How to Say ‘And if we are a little late?’ in French
Et si nous avons un peu de retard ?
ay see noo ah-vohn uhn puh duh ruh-tar
[ay see noo ah-vohn uhn puh duh ruh-tar]
💬 Usage Tip: [Avoir du retard] is the usual French pattern for being late. Once you know it, you can vary it easily: [nous avons dix minutes de retard], [le train a du retard].
Phrase Breakdown
Et si nous avons
ay see noo ah-vohn
And if we have
Begins a hypothetical question about a possible situation.
Et si nous avons un problème ?
And if we have a problem?
Words in this phrase
Et
[ay]
and / what if
Used here to ask about another possible situation.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « Et » introduit une autre question.
In "And if we are a little late?", "Et" introduces another question.
si
[see]
if
Introduces the condition being discussed.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « si » introduit la condition.
In "And if we are a little late?", "si" introduces the condition.
nous
[noo]
we
Subject pronoun meaning we.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « nous » désigne les clients.
In "And if we are a little late?", "nous" refers to the customers.
avons
[ah-vohn]
have
Verb form from avoir, meaning we have.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « avons » exprime une situation possible.
In "And if we are a little late?", "avons" expresses a possible situation.
Un peu de retard ?
uhn puh duh ruh-tar
A little delay?
Means being a little late.
Nous aurons un peu de retard.
We will be a little late.
Words in this phrase
un
[uhn]
a / one
Indefinite article; here part of un peu.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « un » appartient à l'expression « un peu ».
In "And if we are a little late?", "un" belongs to the expression "un peu."
peu
[puh]
little / a little
In this phrase, means a little.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « peu » signifie « un petit peu ».
In "And if we are a little late?", "peu" means "a small amount."
de
[duh]
of
Links the quantity phrase to the noun that follows.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « de » relie l'expression au nom.
In "And if we are a little late?", "de" links the expression to the noun.
retard
[ruh-tar]
lateness / delay
Noun meaning delay or lateness.
Dans « Et si nous avons un peu de retard ? », « retard » parle du temps perdu.
In "And if we are a little late?", "retard" refers to the delay.
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