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How to Say ‘Late’ in French

En retard

ahn ruh-tar

[ahn ruh-tar]

💬 Usage Tip: En retard means late compared with when something was due, unlike tard, which just means late in the day. For example, Je suis en retard "I'm running late."

Phrase Breakdown

[ahn]

Part of the fixed phrase 'en retard', meaning late.

Example

Je suis en retard.

I'm late.

retard

[ruh-tar]

lateness

Noun meaning delay or lateness, common in school situations.

Example

Dans « Excusez-moi pour le retard. », « retard » parle du fait d'arriver tard.

In “Excuse me for being late.”, “retard” refers to arriving late.

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