Expressing "this time last year"

Anne D.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Expressing "this time last year"

I’m interested to know how you’d say "this time last year" in French? In English, it emphasises that it’s an exact period ago, so more precise than "il y a un an".

Asked 1 year ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

“À la même époque” either :

‘À la même époque l’année dernière,’ …..   or “L’année dernière, à la même époque,  ….“ 

I cannot speak for others, but personally I often feel a slight hesitation using “époque” in French like this - the English meaning and ‘strength’ of “epoch” keep getting in the way of the more frequent everyday usage of “époque” in French. I find it easier when a faux ami is a complete faux ami, rather than a somewhat masked, (almost) faux ami !

Marie S.A0Kwiziq community member

Ok y a un an

Martin K.B2Kwiziq community member

À pareille date l'année dernier

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Martin, that is an interesting expression. Did you hear or see it somewhere you can recall ?

I haven’t heard it in France, nor seen it written anywhere. 

 It may be Canadian French more than metropolitan French. 

My wife didn’t recognise it as colloquial French from her region or era  - and at least with Linguee it seems almost all examples arise from Canadian French material and in the form ‘ à pareille date l’an dernier ‘. 

https://www.linguee.fr/francais-anglais/traduction/à+pareille+date.html

Expressing "this time last year"

I’m interested to know how you’d say "this time last year" in French? In English, it emphasises that it’s an exact period ago, so more precise than "il y a un an".

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