A Guide to Using Soir and Soirée in French

Idiomatic French Expressions Containing Soir and Soirée

Young woman shaping hands to a heart and pouting mouth in a bar
Westend61 / Getty Images

The French words un soir and une soirée both mean "evening" (we explain the difference here) and are also used in many expressions. Many of the expressions including soir and soirée are idioms — phrases with meanings that can't be derived from a direct translation of the words they use. With this list of expressions using soir and soirée, you can learn how to say frequently used sayings like an evening meal, a night owl, formal wear and more.

Common French Expressions With Soir

à prendre matin midi et soir
to be taken three times a day

au soir de sa vie
to be in the evening of his life

les cours du soir
night classes

être du soir
to be a night owl

Il est arrivé un beau soir.
He turned up one evening.

le repas du soir
evening meal

une robe du soir
evening gown

le soir descend / tombe
evening is closing in

la veille au soir
the previous evening

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ?
Do you want to sleep with me tonight?

Common French Expressions Using Soirée

bonne soirée
have a nice evening

une soirée
party, evening performance

une soirée dansante
dance​

la tenue de soirée
formal wear, evening dress

la tenue de soirée de rigueur
black tie

Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Team, ThoughtCo. "A Guide to Using Soir and Soirée in French." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-soir-and-soiree-1368717. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). A Guide to Using Soir and Soirée in French. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-soir-and-soiree-1368717 Team, ThoughtCo. "A Guide to Using Soir and Soirée in French." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-soir-and-soiree-1368717 (accessed March 28, 2024).