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B1 noun #3,500 am häufigsten 8 Min. Lesezeit

époque

Top 3,500

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At the A1 level, you just need to know that époque means 'time' or 'era' in a general sense. You will most often see it in the phrase à l'époque, which means 'at that time' or 'back then'. Imagine you are looking at an old photo of your grandparents. You could say, 'À l'époque, ils étaient jeunes' (At that time, they were young). It is a feminine word, so you use la or une. You don't need to worry about complex historical definitions yet. Just think of it as a way to talk about the past. It's a very useful word for telling simple stories about your life or your family. Remember the pronunciation: 'ay-pock'. The 'e' at the end is silent. Practice saying 'à l'époque' as one smooth sound. It is much more common in French than the word 'epoch' is in English. In English, 'epoch' sounds very scientific, but in French, époque is used by everyone every day. So, if you want to say 'back in the day,' à l'époque is your best friend.

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At the A2 level, you can start using époque to describe specific periods in a more detailed way. You might use it with adjectives like moderne or ancienne. For example, 'L'époque moderne est intéressante.' You should also recognize the demonstrative form cette époque (this/that time). At this level, you are learning to compare things. You can say 'À cette époque, les voitures étaient lentes' (At that time, cars were slow). This helps you build more complex sentences in the past tense (imparfait). You will also notice that it is often used when talking about fashion or music. 'La musique de cette époque est géniale.' It's important to start distinguishing it from temps. Use époque when you are referring to a specific block of time that has a name or a specific feeling. If you are talking about the weather, you use temps. If you are talking about 'the 90s', you use époque. This distinction will make your French sound much more natural and less like a direct translation from English.

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At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using époque in a variety of contexts, including historical, personal, and societal. You will understand phrases like faire époque, which means to be a milestone or to be revolutionary. For example, 'Ce livre a fait époque.' This shows you understand the word's deeper meaning of significance. You should also be able to use it with more advanced adjectives like révolue (bygone) or charnière (pivotal). 'Nous vivons une époque charnière.' You are now moving beyond just 'the past' and starting to talk about 'the spirit of the times'. You might also encounter d'époque used as an adjective, such as 'un costume d'époque' (a period costume). This is very common in descriptions of films or books. At B1, you are expected to use the correct prepositions consistently. You should almost always use à l'époque or de l'époque. This word becomes a key tool for you to express nostalgia and to analyze how society changes over time. It allows you to group events together under a single thematic umbrella.

At the B2 level, époque is used to engage in more abstract discussions. You might discuss the 'mœurs de l'époque' (customs of the time) or the 'mentalité de l'époque'. You can use the word to critique historical events or current societal trends. You should understand that époque can imply a certain 'vibe' or cultural movement. For instance, in an essay, you might write about how a certain author was 'en avance sur son époque' (ahead of their time). This requires a nuanced understanding of both the word and the historical context. You will also see it used in more formal constructions, such as 'de toute époque' (from all times/throughout history). At this level, you should be able to distinguish between époque, ère, and siècle. While a siècle is strictly 100 years, an époque is defined by its content. You might discuss the 'époque napoléonienne', which doesn't fit neatly into a single century. Your use of the word should reflect an understanding of history as a series of qualitative shifts rather than just a timeline of dates. You are using the word to provide thematic structure to your arguments.

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At the C1 level, your use of époque should be sophisticated and precise. You will encounter it in complex literary texts and philosophical treatises. You might discuss the 'conception de l'époque' in a specific philosophical framework. You should be able to use the word to discuss the 'Zeitgeist' (l'esprit de l'époque) with ease. You'll understand subtle idiomatic uses, such as 'c'est bien de son époque' (that's typical of the times), often used with a hint of irony or social commentary. You can also use it to discuss historiography—how we define and name different eras. For example, you might analyze why a certain period is called 'La Belle Époque' and what that name reveals about our perspective today. Your vocabulary should include related terms like épocal (epochal), though it's rare, to describe events of massive significance. You should be able to navigate the nuances between époque and conjoncture (circumstances/the current situation). Your mastery of the word allows you to place any event or idea within its broader historical and cultural tapestry, showing a high level of cultural literacy.

