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How to Say ‘From the very first sentence’ in French

Dès la première phrase

deh lah preh-myer frahz

[deh lah preh-myer frahz]

💬 Usage Tip: Dès means "right from" and stresses how early something happened. Swap it in: dès le début "right from the start".

Phrase Breakdown

Dès la

deh lah

From the

'Dès' means 'from / as early as'. Pronounce it 'dè', with an open è and a silent s.

Example

Dès la rentrée, on commence.

From the start of the school year, we begin.

Words in this phrase

Dès

[deh]

from / right from

Preposition meaning starting immediately at a point.

Example

Je l'ai aimé dès le début.

I liked him right from the start.

[lah]

the (feminine singular)

Definite article used before a feminine singular noun.

Example

La réservation est déjà confirmée pour samedi soir.

The reservation is already confirmed for Saturday evening.

première phrase

preh-myer frahz

first sentence

'Première' sounds like 'preu-myèr'. 'Phrase' sounds like 'fraz', with the s pronounced like z.

Example

Lis la première phrase.

Read the first sentence.

Words in this phrase

première

[preh-myer]

first

Indicates the foremost in position or priority.

Example

C'est la "première" fois que je viens ici.

It's the 'first' time I come here.

phrase

[frahz]

sentence

A group of words; feminine noun.

Example

Il a dit une phrase drôle.

He said a funny sentence.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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