French Phrase
Il me reste combien de jours ?
Meaning
This phrase literally translates to "It remains to me how many of days?" and is used to ask about the quantity of days remaining for a specific event, task, or period. It's a common and natural way to inquire about remaining time in French, focusing on what is left for the speaker.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to know how much time (specifically, how many days) you personally have left until a deadline, a trip, an event, or for a task to be completed. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though slightly more common in everyday conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Il me restecombien dejours
Il me reste
This is an impersonal construction meaning 'there remains to me' or 'I have left'. 'Il' is the impersonal subject, 'me' is the indirect object pronoun (to me), and 'reste' is the verb 'rester' (to remain) conjugated in the third person singular.
combien de
This phrase means 'how many of' or 'how much of'. It is always followed by 'de' (or 'd' before a vowel) and then the noun, regardless of whether the noun is plural or singular.
jours
'Jours' means 'days'. It is a masculine plural noun. In this context, it's the object of the question, specifying what quantity is being asked about.
🗨In Conversation
La date limite pour le projet est vendredi. Il me reste combien de jours ?
The deadline for the project is Friday. How many days do I have left?
Aujourd'hui, c'est mardi, donc il te reste trois jours.
Today is Tuesday, so you have three days left.
✕Common Mistakes
J'ai combien de jours restants ?
While understandable, this is a more direct, less idiomatic translation from English. The structure "il me reste" is the natural French way to express 'I have X left'.
Combien de jours je reste ?
This implies 'how many days do I stay?' rather than 'how many days do I have left?'. The verb 'rester' needs to be used impersonally with 'il' and the indirect object pronoun 'me'.
↔Alternatives
Combien de jours restent-ils ?
How many days are left?
Il reste combien de jours ?
How many days are left?
J'ai combien de jours ?
How many days do I have?
Cultural Tip
The construction "il me reste" (or "il te reste," "il nous reste," etc.) is a very common and idiomatic way to express 'I have X left' or 'X remains for me' in French, whether referring to time, money, or objects. It's more natural than a direct translation using 'avoir' (to have). Mastering this structure will make your French sound much more authentic.