Expressing intervals of dates and times in French = from ... to ...

To express an interval (from ... to ...) in French, you will use either de ... à ... or the contracted form du ... au ... (de + le ... à + le ...) depending on what follows.

Learn how to use "de ...à ..." to express an interval in French 

1 - Using "du ... au ..."

du ... au ... (literally: from the ... to the ...) is used when the definite article le is normally present in French:

- between two dates

Le festival dure du 24 juillet au 5 août.The festival lasts from the 24th of July to the 5th of August.

du 4 au 8 juinfrom the 4th to the 8th of June

Note that, as for dates in general, you don't use ordinal numbers (except for 1st: premier) and you don't need the of in front of the month.
See Expressing dates in French

between two days of the week in a repetitive context (e.g. from Mondays to Fridays):

Cet athlète s'entraîne du lundi au samedi, toutes les semaines.This athlete trains from Mondays to Saturdays, every week.

du lundi au vendrediMondays to Fridays

Note that you use the singular form of the day. You never say des lundis aux vendredis
See Using "le" with days of the week + the weekend (French Definite Articles)

 

2 - Using "de ... à ..."

de ... à ... (literally: from ... to ...) is used in cases where le is not present in French:

- between two times:

Je suis restée là de huit heures et demie à onze heures moins le quart.I stayed there from half past eight to quarter to eleven.

Je travaille tous les jours de neuf heures à dix-sept heures.I work every day from nine to five.

Note that you can omit heures in the first part, but only with "on the dot" times:

Ma grand-mère regarde la télé de dix-neuf à vingt-et-une heures.My grandmother watches TV from seven to nine PM. 

Le musée est ouvert de dix à dix-huit heures.The museum is open from ten to six o'clock.


See Telling time in French - general 12-hour clock rules

- between two months:

Ce musée est ouvert de mai à octobre.This museum is open from May to October.

Elle sera en France de juillet à septembre.She'll be in France from July to September.

- between two days of the week in a one-time, specific context (e.g. from Monday to Friday):

Il restera ici de lundi à mardi.He'll stay here from Monday to Tuesday.

Cette semaine, il travaille de mardi à vendredi.This week, he works from Tuesday to Friday.

 

Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

du lundi au vendrediMondays to Fridays
du 4 au 8 juinfrom the 4th to the 8th of June
Il restera ici de lundi à mardi.He'll stay here from Monday to Tuesday.
Le festival dure du 24 juillet au 5 août.The festival lasts from the 24th of July to the 5th of August.
Ce musée est ouvert de mai à octobre.This museum is open from May to October.
Cet athlète s'entraîne du lundi au samedi, toutes les semaines.This athlete trains from Mondays to Saturdays, every week.
Je travaille tous les jours de neuf heures à dix-sept heures.I work every day from nine to five.
Cette semaine, il travaille de mardi à vendredi.This week, he works from Tuesday to Friday.
Elle sera en France de juillet à septembre.She'll be in France from July to September.
Je suis restée là de huit heures et demie à onze heures moins le quart.I stayed there from half past eight to quarter to eleven.
Ma grand-mère regarde la télé de dix-neuf à vingt-et-une heures.My grandmother watches TV from seven to nine PM. 
Le musée est ouvert de dix à dix-huit heures.The museum is open from ten to six o'clock.
Getting that for you now...