crépuscule

dusk, twilight

noun kreh-poos-KYOOL Rare

Usage Note

Crépuscule refers specifically to the fading light at the end of the day, though it can also poetically indicate dawn. The adjective crépusculaire (crepuscular) describes animals active at dusk and dawn. The word has a literary and poetic register; in everyday speech French speakers often say le soir tombe or à la tombée de la nuit instead.

Examples

"Nous nous promenions au crépuscule."

Natural Translation

We were walking at dusk.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Ordering Food in French: Restaurant Phrases That Work

Order food in French with confidence: greet first, say je voudrais not je veux, ask for a carafe d'eau, answer quelle cuisson, and request the bill yourself.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

How to Say "I Miss You" in French (Without Errors)

"I miss you" in French is Tu me manques, not Je te manque. Learn the subject-flip behind manquer so you never text the opposite of what you mean.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Passé Composé vs Imparfait: When to Use Each

Passé composé tells the story; imparfait paints the scene. Use this 2-second flowchart, trigger words, and paired examples to pick the right French tense.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read