lors de

The French prepositional phrase lors de is a sophisticated and essential tool for any intermediate French learner aiming for the B1 level and beyond. At its core, it translates to "during," "at the time of," or "on the occasion of" in English. While it shares some semantic space with the more common word pendant, lors de carries a more formal, precise, and often event-oriented connotation. It is used to pinpoint an action or state within the context of a specific event, ceremony, or period. Understanding lors de requires recognizing that it functions exclusively as a preposition, meaning it must be followed by a noun or a noun phrase, never a conjugated verb or a subordinate clause. This grammatical constraint is vital for avoiding common errors where learners might confuse it with conjunctions like pendant que.

Temporal Specificity

It refers to a specific moment or event in time, rather than just a general duration. It suggests a connection between the main action and the event mentioned.

Formal Register

While not exclusively academic, it is frequently found in news reports, historical accounts, business meetings, and formal literature.

In everyday conversation, a French speaker might use pendant for simple durations like "during the movie" (pendant le film), but they will pivot to lors de when the context is an official event or a significant milestone, such as "during his stay in Paris" (lors de son séjour à Paris). This distinction adds a layer of elegance and precision to your speech. It implies that the action was not just happening simultaneously, but was perhaps triggered by or intrinsically linked to the event. For instance, saying something happened lors de la guerre (during the war) sounds more historical and objective than pendant la guerre, which focuses more on the lived experience of the time passing.

Furthermore, lors de is often used to introduce background information in a narrative. It sets the stage by placing an action within a broader temporal framework. For example, in a biography, you might read, "He met his future wife during his studies in Lyon" (Il a rencontré sa future femme lors de ses études à Lyon). Here, the studies are the container for the meeting. It is also common in administrative and legal contexts where precision regarding timing is paramount. If a contract specifies that a payment must be made "at the time of delivery," the French version would use lors de la livraison. This usage reinforces the idea of a specific point in time associated with a particular action.

Event-Centric

It is almost always paired with a noun representing an event: a meeting, a trip, a crisis, a celebration, or a process.

To master this word, one must also understand its etymological roots. It comes from the old French l'ores de, meaning "at the hours of." This historical connection to specific hours emphasizes the "point in time" aspect. In modern French, it has evolved into a fixed prepositional phrase. It is never used with a verb in the infinitive or a clause starting with que. If you need to say "while I was doing something," you must use pendant que or alors que. Using lors de correctly signals to native speakers that you have moved beyond basic vocabulary and are beginning to grasp the nuances of French register and syntax.

Using lors de correctly involves a simple but strict grammatical structure: lors de + [Article] + [Noun]. This noun represents the event or time period during which another action occurs. Because de is part of the phrase, it must contract with the definite articles le and les to become du and des respectively. For example, lors de + le match becomes lors du match, and lors de + les vacances becomes lors des vacances. If the noun is feminine (la) or starts with a vowel (l'), the phrase remains lors de la or lors de l'. This contraction is a frequent source of errors for learners, so paying close attention to the gender and number of the following noun is essential.

With Masculine Singular Nouns

Use lors du. Example: lors du festival (during the festival).

With Plural Nouns

Use lors des. Example: lors des négociations (during the negotiations).

One of the most important rules to remember is that lors de cannot be followed by a verb in the infinitive or a clause. In English, we can say "During eating," but in French, you cannot say lors de manger. Instead, you would use a noun: lors du repas (during the meal). If you must use a verb, you need a different structure entirely, such as en mangeant (while eating) or pendant que je mangeais (while I was eating). This distinction is a hallmark of the B1 level, where learners must begin to choose the correct part of speech to follow their prepositions. Lors de is strictly for noun-based time references.

The placement of the lors de phrase is flexible. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence to set the context, in the middle to provide additional detail, or at the end. When placed at the beginning, it is often followed by a comma for clarity: Lors de son voyage, il a pris beaucoup de photos. (During his trip, he took many photos). This flexibility allows writers to vary their sentence structure and emphasize different parts of the message. In formal writing, starting with lors de is a common way to introduce a historical event or a specific circumstance that led to the main action of the sentence.

With Possessive Adjectives

When followed by mon, ton, son, etc., the de does not contract. Example: lors de mon enfance (during my childhood).

Another nuanced use of lors de is in the context of "at the time of." For instance, lors de l'achat means "at the time of purchase." This is slightly different from a long duration; it refers to the specific moment the transaction occurred. This makes it incredibly useful in professional contexts, such as describing procedures: "The customer must present their ID at the time of registration" (Le client doit présenter sa pièce d'identité lors de l'inscription). In these cases, pendant would feel slightly off because it implies a continuous action, whereas lors de highlights the specific requirement tied to the event.

While lors de might sound slightly more elevated than pendant, it is by no means restricted to dusty old books. You will hear it daily in various modern contexts. One of the most common places is in the news. Journalists on channels like France 24 or BFMTV use it constantly to report on events. "During the G7 summit," "During the protests," or "During the interview" are almost always translated using lors de. It provides a professional tone that fits the objective reporting style of the media. If you listen to a radio broadcast about a recent sports match, the commentator might say, "The goal was scored during the first half" (Le but a été marqué lors de la première mi-temps).

Media and Journalism

Used to link actions to specific news events or historical milestones.

Professional Environments

Common in meetings, emails, and reports to refer to specific points in a project or schedule.

In the workplace, lors de is the standard for referring to professional events. If you are in a meeting and want to refer to something discussed previously, you might say, "As we discussed during our last meeting" (Comme nous en avons discuté lors de notre dernière réunion). Using pendant here would be understood, but lors de sounds more precise and business-appropriate. It is also found in internal memos and company policies, such as "Safety procedures to follow during a fire drill" (Procédures de sécurité à suivre lors d'un exercice d'incendie). This usage reinforces its role as a bridge between an action and a formal occasion.