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At the C2 level, époque is a tool for deep intellectual synthesis. You use it to explore the intersections of history, sociology, and philosophy. You might discuss the 'fin d'une époque' (end of an era) not just as a chronological marker, but as a profound shift in human consciousness or social structure. You can use it in academic writing to define the parameters of your research, arguing for why a certain period should be considered a distinct époque. You are fully aware of the word's etymological roots (the Greek 'epokhe', meaning a pause or a fixed point) and how that informs its modern meaning of a 'bracketed' time. You can use the word to discuss the 'anachronismes' of certain works, where elements from one époque are misplaced in another. Your speech and writing will use the word with perfect rhythmic and contextual placement, whether you are delivering a formal lecture or engaging in high-level debate. You understand that époque is not just a container for events, but a lens through which we interpret human experience. You can manipulate the word to express the most subtle shifts in the 'air du temps'.

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époque in 30 Sekunden

Époque is a feminine noun meaning era, period, or time, used for distinct historical or personal stages.
The most common phrase is 'à l'époque', meaning 'at that time' or 'back then' in English.
It differs from 'temps' (general time) by referring to a specific period with its own unique character.
Commonly used in phrases like 'faire époque' (to be a milestone) and 'film d'époque' (period piece).

The French word époque is a versatile feminine noun that primarily translates to "era," "period," or "time" in English. It is one of those foundational words in French that allows speakers to categorize history, personal nostalgia, and societal shifts. Unlike the general word temps (time), époque refers to a specific, bounded duration characterized by particular qualities, events, or cultural trends. It is the word you use when you want to look back at a distinct chapter of life or history and say, "That was a different world back then."

Historical Context: In a historical sense, it defines large movements. For instance, l'époque de la Renaissance refers to the entire cultural and artistic rebirth in Europe. It suggests a cohesive set of characteristics that define those years.

À cette époque, les gens n'avaient pas encore de téléphones portables.

Personal Nostalgia: On a personal level, it is frequently used to discuss stages of life. You might hear someone say à mon époque (in my time/day) to contrast their youth with the present. It carries a weight of memory and often a touch of sentimentality.

The word also appears in the phrase faire époque, which means to be a landmark or to mark a significant turning point. If a film is so revolutionary that it changes cinema forever, critics might say it fait époque. This highlights the word's connection to significance and lasting impact rather than just chronological passage. Whether discussing the Belle Époque of early 20th-century France or simply your high school years, this word provides the structural frame for your narrative. It is about the 'flavor' of a time, not just the minutes on a clock.

Cette découverte a vraiment fait époque dans le monde de la science.

Modern Usage: In modern conversational French, à l'époque is a standard filler phrase for "back then." It functions similarly to the English "at the time" or "in those days." It is used regardless of whether the speaker is referring to five years ago or fifty years ago.

Using époque correctly requires an understanding of its typical grammatical environments. Most commonly, it follows the preposition à. When you say à l'époque, you are setting a temporal stage for your sentence. It acts as an adverbial phrase of time. For example, "À l'époque, je vivais à Paris" (At the time, I was living in Paris). Here, the word provides the necessary context for the imperfect tense, which is the natural companion of époque when describing ongoing states in the past.

Il était très difficile de voyager à cette époque-là.

The Demonstrative 'Cette': Often, you will see cette époque-là. Adding the suffix -là emphasizes the distance of that period from the present. It creates a clear boundary between 'now' and 'then'.

Another common construction is using époque with a qualifying adjective. You might discuss l'époque contemporaine (the contemporary era) or une époque révolue (a bygone era). The adjective helps define the specific boundaries of the time being discussed. It is also used with the preposition de to indicate possession or association, such as les vêtements de l'époque (the clothes of the time/period). This is essential for talking about fashion, architecture, or social norms.

