How to Say ‘They are a bit late.’ in French
Ils sont un peu en retard.
eel sohn uhn puh ahn ruh-tar
[eel sohn uhn puh ahn ruh-tar]
💬 Usage Tip: Un peu = 'a little / a bit.' En retard means 'late.'
🇫🇷 In France: A very realistic school-gate phrase—delays at pickup happen, and everyone notices!
Phrase Breakdown
Ils
[eel]
they
Ils means 'they' for a masculine or mixed group.
Quand les enfants tardent, on dit : Ils sont un peu en retard.
When the children are late, people say: 'They are a little late.'
sont
[sohn]
are
Sont means 'are' from the verb être.
En attendant, je dis : Ils sont un peu en retard.
While waiting, I say: 'They are a little late.'
un
[uhn]
a
Un means 'a' or 'one'; in un peu it is part of the phrase 'a little'.
Je remarque : Ils sont un peu en retard.
I remark: 'They are a little late.'
peu
[puh]
little
Peu means 'little'; un peu means 'a little' or 'a bit'.
S'il y a du retard, je dis : Ils sont un peu en retard.
If there is a delay, I say: 'They are a little late.'
en
[ahn]
in
En is part of the fixed expression en retard, meaning 'late'.
Au portail, on entend parfois : Ils sont un peu en retard.
At the gate, you sometimes hear: 'They are a little late.'
retard
[ruh-tar]
late
Retard means 'delay'; en retard means 'late'.
Quand la classe sort tard, je dis : Ils sont un peu en retard.
When the class comes out late, I say: 'They are a little late.'
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