années

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/ane/année

nounfemininePlur

years (with emphasis on duration, experience, or a span of time)

Ça fait des années qu'on ne s'est pas vus.

It's been years since we've seen each other.

Synonyms:ans

nounfemininePlur

a decade or an identifiable era (e.g., 'the 80s')

J'adore la musique des années 80.

I love music from the '80s.

Synonyms:décennie, époque

Notes

GENERAL INFO

années means "years." It is the plural form of "année," a feminine noun.

USAGE

It refers to a duration or a period of time. You'll often find it with adjectives or determiners.

Examples: "passer de belles années" (to spend good years), "Dans les années 80" (In the 80s), "plusieurs années" (several years).

TRAPS

Do not confuse with "ans"! "Ans" is used for age ("J'ai 30 ans" - I am 30 years old) or a simple count ("deux ans" - two years). années emphasizes the duration or character of the period.