Nous devons nous adapter aux besoins de notre époque.

Comparing Times: When comparing the past to the present, you might use d'époque as an adjective. A meuble d'époque is a period piece of furniture, implying it is authentic to a specific historical time.

In more formal or literary contexts, époque can be the subject of the sentence to personify a period. "L'époque exigeait de grands sacrifices" (The times demanded great sacrifices). This usage elevates the conversation from personal anecdote to social commentary. In everyday speech, however, sticking to à l'époque will cover 90% of your needs. It is the perfect bridge to start a story about your childhood or a historical event you've studied.

You will encounter époque everywhere in Francophone culture, from dusty history books to the latest Netflix series set in the 80s. It is a staple of documentaries. A narrator might begin, "À cette époque, la France était en pleine mutation..." This sets a serious, informative tone. In museums, you will see labels like "Peinture d'époque," indicating that the work was created during the time it depicts or belongs to a specific movement.

C'était une époque formidable pour la musique rock.

Family Gatherings: Listen to older relatives at a family dinner. They will inevitably use the phrase à mon époque to compare how things were when they were young versus how they are now. "À mon époque, on respectait les professeurs!" (In my day, we respected teachers!).

In news broadcasts and political debates, journalists often refer to notre époque (our time/our era) to discuss current challenges like climate change or technology. It gives a sense of urgency and historical weight to current events. You might also hear it in the context of fashion or interior design. A designer might say, "Je voulais capturer l'esprit de l'époque," meaning they wanted to capture the 'vibe' or spirit of the times (similar to the German Zeitgeist).

Les mœurs de l'époque étaient bien différentes des nôtres.

Cinema and Literature: In literary analysis, you'll hear about le style de l'époque. In cinema, a "film d'époque" is what English speakers call a "period piece" or "costume drama." This is a very common term in French media.

One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is using the word temps when époque is required. While temps is the general word for time, it is often too broad. If you want to say "In the 1920s," saying "Dans le temps des années 20" sounds awkward. Instead, "À l'époque des années 20" is much more natural. Remember: époque is for a defined era with a specific character.

Incorrect: Dans cette temps-là. Correct: À cette époque-là.

Gender Confusion: Many learners mistakenly treat époque as masculine because it doesn't end in a typical feminine suffix like -tion. However, it is strictly feminine. You must say cette époque, une belle époque, and l'époque entière.

Another mistake is the preposition choice. English speakers often want to use "in" (dans) because we say "In that era." In French, while dans cette époque is occasionally found in literature, the standard, idiomatic preposition is almost always à. Saying "Dans l'époque" instead of "À l'époque" is a common marker of a non-native speaker. Furthermore, do not confuse époque with épopée (an epic). While they sound similar, an épopée is a long poem or a grand heroic adventure.

C'est une époque révolue (It is a bygone era).

Overusing the Word: Don't use époque for very short periods like a vacation or a weekend. For those, use période or moment. Époque usually implies a duration long enough to have its own social or personal identity.

French has several words for "time" and "period," and choosing the right one depends on context. The most common alternative is période. While époque often refers to a historical or cultural era, période is more neutral and can be used for any span of time, including scientific or mathematical intervals. For example, "une période d'essai" (a trial period) is never "une époque d'essai."

Époque vs. Ère: An ère (era) is generally much larger than an époque. We speak of the ère chrétienne (Christian era) or the ère glaciaire (Ice Age). It marks a massive geological or chronological division. Époque is more likely to be used for human history and cultural shifts.

Another word is temps. As mentioned, temps is the general concept of time. However, in the plural les temps, it can mean eras, as in "les temps modernes" (modern times). Another subtle alternative is saison. While usually meaning the four seasons, it can figuratively mean a period of life or a 'season' of a show. However, époque remains the most robust choice for a historical or nostalgic period.

