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How to Say ‘It's a bit late’ in French

C'est un peu tard

suh eh uhn puh tar

[suh eh uhn puh tar]

💬 Usage Tip: C'est un runs together as one sound: (say-tuhn peu tar). The final d of tard stays silent.

Phrase Breakdown

C'est un

suh eh uhn

It's a

Practise the liaison: the 't' of 'c'est' links to 'un', so you say 'sé-tun'.

Example

C'est un bon restaurant.

It's a good restaurant.

Words in this phrase

[suh]

Used to refer to a thing previously mentioned.

Example

C'est incroyable.

It is incredible.

est

[eh]

Third person singular present of be.

Example

C'est important.

It is important.

[uhn]

Indefinite article used before a singular noun.

Example

Un petit garçon joue.

A little boy is playing.

peu tard

puh tar

bit late

'Un peu' means 'a little'. The 'd' in 'tard' is silent, so it sounds like 'tar'.

Example

Il est un peu tard.

It's a bit late.

Words in this phrase

peu

[puh]

little

Used to indicate a small amount.

Example

Il y a peu de gens.

There are few people.

tard

[tar]

late

Adverb meaning at a late time; the d is silent.

Example

Il rentre tard.

He comes home late.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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