In French, certain adjectives change their meanings depending if they appear before or after the noun.
The French adjective dernier change meaning according to its position
Look at these examples:
Dernier/Dernière means last/previous when it comes after the noun, but last (ever)/final if it comes before the noun.
Note that as an adjective, dernier agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to.
Special case of la fois dernière / la dernière fois = (the) last time
To express last time (previous)
When last time is used on its own, you can use either la fois dernière or la dernière fois indifferently in French,
BUT
When last time is followed by a clause (last time I saw you), you can only use la dernière fois, and never la fois dernière.
To express the last time (final)
You always use la dernière fois .
See also:
Ancien = former/old (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)
Cher= dear/expensive (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)
Certain = specific / sure in French (adjectives that change meaning according to position)
Propre = own/clean (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)
Vrai = real/true (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)
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