Nous vivons une époque de changements rapides.

Moment vs. Époque: A moment is a fleeting point in time. An époque is a collection of moments that share a common identity. You can have a great moment at a party, but that party doesn't constitute an époque unless it's a very long and influential party!

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The original Greek meaning was a 'pause' or 'stoppage'. In astronomy, it refers to the exact moment for which a star's position is calculated. It only later came to mean the entire duration between such points.

Aussprachehilfe

UK /e.pɔk/

US /e.pɔk/

In French, the stress is generally on the last syllable of the word or phrase.

Reimt sich auf

Choc Bloc Troc Roc Stock Coque Loque Phoque

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the final 'e' as 'uh'. It should be silent.
Making the 'é' sound like 'ee' (English 'peek'). It must be 'ay'.
Confusing it with the English pronunciation of 'epoch' (ee-pock).
Nasalizing the 'o' - it should be a clean oral vowel.
Dropping the 'p' sound too much.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

Easy to recognize because of the English cognate 'epoch'.

Schreiben 3/5

Requires remembering it's feminine and using the correct prepositions.

Sprechen 3/5

Pronunciation of 'é' and silent 'e' needs practice.

Hören 2/5

Commonly heard in conversation and media.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

Temps Histoire Passé Année Vie

Als Nächstes lernen

Siècle Ère Mentalité Contexte Nostalgie

Fortgeschritten

Historiographie Anachronisme Épocal Conjoncture Paradigme

Wichtige Grammatik

The Imparfait Tense

À l'époque, nous étions heureux. (Used for descriptions in the past).

Feminine Adjective Agreement

Une longue époque. (Adjectives must be feminine).

Demonstrative Adjectives

Cette époque. (Use 'cette' for feminine singular).

Prepositional Phrases of Time

À l'époque. (Use 'à' for 'at/in' with époque).

Possessive Adjectives with Vowels

Son époque. (Use 'son' instead of 'sa' before a feminine word starting with a vowel).

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Beispiele nach Niveau

À l'époque, j'avais un petit chat.

At the time, I had a little cat.

Uses 'à l'époque' to set the time in the past.

C'était une belle époque.

It was a beautiful time.

Feminine agreement with 'belle'.

À cette époque, nous habitions à Lyon.

At that time, we lived in Lyon.

Demonstrative adjective 'cette' for feminine noun.

Mon grand-père parle souvent de son époque.

My grandfather often talks about his time.

'Son' is used before 'époque' even though it's feminine, because it starts with a vowel.

À l'époque, il n'y avait pas d'Internet.

At the time, there was no Internet.

Standard negative construction with 'il n'y avait pas'.

Quelle était ton époque préférée à l'école ?

What was your favorite time at school?

Interrogative 'Quelle' agrees with feminine 'époque'.

J'aime les films de cette époque.

I like movies from that era.

Preposition 'de' shows association.

À l'époque, tout était moins cher.

At the time, everything was less expensive.

Comparative 'moins... que' (implied).

À cette époque-là, les gens voyageaient en train.

In those days, people traveled by train.

Suffix '-là' adds emphasis to the distance of time.

C'est une époque très différente de la nôtre.

It is a very different era from ours.

Comparison using 'différente de'.

J'adore les vêtements d'époque.

I love vintage/period clothes.

'D'époque' acts as an adjective meaning 'period' or 'vintage'.

À l'époque de mon enfance, nous jouions dehors.

In the time of my childhood, we played outside.

'Époque de' followed by a noun phrase.

Cette époque a marqué l'histoire de France.

This era marked the history of France.

Verb 'marquer' used to show significance.

Les mœurs changeaient beaucoup à cette époque.

Customs were changing a lot at that time.

Imparfait tense for ongoing change.

Il était célèbre à l'époque.

He was famous at the time.

Adverbial use of 'à l'époque'.

On ne peut pas comparer les deux époques.

We cannot compare the two eras.

