Hi Joan,
Yes, indeed you can say it both ways.
Chacun/chacune and chaque sound similar so it's easy to mix them up. Here's how to use them correctly.
To express each/every in French, there are different expressions depending on sentences:
chaque [chose] : each [thing]
To say each/every [thing], you use chaque + [singular noun].
Chaque pays avait envoyé une délégation.
Each country had sent a delegation.
Chaque jour, cela devient plus facile.
Each day, it becomes easier.
chacun/chacune des [choses] : each of [things]
To say each/every one of [things], you use chacun/chacune des + [plural noun].
Chacune des femmes apporte un plat.
Each of the women is bringing a dish.
Chacun des lutins a une tâche spécifique.
Each one of the elves has a specific task.
Chacune des tables était décorée avec goût.
Each one of the tables was decorated tastefully.
ATTENTION
To say each one of us/you/them, you use chacun/chacune d'entre nous/vous/eux/elles (stress pronouns)
Chacun d'entre vous mérite une récompense.
Each one of you deserves a reward.
Je respecte chacune d'entre elles.
I respect each one of them.
I respect every one of them.
chacun/chacune on their own = each one, every one
To say each/every [one], you use chacun / chacune.
Les filles sont élégantes: chacune porte une robe.
The girls are elegant: each one wears a dress.
On a le droit à un gâteau chacun.
We're allowed one cake each.
Chacun applies to nouns and was originally the contraction of "chaque+un / chaque+une".
It therefore agrees in gender with the person/group/thing it refers to.
It therefore agrees in gender with the person/group/thing it refers to.
ATTENTION
You cannot write chaque un as two words.
See also the opposite:
Ne ... aucun(e) = None (negation)
and Aucun/e … ne = None of them (negation)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Chacun d'entre vous mérite une récompense.
Each one of you deserves a reward.
Chacune des femmes apporte un plat.
Each of the women is bringing a dish.
Je respecte chacune d'entre elles.
I respect each one of them.
I respect every one of them.
Chaque jour, cela devient plus facile.
Each day, it becomes easier.
On a le droit à un gâteau chacun.
We're allowed one cake each.
Les filles sont élégantes: chacune porte une robe.
The girls are elegant: each one wears a dress.
Chacune des tables était décorée avec goût.
Each one of the tables was decorated tastefully.
Chacun des lutins a une tâche spécifique.
Each one of the elves has a specific task.
Mais dans chaque maison,
Il flotte un air de fête,
But in each house,
There's a festive air,
Chaque pays avait envoyé une délégation.
Each country had sent a delegation.
Q&A Forum 3 questions, 4 answers
JoanKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Can "On a le droit à un gâteau chacun" be written as "Chacun a le droit à un gâteau"?
Asked 3 months ago
Joan asked:View original
Can "On a le droit à un gâteau chacun" be written as "Chacun a le droit à un gâteau"?
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JinnKwiziq community member
related lessons: aucun(e)...ne and ne...aucun(e)
It may be useful to link lessons for 'aucun(e)', the opposite of chacun(e).
Asked 5 months ago
Bonjour Jinn !
Thanks for that excellent suggestion! The links have now been added to that lesson :)
Merci et bonne journée !
Jinn asked:View original
related lessons: aucun(e)...ne and ne...aucun(e)
It may be useful to link lessons for 'aucun(e)', the opposite of chacun(e).
Don't have an account yet? Join today
JohnKwiziq community member
Verb conjuction after Chaqun(e) des .....
I noticed in the examples the conjugation is in the singular form and not plural, ie, chaqune des femmes apporte un plat (and not apportent un plat). Is there a simple way to explain this for me to remember (ie I want to say "chaqune des femmes" is more than one lady, so it is "they", so it's "elles apportent". I know its not the case here, but not sure why...?)
Asked 3 years ago
LauraKwiziq team member
Bonjour John,
The literal translation is "each (one) of the women" and works the same way: each of the women brings / chacune [not "chaqune"] des femmes apporte.
ClareKwiziq community member
I think it is because we are talking about each one of them (chacun/chacune) but with a collective result that they all do it.
John asked:View original
Verb conjuction after Chaqun(e) des .....
I noticed in the examples the conjugation is in the singular form and not plural, ie, chaqune des femmes apporte un plat (and not apportent un plat). Is there a simple way to explain this for me to remember (ie I want to say "chaqune des femmes" is more than one lady, so it is "they", so it's "elles apportent". I know its not the case here, but not sure why...?)
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