Fois

Fois is a French noun that primarily means time or occurrence, and it also serves as the standard expression for multiplication in mathematics. It is used to indicate how many times something happens, and it forms common phrases such as une fois (one time), deux fois (two times), and plusiers fois (several times). The noun itself is invariant in form; the number preceding it changes, as in trois fois or dix fois.

In everyday language, fois appears in several well-known constructions. The expression à la fois means “at the same time.” Fois also features in the colloquial des fois to mean “sometimes,” though more formal equivalents are parfois or quelquefois. The phrase à plusieurs reprises also conveys the sense of “several times.”

In mathematics, fois denotes multiplication. The usual spoken form is deux fois trois, which equals six, and the written form often uses the multiplication symbol (2 × 3). In French arithmetic instruction, you may encounter phrases such as deux fois trois font six.

Etymology traces the word to Old French times or fois, historically conveying time or occasion. Today, fois retains both its noun sense for occurrences and its multiplication sense in mathematical and educational contexts.

See also: multiplication, parfois, quelquefois, à la fois.