Plural form 'époques'.

Ce film capture parfaitement l'esprit de l'époque.

This movie perfectly captures the spirit of the time.

Abstract concept 'l'esprit de l'époque'.

À l'époque, personne ne se souciait de l'environnement.

At the time, nobody cared about the environment.

Negative 'personne ne...'.

C'était une époque charnière pour la technologie.

It was a pivotal era for technology.

Adjective 'charnière' meaning pivotal.

Nous devons comprendre le contexte de l'époque.

We must understand the context of the time.

Noun 'contexte' followed by 'de l'époque'.

Cette invention a vraiment fait époque.

This invention truly marked an era.

Idiom 'faire époque' meaning to be a milestone.

À cette époque-là, les mentalités étaient très conservatrices.

Back then, mentalities were very conservative.

Plural noun 'mentalités' with 'époque'.

Elle était très en avance sur son époque.

She was very ahead of her time.

Phrase 'en avance sur son époque'.

C'est une époque que je regrette un peu.

It's a time that I miss a little.

Relative clause starting with 'que'.

L'époque contemporaine est marquée par l'incertitude.

The contemporary era is marked by uncertainty.

Adjective 'contemporaine' in the feminine.

Il faut juger les actions selon les critères de l'époque.

One must judge actions according to the criteria of the time.

Prepositional phrase 'selon les critères de'.

Cette œuvre témoigne des tensions de l'époque.

This work bears witness to the tensions of the era.

Verb 'témoigner de'.

À l'époque, le concept de démocratie était encore fragile.

At the time, the concept of democracy was still fragile.

Abstract noun 'concept' with 'époque'.

C'est la fin d'une époque pour cette entreprise.

It's the end of an era for this company.

Phrase 'la fin d'une époque'.

L'époque exige une nouvelle approche politique.

The times demand a new political approach.

The word 'époque' acts as the subject, personifying the time.

On retrouve souvent des anachronismes dans les films d'époque.

We often find anachronisms in period films.

Noun 'anachronismes' contrasted with 'époque'.

Chaque époque a ses propres défis.

Every era has its own challenges.

Adjective 'Chaque' followed by 'époque'.

L'esprit de l'époque se reflète dans l'architecture urbaine.

The Zeitgeist is reflected in urban architecture.

Reflexive verb 'se refléter'.

Cette théorie était en totale rupture avec son époque.

This theory was in total break with its era.

Phrase 'en rupture avec'.

L'époque est à la déconstruction des grands récits.

The current time is about the deconstruction of grand narratives.

Idiomatic 'L'époque est à...' meaning 'the current trend is...'.

Il a su capter les aspirations profondes de son époque.

He knew how to capture the deep aspirations of his time.

Compound past 'a su' followed by infinitive.

Le roman brosse un portrait fidèle de l'époque victorienne.

The novel paints a faithful portrait of the Victorian era.

Verb 'brosser un portrait' (to paint/sketch a portrait).

La nostalgie de cette époque révolue est omniprésente.

Nostalgia for that bygone era is omnipresent.

Adjective 'révolue' (bygone/past).

L'époque ne se prête guère à l'optimisme béat.

The times hardly lend themselves to blissful optimism.

Negative 'ne... guère' (hardly/scarcely).

Il s'agit d'une œuvre majeure qui a fait époque dans la littérature.

It is a major work that marked a milestone in literature.

Relative clause with 'qui a fait époque'.

L'historicité d'une œuvre dépend de son ancrage dans son époque.

The historicity of a work depends on its anchoring in its era.

Technical term 'ancrage' (anchoring).

Nous assistons à un basculement épocal de paradigme.

We are witnessing an epochal shift in paradigm.

Rare adjective 'épocal' (epochal).

L'époque, dans sa complexité, échappe à toute catégorisation simple.

The era, in its complexity, escapes any simple categorization.

Parenthetical phrase 'dans sa complexité'.