You will also encounter lors de in the world of arts and culture. Museum guides, program notes for a concert, or film reviews frequently use it. "During his blue period, Picasso painted..." would be Lors de sa période bleue, Picasso a peint.... In this context, it defines a specific era or event in an artist's life. Similarly, in travel writing, you'll see it used to describe experiences: "During our stay in Provence, we visited many vineyards" (Lors de notre séjour en Provence, nous avons visité de nombreux vignobles). It helps to structure the narrative by grouping experiences under the umbrella of a single trip or event.

Cultural Commentary

Used in biographies, art history, and travelogues to categorize events within specific timeframes.

Finally, lors de is prevalent in legal and administrative French. Whether it's a court transcript, a police report, or a set of instructions for a public service, this phrase ensures that the timing of actions is clearly defined. "During the hearing," "During the search," or "During the application process" all rely on lors de. For a learner, hearing and using this word correctly is a sign of linguistic maturity. It shows that you can navigate different social and professional registers with ease, moving from the casual pendant to the more formal and precise lors de when the situation demands it.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is using lors de with a verb. In English, we can say "During working," but in French, lors de must be followed by a noun. Incorrect: *lors de travailler. Correct: lors du travail or pendant le travail. This error often stems from a direct translation of the English gerund (-ing form). To avoid this, always check if the word following lors de is a noun. If you want to express an action happening at the same time as another, use en + [present participle] (e.g., en travaillant) or pendant que + [subject + verb] (e.g., pendant que je travaillais).

Mistake: Following with a Verb

Incorrect: lors de manger. Correct: lors du repas.

Mistake: Forgetting Contractions

Incorrect: lors de le match. Correct: lors du match.

Another common pitfall is the confusion between lors de and alors que. While they both relate to time, alors que is a conjunction used to link two clauses, often with a sense of contrast or simultaneity (meaning "while" or "whereas"). For example, Il est arrivé alors que je partais (He arrived while I was leaving). You cannot use lors de in this structure because it cannot introduce a clause with a subject and a verb. Remembering that lors de is a preposition (needs a noun) and alors que is a conjunction (needs a clause) is key to mastering these temporal expressions.

Learners also frequently struggle with the distinction between lors de and pendant. While often interchangeable, pendant focuses more on the duration of time, whereas lors de focuses on the event itself. For instance, pendant trois heures (for three hours) is correct, but *lors de trois heures is incorrect. Lors de requires a noun that represents an event or a specific occasion, not just a measurement of time. If you are talking about a length of time without a specific event name, pendant is your only option. Using lors de with a duration sounds unnatural and grammatically incorrect to a native ear.

Mistake: Using with Durations

Incorrect: lors de deux jours. Correct: pendant deux jours.

Finally, there is the confusion with lorsque. Lorsque is a conjunction meaning "when." Like alors que, it must be followed by a subject and a verb: Lorsque je suis arrivé... (When I arrived...). It is very easy to accidentally use lors de when you mean lorsque because they look so similar. A helpful tip is to remember that de always signals that a noun is coming up. If you have a verb in mind, you need lorsque. If you have a noun in mind, you need lors de. Mastering this distinction will significantly improve the grammatical accuracy of your French sentences and help you sound more like a native speaker.

French offers several ways to express the concept of "during," and choosing the right one depends on the context and the register you wish to use. The most common alternative to lors de is pendant. While they are often interchangeable, pendant is more versatile and can be used for both events and durations of time. It is also slightly less formal. If you are talking about a simple duration like "during the night," pendant la nuit is the standard choice. However, for a formal event like a ceremony, lors de la cérémonie adds a touch of elegance that pendant la cérémonie lacks. Understanding these subtle differences is part of moving from a basic to an advanced level of French.

Pendant vs. Lors de

Pendant focuses on the length of time. Lors de focuses on the event or occasion.

Au cours de

This phrase is very similar to lors de but often implies a process or a progression within the event. Example: au cours de l'année (over the course of the year).

Another alternative is au moment de, which translates to "at the moment of" or "at the time of." This phrase is more specific than lors de and focuses on a very precise point in time. For example, au moment de son départ (at the moment of his departure) emphasizes the exact second he left, whereas lors de son départ could refer to the general period surrounding his leaving. Use au moment de when the timing is critical or when you want to highlight a sudden action. It is also frequently followed by an infinitive verb, unlike lors de: au moment de partir (at the moment of leaving).

In more literary or formal contexts, you might encounter durant. This word is a direct synonym for pendant but is considered more formal and is less common in spoken French. It can be placed after the noun it modifies in some poetic or archaic structures (e.g., sa vie durant - throughout his life), though this is rare today. For most B1 learners, lors de and pendant will cover almost all needs. However, knowing that durant exists will help with reading comprehension. It's also worth noting en l'espace de, which means "in the space of" and is used for durations that seem surprisingly short: en l'espace de deux jours (in the space of two days).

Durant

Formal synonym of pendant. Often used in written reports or literature.

En

Sometimes used for seasons or months: en été (in summer). Lors de would be used for a specific event in summer: lors du festival d'été.

Finally, for actions that happen simultaneously, don't forget the gérondif (en + participe présent). While lors de connects an action to an event (noun), the gérondif connects two actions performed by the same subject. "He sings while showering" is Il chante en se douchant. If you tried to use lors de, you would have to change "showering" into a noun: Il chante lors de sa douche. Both are correct, but the gérondif is often more natural for simultaneous actions. Choosing between these options allows you to control the focus and rhythm of your French, making your communication more effective and nuanced.