dès que
/dɛ k(ə)/
The English phrase 'as soon as' is translated into French as dès que. If unsure, use dès que. Wiktionary also lists sitôt que and aussitôt que.
Meaning: immediately after (conj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| dès que | /dɛ k(ə)/ |
| sitôt que | /si.to kə/ |
| aussitôt que | /o.si.to kə/ |
All three forms are conjunctions used to mean 'immediately after'. In English, you might say 'as soon as possible', which is translated into the fixed French expression dès que possible.
Which one should you use?
dès que is the most common and neutral way to express this idea. In contrast, aussitôt que and sitôt que are slightly more formal or literary.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring to a future event, the clause following dès que must use the future tense in French, even though English often uses the present tense in these structures.
How do you pronounce it?
/dɛ k(ə)/
Did you know?
- The word que is a doublet of quoi, meaning they both originate from the same root but evolved into different forms based on how much emphasis they receive in a sentence.
- The word dès can be used alone as a preposition to mean 'starting from' a specific time or place, such as dès demain for 'starting tomorrow'.
- In very formal or legal French, sitôt que is often preferred over dès que to emphasize the absolute immediacy of a condition being met.
Examples in context
- Viens dès que tu peux.Come as soon as you can.This sentence shows how to use dès que with a verb.Tatoeba #895678 by sacredceltic, translation #39532 by CK
- J’appelle dès que je sais.I'll ring as soon as I know.This sentence demonstrates the use of dès que to express a future intention.Tatoeba #8600694 by felix63, translation #11004815 by sundown
- J'arrive dès que possible.I'll be there as soon as I can.This sentence illustrates the fixed expression dès que possible.Tatoeba #9467833 by felix63, translation #953793 by CK
- Je l'appellerai aussitôt que je serai disponible.I'll call him as soon as I'm available.
- Je le rencontrerai dès que possible.I'll meet him as soon as possible.
- Je te rejoindrai dès que j'aurai terminé.I'll join you as soon as I'm done.
- Je viendrai quand j'aurai fini.I'll come as soon as I'm finished.
- Je m'inscrirai au cours dès que les inscriptions seront ouvertes.I'll register for the course as soon as registrations are open.
- Veuillez m'envoyer les rapports dès que possible.Please send me the reports as soon as possible.
- 190 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are discussing their plans for the evening.
- HugoDès que tu finis tes devoirs, on sort ?As soon as you finish your homework, shall we go out?
- ChloéOui, je termine dès que je peux.Yes, I'll finish as soon as I can.
- HugoSuper, j'ai hâte de voir ce film.Great, I can't wait to see this movie.
- ChloéMoi aussi, je serai prête très vite.Me too, I will be ready very soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “as soon as” translations and entries dès que, sitôt que, aussitôt que, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aussitôt, dès, que, sitôt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