L'auteur interroge la pertinence de nos valeurs à l'aune de l'époque.

The author questions the relevance of our values in light of the era.

Sophisticated phrase 'à l'aune de' (in light of/by the measure of).

L'époque est marquée par une accélération sans précédent du temps social.

The era is marked by an unprecedented acceleration of social time.

Passive voice 'est marquée par'.

L'esthétique de l'époque trahit une certaine angoisse existentielle.

The aesthetics of the time betray a certain existential anxiety.

Verb 'trahir' used in the sense of 'to reveal unconsciously'.

C'est par l'étude des marges que l'on comprend le mieux une époque.

It is through the study of the margins that one best understands an era.

Cleft sentence structure 'C'est... que'.

L'époque se définit autant par ce qu'elle rejette que par ce qu'elle adopte.

The era defines itself as much by what it rejects as by what it adopts.

Comparative 'autant par... que par...'.

Häufige Kollokationen

Une époque révolue

À cette époque-là

L'époque contemporaine

Marquer une époque

Les mœurs de l'époque

Une époque charnière

De toute époque

À l'époque actuelle

Un film d'époque

L'esprit de l'époque

Häufige Phrasen

À l'époque

— Back then or at that time. Used to refer to a previous period being discussed.

À l'époque, on n'avait pas de GPS.

À mon époque

— In my day. Used by older people to compare their youth to the present.

À mon époque, on marchait 5 km pour aller à l'école.

C'est de l'époque

— It's from the period. Used to describe something authentic to a certain time.

Ce meuble est de l'époque Louis XV.

Une belle époque

— A good time. Often used nostalgically.

C'était vraiment une belle époque pour nous.

La fin d'une époque

— The end of an era. Used when a significant period comes to a close.

Son départ marque la fin d'une époque.

D'époque

— Vintage or period-accurate. Acts as an adjective.

Elle porte des bijoux d'époque.

À toute époque

— In any era or throughout history.

La justice est nécessaire à toute époque.

L'époque des Lumières

— The Age of Enlightenment. A specific historical term.

Voltaire était un grand auteur de l'époque des Lumières.

Depuis cette époque

— Since that time. Indicates a starting point in the past.

Rien n'a changé depuis cette époque.

Une époque de crise

— A time of crisis. Describes the character of a period.

Nous traversons une époque de crise.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

époque vs Étape

An 'étape' is a stage in a process (like a trip), while 'époque' is a stage in time.

époque vs Épopée

An 'épopée' is a heroic epic poem or adventure, not a time period.

époque vs Temps

'Temps' is general time; 'époque' is a specific era with a name or character.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"Faire époque"

— To be a landmark or to mark a milestone. Something so important it defines a new era.

Cette invention fera époque.

Standard/Formal

"Être de son époque"

— To be modern or in tune with the current times.

Il faut savoir vivre avec son époque.

Standard

"Être en avance sur son époque"

— To be ahead of one's time. Having ideas too modern for the current era.

Léonard de Vinci était en avance sur son époque.

Standard

"Autre époque, autres mœurs"

— Other times, other customs. Used to explain that standards change over time.

On ne peut pas les juger : autre époque, autres mœurs.

Literary/Proverb

"L'air de l'époque"

— The vibe or trend of the time. Similar to Zeitgeist.

Il a bien senti l'air de l'époque.

Informal/Standard

"Une erreur d'époque"

— An anachronism. Something that doesn't fit the time period.

Cette montre dans un film médiéval est une erreur d'époque.

Standard

"La Belle Époque"

— The 'Beautiful Era'. Specifically refers to the peaceful pre-WWI period in France.

Paris était le centre du monde pendant la Belle Époque.

Historical

"À l'époque des cerises"

— Metaphorically refers to a time of youth, love, or happiness (referencing a famous song).

C'était le bon temps, à l'époque des cerises.

Poetic

"Faire son époque"

— To have had one's time or to be past one's prime (less common).

