la veille

day before, eve, make sure to, watch over; look after

v ɛ j
veill to look after; to safeguard + e je/il/elle present; tu command
noun · feminine Rare #34,496
day before, eve Used for the day before a particular day or event, especially in the phrase « à la veille de » (“on the eve of”).
FR: Je suis arrivé la veille de la fête.
EN: I arrived the day before the celebration.

Le dîner de la veille était tellement copieux que je n'avais pas faim le lendemain.

Dinner the night before was so heavy that I wasn't hungry the next day.

Vous devez frire le riz de la veille, "Roi de la Friture".

You have to fry yesterday’s rice, “King of Frying.”

— God of Cookery (1996)

Chaque jour, je t'aime un peu plus que la veille.

Every day, I love you a little more than the day before.

Sa gaieté de la veille avait fait place à une profonde mélancolie.

His gaiety of the day before had given way to a deep melancholy.

Il a des pastèques fraîches à la veille de la Nouvelle Année.

He has fresh watermelons on New Year's Eve.

— La petite Véra (1988)

Il était très angoissé à la veille de l'examen.

He was very anxious on the eve of the exam.

Nous espérons te voir à la veille de Noël.

We hope to see you on Christmas Eve.

Veille automatique.

Automatic standby.

— Reconnu coupable (2026)

Tom a embrassé Marie sous le gui la veille de Noël.

Tom kissed Mary under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve.

Mais soyez prudent, ne répétez pas votre erreur de la veille.

But be careful, don't repeat your mistake from yesterday.

— Le Bras de diamant (1969)

verb · 1st-person singular, present tense / 3rd-person singular, present tense / 2nd-person singular Rare #38,277
make sure to Used with à + infinitive to express taking care to do something.
FR: Veille à faire plus attention.
EN: Make sure to be more careful.
Conjugation of veiller
Indicative present
SingularPlural
First veille —
Second — veillez
Third veille —
Imperative
SingularPlural
Second veille veillez
Subjunctive present
SingularPlural
First veille —
Third veille —

Il veille à remplir sa mission jusqu’au bout.

He makes sure to fulfill his mission to the very end.

— Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba - Le film : La Forteresse infinie (2025)

Moi, je veille à ce que chacun respecte ses engagements.

I make sure that everyone respects their commitments.

— Séquences et conséquences (2000)

Je veille à ce qu’aucune marchandise illégale n’entre par ces conteneurs.

I make sure that no illegal goods enter through these containers.

— Zootopie 2 (2025)

Je veille à ce qu'il se coiffe et se brosse les dents tous les jours.

I make sure he combs his hair and brushes his teeth every day.

— Forrest Gump (1994)

Tata veille à ce que j'apprenne bien.

Auntie makes sure I learn properly.

— Souvenirs de Marnie (2014)

Veille à ce que l'armée renvoie ça à ses parents.

Make sure the army sends that back to its parents.

— Des hommes d'honneur (1992)

Veille à faire plus attention.

Be sure to pay more attention.

— La Femme de ménage (2025)

Le garde du corps veille à ce que la pression s’exerce dans le bon sens.

The bodyguard makes sure the pressure is applied in the right direction.

verb · 1st-person singular, present tense / 3rd-person singular, present tense / 2nd-person singular Rare #38,278
watch over; look after In this sense, veiller sur someone means to protect and care for them.
FR: On veille l'un sur l'autre.
EN: We look out for one another.
Conjugation of veiller
Indicative present
SingularPlural
First veille —
Second — veillez
Third veille —
Imperative
SingularPlural
Second veille veillez
Subjunctive present
SingularPlural
First veille —
Third veille —

Ne veille pas.

Don't stay up.

Je pleure, je ris, je rêve, je veille ?

Am I weeping, laughing, dreaming, or waking?

— The Captain : L'usurpateur (2018)

Je veille tard.

I stay up late.

— Presque Célèbre (2000)

Je veille souvent toute la nuit.

I often stay up all night.

Parce qu'on veille l'un sur l'autre.

Because we look out for each other.

— Forrest Gump (1994)

Mais ça rappelle aux gens qu'il veille.

But it reminds people that he’s watching over them.

— The Dark Knight : Le Chevalier noir (2008)

On veille l'un sur l'autre.

We look out for each other.

On veille les uns sur les autres.

We look out for each other.

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