Question 1

Why does Aujourd'hui have an apostrophe, and is it just one word?

Accepted Answer

Yes—aujourd'hui is a single word with exactly one apostrophe. Historically it comes from au jour d’hui (“on the day of today”), where d’ is the elision of de before a vowel. The h in hui is silent, which is why the elision happens. It is never written with a hyphen or a space (not aujourd hui).

Question 2

Is the comma after Aujourd'hui required?

Accepted Answer

No. The comma after a fronted time adverb like Aujourd’hui is optional. Both are correct:
- Aujourd’hui, je travaille ailleurs.
- Aujourd’hui je travaille ailleurs.
The version with a comma suggests a small pause and slightly emphasizes “today.”

Question 3

Can I move aujourd'hui to the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Je travaille ailleurs aujourd’hui.  
Starting with Aujourd’hui emphasizes the time; putting it at the end is neutral and quite common. When both place and time are at the end, French prefers the order place → time: … ailleurs aujourd’hui is more natural than … aujourd’hui ailleurs.

Question 4

How do I pronounce the whole sentence?

Accepted Answer

- Whole sentence (IPA): [oʒuʁdɥi ʒə tʁavaj ajœʁ]
- Rough guide: oh-zhoor-DWEE, zhuh trah-VAI, eye-YEUR
Notes:
- aujourd’hui = oh-zhoor-DWEE
- je = zhuh
- travaille = trah-VAI (final -e is silent; the -ill- gives a “y” glide)
- ailleurs = eye-YEUR

Question 5

Why does je travaille end with -e, and what verb is it from?

Accepted Answer

It’s from the regular -ER verb travailler. In the present tense:
- je travaille
- tu travailles
- il/elle travaille
- nous travaillons
- vous travaillez
- ils/elles travaillent
The final -e in je travaille is silent.

Question 6

What’s the difference between travaille and travail?

Accepted Answer

- travaille: a verb form of travailler (e.g., je travaille = I work / I’m working).
- travail: a noun meaning “work” or “job” (e.g., le travail).

Question 7

How do I say “I’m working” in French—do I need être en train de?

Accepted Answer

French normally uses the simple present: Je travaille covers both “I work” and “I’m working.” Use Je suis en train de travailler only if you want to stress the ongoing nature of the action “right this minute.”

Question 8

What exactly does ailleurs mean? Do I need a preposition with it?

Accepted Answer

ailleurs is an adverb meaning “elsewhere / somewhere else.” It doesn’t take a preposition: travailler ailleurs = “to work elsewhere.”

Question 9

What’s the difference between ailleurs and d’ailleurs?

Accepted Answer

- ailleurs = elsewhere/somewhere else (place).
- d’ailleurs = besides / moreover / incidentally (a connector), or “from elsewhere” in literal contexts.  
Example connector use: D’ailleurs, je pars tôt = “Besides, I’m leaving early.”

Question 10

Where does ailleurs go in the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Typically right after the verb or the verb phrase: Je travaille ailleurs. With both place and time, French prefers place before time: Je travaille ailleurs aujourd’hui. Don’t say Je ailleurs travaille….

Question 11

How do I say “elsewhere than X”?

Accepted Answer

Use ailleurs que + noun/pronoun/adverb:
- ailleurs qu’ici = elsewhere than here
- ailleurs que chez moi = somewhere other than my place
- ailleurs que dans ce bureau = somewhere other than this office

Question 12

Can I say autre part instead of ailleurs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, (à) autre part also means “elsewhere,” but ailleurs is more common and idiomatic in modern French. Je travaille ailleurs will usually sound more natural than Je travaille à autre part.

Question 13

Should je be capitalized? What about aujourd'hui?

Accepted Answer

- je is lowercase in French, except at the start of a sentence (unlike English I). In Aujourd’hui, je…, je stays lowercase.
- aujourd’hui is lowercase unless it’s the first word of the sentence, as here.

Question 14

Can I use a future or near future to talk about a plan for today?

Accepted Answer

Yes:
- Aujourd’hui, je vais travailler ailleurs. (near future; plan/intention)
- Aujourd’hui, je travaillerai ailleurs. (simple future; a bit more formal or predictive)
The simple present Aujourd’hui, je travaille ailleurs is also very natural for scheduled plans.

Question 15

Why is there no article with aujourd'hui or ailleurs?

Accepted Answer

Because both aujourd’hui and ailleurs are adverbs, not nouns. Adverbs in French don’t take articles.

Question 16

Any elisions or liaisons to watch for here?

Accepted Answer

- aujourd’hui already contains the elision d’ before hui (silent h), hence the apostrophe.
- There’s no special liaison to make between travaille and ailleurs; you’ll naturally glide from the “y” sound of -ille into the initial vowel of ailleurs.

Aujourd'hui, je travaille ailleurs.

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