Demain

Demain is a French adverb meaning "the day after today," i.e., "tomorrow." It is used to refer to the near future and is among the common temporal expressions in everyday speech. In sentences it can appear at the beginning for emphasis or close to the verb, for example: Demain, j'ai un rendez-vous, or J'ai rendez-vous demain.

Etymology and usage notes are typically concise: demain originates in Old French and has evolved alongside other time-indicating adverbs in the Romance language family. The precise historical formation is part of broader shifts in how Romance languages expressed future reference, but today its core meaning remains stable: the day that follows today.

In culture and media, the word appears both as a common temporal reference and as a title or motif. A notable modern reference is the 2015 documentary film Demain (Tomorrow in English), directed by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent, which surveys ecological, economic, and social innovations and advocates practical, local solutions. In literature, the phrase continues to be widely recognized from Victor Hugo’s line “Demain, dès l’aube,” which has become a familiar cultural touchstone associated with departure and memory.

Translations and equivalents in other languages vary, but in English the direct rendering is tomorrow. The term is primarily used in French contexts to denote the immediate future, but it also appears in headlines, titles, and slogans that aim to evoke foresight, planning, or concern for the near future.