Language/French/Grammar/encore-VS-toujours

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Distinguishing the Meanings of "Encore" and "Toujours" in French
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In the French language, "encore" and "toujours" are two frequently used adverbs that often cause confusion for learners. While both of these words can be translated to "still" or "yet" in English, they have different connotations and uses in French. In this lesson, we will explore the meanings of "encore" and "toujours" and provide tips for using them correctly in your French conversations.

We will look at the various situations in which each word is used, and the subtle differences in meaning between them. By the end of this lesson, you will have a better understanding of when to use "encore" and when to use "toujours" in your French conversations. So let's dive in and learn how to use these adverbs with confidence!

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Adjectives which normally occur before the noun & Pronominal verbs without a reflexive interpretation.

"Encore" & "Toujours" have several meanings which make them difficult for the learner.

"encore" and "toujours" = "still"[edit | edit source]

Both "encore" and "toujours" can mean "still" in clauses which express a situation that is unfolding at the moment.

  • Est-il encore/toujours ici?

Is he still there? (Her being here is a state of affairs unfolding right now)

  • Elle se plaint encore/toujours

She is still complaining (His complaint is a state of affairs that is unfolding at the moment)

"Encore" = "again"[edit | edit source]

In clauses that describe an action that has been completed or that may potentially end, however, "encore" means "again":

  • Il a encore perdu son sac

He has lost his bag again (His losing of the bag is a completed action)

  • J'ai peur de m'énerver encore

I'm afraid to get angry again (Although I haven't done so yet, getting angry has the potential for being a completed action)

"Encore" = "still" or "again"[edit | edit source]

Note that if "encore" modifies the first clause, which expresses a state of affairs, it could mean either 'still' or 'again':

  • J'ai encore peur de m'énerver

"I'm still afraid of getting angry" or "Once again I am afraid of getting angry"

"Encore" = "still more, further"[edit | edit source]

Where "encore" modifies a noun phrase or other adverbs it can mean "still more, further":

  • Encore du lait, s'il vous plaît

More milk, please

  • Ils ont parlé encore une ou deux heures

They talked a further one or two hours

  • Elle est encore plus bavarde que son frère

She is even more talkative than her brother

  • J'aime encore mieux son projet d'entreprise que la mien

I like his business plan even better than mine

"toujours" = "always"[edit | edit source]

"toujours", in addition to meaning "still", can mean "always":

  • Elles ont toujours été dures en affaire

They've always been tough on business

  • On s'efforçait depuis toujours de me cacher la vérité sur mon enfance

They always tried to hide the truth about my childhood

"toujours" = "still"[edit | edit source]

In sentences negated by the word "pas", if "toujours" placed before "pas" it means "still" (if it follows it means "always"):

  • Son avion n'a toujours pas décollé

His plane still hasn't taken off

  • Il n'a pas toujours été présent pour son fils adoptif

He was not always present for his adopted son

"encore" = "yet"[edit | edit source]

"encore" can only follow "pas" and means "yet":

  • Il n'est pas encore parti

He hasn't yet left

Videos: French Adverbs: When to Use Encore, Toujours and Déjà[edit | edit source]

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other chapters[edit | edit source]

Table of Contents

Nouns


Determiners


Personal and impersonal pronouns


Adjectives


Adverbs


Numbers, measurements, time and quantifiers


Verb forms


Verb constructions


Verb and participle agreement


Tense


The subjunctive, modal verbs, exclamatives and imperatives


The infinitive


Prepositions


Question formation


Relative clauses


Negation


Conjunctions and other linking constructions

Videos[edit | edit source]

French Adverbs: When to Use Encore, Toujours and Déjà - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Mastering French Adverbs: Encore et Toujours - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Contributors

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