Chaque vs chacun in French: each before a noun or each one

Use chaque before a singular noun: chaque jour (“each day”). Use chacun when the noun is not repeated and you mean “each one” or “everyone”: chacun choisit (“each person chooses”). The feminine form is chacune when the “one” is feminine.

Chaque needs a noun

Chaque is a determiner. It must sit in front of a singular noun.

Chaque étudiant reçoit un livre.
Each student receives a book.

Do not use a plural noun after chaque. French treats the items one by one, so the noun is singular.

chaque jour, chaque personne, chaque question
each day, each person, each question

Chacun stands alone

Chacun is a pronoun. It replaces the noun instead of introducing it.

Chacun reçoit un livre.
Each person receives a book.

If the group is feminine and clear, use chacune:

Les questions sont difficiles; chacune demande du temps.
The questions are difficult; each one takes time.

You can also use chacun de or chacune de before a plural group:

Chacun de nous a une clé.
Each of us has a key.

The verb is usually singular

Because chaque, chacun, and chacune look at the members one by one, the verb is normally singular.

Chaque enfant a un billet.
Each child has a ticket.

Chacun sait la réponse.
Everyone knows the answer.

Common mistakes

Using chaque without a noun

Chaque cannot stand alone.

Chaque a une question. → Chacun a une question.
Each person has a question.

Using a plural noun after chaque

The noun after chaque is singular.

chaque jours → chaque jour
each day

Forgetting chacune

When the replaced noun is clearly feminine, chacune is the natural form.

Chaque des réponses est différente. → Chacune des réponses est différente.
Each of the answers is different.

The same noun-or-pronoun question appears in tout, tous, toute and toutes: does the word introduce a noun, or does it replace one? Fluera practices that choice inside short sentences, so chaque question and chacune des réponses become separate patterns. Try it when you practice French.

Practice