize long periods of time.

To say 'every' we use tous les with the masculine form. And to say the complete durations we use toute la with the feminine form.

Often the exact meaning has to be taken from context - especially the tense being used.

Having said all this, there are many set expressions that use these words that just need to be memorized.

Examples:
	L'été dernier, j'ai passé trois jours en Italie. Last summer I spent three days in Italy. Counting for durations
	Je nage chaque matin. I swim every morning. Counting or defining instances or durations
	Nous avons passé tous les soirs à la terrasse du café. We spent every evening at the café terrace. Counting or defining instances or durations
	J'ai eu plein de cadeaux le jour de mon anniversaire. I got lots of presents on my birthday. With passé composé (implying a one-off event), le jour means a 'the day of my birthday'
	Je me couche à onze heures le soir. I go to bed at eleven o'clock at night. With le present (implying an on-going action) and the article le soir means 'every evening'
	Je prends le train le matin. I take the train in the morning. With le present tense and the article le matin means 'every morning'
	Hier, nous avons passé toute la soirée à la terrasse du café. Yesterday we spent the whole evening at the café terrace. A complete duration of a particular evening
	Le soir, je bois un verre avec mes amies. In the evening, I have a drink with my (female) friends. With le present tense and the article le soir means 'every evening'
	La semaine dernière, j'ai passé une matinée à la bibliothèque. Last week, I spent a morning at the library. With passé composé, matinée refers to the duration of a particular morning
	J'ai étudié le passé-composé toute l'année. I studied the past tense all year. With passé composé, année refers to the duration of a particular year
	J'ai travaillé toute la matinée. I worked all morning. With passé composé, matinée refers to the duration of a morning
	Cette soirée s'est très bien passée. This evening went very well. With passé composé and the allusion to soirée meaning 'evening party' it refers to a particular evening
	Les chauves-souris dorment pendant la journée. Bats sleep during the day. With pendant, la journée refers to a span of time
	Pendant son année sabbatique, il a appris à jouer au piano. During his sabbatical year, he learned to play the piano. With pendant, son année refers to a span of time
	Le billet est valable pour une année. The ticket is valid for one year. With pour, une année refers to a span of time
	Pendant la première journée, j'étais en formation. During the first day, I was in training. With pour, la journée refers to a span of time
	Tout était nouveau lors de la première journée de travail. Everything was new on the first day of work. With lors de, la journée refers to a span of time
	Tout est toujours nouveau le premier jour. Everything is always new on the first day. With le present tense le premier jour refers generally to all first days.
	Ils sont fiancés depuis quinze ans. Oui, quinze années - incroyable ! They have been engaged for fifteen years. Yes, fifteen years - unbelievable! -née form for emphasis