Ce style a fait son époque.

Informal

"L'époque dorée"

— The golden age. A period of peak success.

L'époque dorée du cinéma muet.

Standard

Leicht verwechselbar

époque vs Ère

Both mean a period of time.

An 'ère' is usually much longer and broader (e.g., the Victorian Era vs. the Cenozoic Era). 'Époque' is more human-scale.

L'ère glaciaire a duré des milliers d'années.

époque vs Période

Both describe a span of time.

'Période' is neutral and can be short or technical. 'Époque' implies a distinct historical or cultural identity.

Une période de vacances.

époque vs Siècle

Both relate to historical time.

A 'siècle' is exactly 100 years. An 'époque' can be any length.

Le 19ème siècle est une époque de progrès.

époque vs Moment

Both refer to time.

A 'moment' is very brief. An 'époque' is long-lasting.

Attends un moment.

époque vs Saison

Can both mean a period of life.

'Saison' is more metaphorical or relates to the four seasons.

La saison des pluies.

Satzmuster

À l'époque, [Sujet] + [Imparfait].

À l'époque, j'avais un chien.

C'était l'époque de [Nom].

C'était l'époque de la radio.

[Sujet] a fait époque.

Ce film a fait époque.

À cette époque-là, [Sujet] + [Imparfait].

À cette époque-là, les gens ne voyageaient pas.

Être en avance sur son époque.

Elle était en avance sur son époque.

L'esprit de l'époque.

L'esprit de l'époque était à la fête.

L'époque est à [Nom/Infinitif].

L'époque est à la remise en question.

Un basculement épocal.

Nous vivons un basculement épocal.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

Époque (era)

Adjektive

Épocal (epochal - very rare academic term)

Verwandt

Période

Ère

Siècle

Anachronisme

Contemporain

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So verwendest du es

frequency

Very common in both spoken and written French.

Häufige Fehler

Dans l'époque → À l'époque
English speakers often translate 'in the era' literally, but French uses the preposition 'à'.
Le époque → L'époque (feminine)
Learners often forget that 'époque' is feminine. It should be 'une' or 'la'.
Sa époque → Son époque
Even though it is feminine, use 'son' before a vowel for better flow.
C'est un bon époque → C'est une bonne époque
The adjective must agree with the feminine noun 'époque'.
Pendant cette époque → À cette époque
While 'pendant' is not strictly wrong, 'à' is much more idiomatic for referring to a specific point in history.

Tipps

Gender Check

Always treat 'époque' as feminine. Use 'cette', 'une', 'la', and feminine adjectives like 'révolue' or 'ancienne'.

Idiom Alert

Learn 'faire époque'. It's a great way to describe something truly significant in history or art.

The Silent E

Do not pronounce the 'e' at the end of 'époque'. It ends on the 'k' sound.

Historical Context

Use 'époque' when you want to emphasize the culture and 'vibe' of a time, not just the dates.

Quick Past Marker

Use 'à l'époque' at the beginning of a sentence to instantly signal you are talking about the past.

Époque vs Temps

Use 'époque' for a specific era and 'temps' for general time or weather.

Adjectival Use

Use 'd'époque' to describe antiques or vintage items. It adds a touch of authenticity.

Generational Gap

Use 'à mon époque' when talking to younger people about how things used to be.

Contemporary Era

In essays, use 'l'époque contemporaine' to refer to the current world.

Liaison

Listen for the 'l' in 'à l'époque'—it slides right into the 'é'.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of an 'Epic' story that takes place over a long 'Époque'. Both start with 'E' and relate to grand periods of time.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine an old-fashioned clock (pendulum) stopping at a 'fixed point' (the Greek origin) to mark the start of a new era.

Word Web

Histoire Passé Nostalgie Renaissance Siècle Mode Culture Changement

Herausforderung

Try to write three sentences about your childhood using 'À l'époque'. For example: 'À l'époque, j'aimais les bonbons.'

