A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "First" in French
Learn to say 'first' in French for ordinal numbers, like the first day or first time.
Première
pree-MYAIRneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use 'première' when referring to the first in a sequence, like 'la première fois' (the first time) or 'le premier jour' (the first day). It's the feminine form of 'premier'.
Alternatives
- PremierUse this masculine form when referring to a masculine noun, like 'le premier étage' (the first floor).
- D'abordUse this to mean 'first' in the sense of 'firstly' or 'to begin with' when listing steps.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing the 'r'
The French 'r' is guttural, made in the back of the throat, not rolled with the tongue.
Silent final 'r'
The 'r' in 'premier/première' is pronounced, unlike in many other French words.
A small cultural note
While 'première' is standard, sometimes French speakers might use 'un' or 'une' followed by the noun for 'the first' in very casual contexts, though this is less precise.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
When do I use 'première' vs 'premier'?
'Première' is used before a feminine noun, like 'la première personne' (the first person). 'Premier' is used before a masculine noun, like 'le premier prix' (the first prize).
How to say 'the first time' in French?
You say 'la première fois'. 'Fois' is feminine, so you use the feminine form 'première'.
Is 'première' pronounced like 'premier'?
The pronunciation is very similar, with 'première' having an extra syllable at the end, sounding like 'pree-MYAIR'.
What is 1st in French?
The most common way to say '1st' in French is 'premier' for masculine nouns and 'première' for feminine nouns.
How do you say 'first' in French?
You can say 'premier' for masculine nouns and 'première' for feminine nouns. For ordinal numbers like '1st', '2nd', '3rd', you would use 'premier', 'deuxième', 'troisième'.
What is the French word for 'first'?
The French word for 'first' is 'premier' when referring to a masculine noun, and 'première' when referring to a feminine noun.
