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How to Say ‘To risk arriving a bit late’ in French

Risquer d'arriver un peu en retard

rees-KAY dee ah-ree-VAY on ruh-TAR

[rees-KAY dee ah-ree-VAY on ruh-TAR]

💬 Usage Tip: Risquer links to the next verb with de, which shrinks to d' before a vowel and can't stand alone. Same pattern: risquer d'attendre "to risk waiting".

Phrase Breakdown

Risquer d'arriver

rees-KAY dee ah-ree-VAY

To risk arriving / might arrive

'Risquer de' plus an infinitive means 'to be likely to'. Say 'ris-ké da-ri-vé'.

Example

Il risque de pleuvoir.

It might rain.

Words in this phrase

Risquer

[rees-KAY]

to risk / to be likely to

Followed by 'de' + verb: something might happen.

Example

On risque d'attendre.

We might have to wait.

[dee]

Used to indicate possession or connection.

Example

Le livre d'un ami.

The book of a friend.

arriver

[ah-ree-VAY]

to arrive

To get somewhere.

Example

On va arriver à huit heures.

We'll arrive at eight.

un peu en retard

on ruh-TAR

a little late

Say it in one flow: 'un peu an ruh-tar'.

Example

Désolé, je suis un peu en retard.

Sorry, I'm a little late.

Words in this phrase

peu

[on]

A preposition indicating inclusion within a space.

Example

Il est en France.

He is in France.

retard

[ruh-TAR]

lateness / delay

Used in 'en retard', meaning late.

Example

Désolé pour le retard.

Sorry for the delay.

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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