Wortherkunft

From the Ancient Greek 'epokhē' (ἐποχή), which means 'a check, a pause, or a fixed point in time'. It entered French in the 14th century via Latin 'epocha'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: A fixed point from which one begins to count years; a reference point in a calendar.

Indo-European (Hellenic branch to Latin to Romance).

Kultureller Kontext

No specific sensitivities, but be aware that 'à mon époque' can sometimes sound dismissive of younger generations.

English speakers often find 'époque' easier to use than other French words because of the cognate 'epoch,' but they must learn to use it more casually than the English version.

The song 'Le Temps des Cerises' (often associated with a nostalgic époque). The film 'La Belle Époque' (2019) which explores nostalgia and the past. The historical concept of 'L'Époque des Lumières' (The Enlightenment).

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

History Class

L'époque médiévale
L'époque moderne
À cette époque historique
Les sources de l'époque

Personal Nostalgia

À mon époque
La belle époque de ma jeunesse
À l'époque où j'étais enfant
C'était une autre époque

Art and Design

Un meuble d'époque
Le style de l'époque
Une peinture d'époque
Le goût de l'époque

Social Critique

Les mœurs de l'époque
L'esprit de l'époque
Vivre avec son époque
Une époque de transition

Cinema/Theater

Un film d'époque
Des costumes d'époque
La reconstitution d'une époque
L'ambiance de l'époque

Gesprächseinstiege

"Quelle est ton époque historique préférée et pourquoi ?"

"À l'époque de tes parents, qu'est-ce qui était très différent d'aujourd'hui ?"

"Penses-tu que nous vivons dans une époque difficile ou passionnante ?"

"Si tu pouvais voyager dans une autre époque, où irais-tu ?"

"Qu'est-ce qui, selon toi, marquera notre époque dans les livres d'histoire ?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Décris une époque de ta vie où tu étais vraiment heureux. Qu'est-ce qui rendait ce temps spécial ?

Compare l'époque actuelle avec l'époque de tes grands-parents en te concentrant sur la technologie.

Écris sur un objet d'époque que tu possèdes ou que tu aimerais posséder.

Imagine la fin d'une époque dans ton travail ou tes études. Que ressens-tu ?

Analyse l'esprit de l'époque actuelle : quelles sont les valeurs dominantes aujourd'hui ?

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

It is feminine. You should say 'une époque' or 'la belle époque'. Even though it doesn't end in -tion, it follows the feminine gender rule. For example, 'Cette époque était incroyable.'

'À l'époque' is much more common and idiomatic for 'back then'. 'Dans ce temps' is rarely used in modern French and can sound archaic or like a literal translation from English 'in those times'. Stick to 'à l'époque'.

No, 'époque' usually implies a significant duration, like several years or a distinct life stage. For a week, use 'semaine' or 'période'. For example, 'pendant cette période de vacances'.

It means to be a landmark or to mark an era. It is used for something so revolutionary that it changes the way people think or act from that point forward. For example, 'L'invention de l'iPhone a fait époque.'

It is a 'period piece' or 'costume drama'. It refers to a movie that is set in a specific historical time, with accurate costumes and sets. For example, 'Marie Antoinette' is a film d'époque.

It can be used in both formal and informal contexts. 'À l'époque' is very common in casual conversation, while 'l'époque contemporaine' is more academic. It is a very versatile word.

In French, 'son' is used instead of 'sa' before feminine nouns that start with a vowel to make the pronunciation smoother. So it's 'son époque', not 'sa époque'.

It is always 'à l'époque'. Using 'en' is a common mistake for English speakers who are thinking of 'in the era'. French uses the preposition 'à'.

It refers to the period between the late 19th century and the start of World War I (roughly 1871-1914). It was a time of great optimism, peace, and cultural flourishing in France.

Yes, in the sense of a historical age, like 'the atomic age' (l'époque atomique), but not for a person's age (which is 'âge').

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