chaque

Each/every with Chaque

Level 2

Use chaque to say 'each' or 'every' when you want to focus on individual items in a group. It is always singular and never changes its spelling.

How It Works

1. Grammatical Rules
The most important thing to remember is that chaque is invariable. It does not have a feminine or plural form. It always looks the same regardless of the noun it describes.

2. Singular Nouns Only
Chaque must always be followed by a singular noun. You cannot use it with plural nouns. For example, you say chaque jour (every day), not chaque jours.

3. Individuality vs. Totality
While chaque and tout / tous les can often be translated as 'every,' they have different nuances:

  • Chaque élève: Each student (focusing on them as individuals).
  • Tous les élèves: All the students (focusing on the group as a whole).
  • Tout homme: In formal or literary French, using tout with a singular noun (no article) also means 'every' in a general, absolute sense.

4. Pronunciation
Because chaque ends in a 'k' sound, it does not undergo elision (it never becomes chaqu'). When the next word starts with a vowel, you simply link the sounds together (e.g., chaque enfant).

Examples (4)

  1. Chaque matin, je bois un café.

    Every morning, I drink a coffee.

    Word by Word: Each morning, I drink a coffee.

    Here, 'chaque' precedes the masculine singular noun 'matin'.

  2. Il y a une salle de bains dans chaque chambre.

    There is a bathroom in each room.

    Word by Word: It there has a room of baths in each room.

    In this case, 'chaque' precedes the feminine singular noun 'chambre'. Notice the spelling does not change.

  3. Chaque élève doit faire ses devoirs.

    Each student must do their homework.

    Word by Word: Each student must to do his/her homeworks.

    This emphasizes that every individual student has the responsibility.

  4. Je visite mes grands-parents chaque été.

    I visit my grandparents every summer.

    Word by Word: I visit my grand-parents each summer.

    Used to describe a recurring individual event in a series.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing 'chaque' or the noun following it.

    Je travaille chaques jours.
    Je travaille chaque jour.

    'Chaque' is always singular and invariable. It can never end in 's', and the noun it modifies must also be singular.

  • Using 'chaque' as a standalone pronoun.

    Chaque a un cadeau.
    Chacun a un cadeau.

    'Chaque' is an adjective and needs a noun. If you want to say 'each one' without a noun, you must use the pronoun chacun.

  • Using 'chaque' with numbers for frequency.

    Je cours chaque deux jours.
    Je cours tous les deux jours.

    When expressing frequency with numbers (every two days, every three weeks), French uses 'tous les' + plural noun instead of 'chaque'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

chaqueLevel 2Each/every with Chaque

Learn This First

To use 'chaque' correctly, you need to understand that it is a determiner that always precedes a singular noun. While 'chaque' itself does not change form (it is invariable), you must be comfortable identifying singular nouns and understanding their placement in a sentence.

Words in This Pattern