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How to Say ‘Late’ in French

En retard

on ruh-tar

[on ruh-tar]

💬 Usage Tip: En retard means late as in behind schedule, for people or trains. Don't confuse it with tard "late in the day", as in Il est tard "It's late".

Phrase Breakdown

[on]

A preposition indicating inclusion within a space.

Example

Il est en France.

He is in France.

retard

[ruh-tar]

lateness / delay

A noun meaning delay or being late.

Example

Dans « Un peu de retard ? », « retard » parle d'une arrivée tardive.

In "A little late?", "retard" refers to arriving 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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