mieux vaut tard que jamais
/mjø vo taʁ kə ʒa.mɛ/
The English phrase "better late than never" is translated into French as mieux vaut tard que jamais.
This proverb is used in French in the exact same way as the English equivalent to express that it is preferable to complete a task or arrive late than to skip it entirely.
Meaning: it's better to do something late, than to never do it at all (proverb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of mieux (better), vaut (is worth/is better), tard (late), que (than) and jamais (never).
How does it change in a sentence?
The expression mieux vaut means "it is better". The verb vaut is the third-person singular present form of valoir (to be worth).
How do you pronounce it?
/mjø vo taʁ kə ʒa.mɛ/
Did you know?
- The word jamais is actually a combination of two separate words, ja (already/now) and mais (more), which historically meant 'any more' in a future context.
- The phrase mieux vaut is used as a grammatical shorthand in French to give advice or make a recommendation without using a subject like 'it' or 'one'.
Examples in context
- Mieux vaut tard que jamais.Better late than never.This sentence shows the standard use of mieux vaut tard que jamais.Tatoeba #4205 by TRANG, translation #2344 by CK
- Mieux vaut tard que jamais, n’est-ce pas ?Better late than never, no?This sentence shows how to add a tag question to mieux vaut tard que jamais.Tatoeba #13149020 by madjidoumnia, translation #13149571 by rul
- Il a enfin terminé son projet, mieux vaut tard que jamais.He finally finished his project, better late than never.
Example conversation
Gabriel arrives late to a coffee date with Léa.
- LéaTu es enfin là, Gabriel !You are finally here, Gabriel!
- GabrielDésolé, j'ai eu beaucoup de retard.Sorry, I am very late.
- LéaCe n'est pas grave, mieux vaut tard que jamais.It is not serious, better late than never.
- GabrielMerci de ta patience, Léa.Thank you for your patience, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “better late than never” translations and entries mieux vaut tard que jamais, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jamais, mieux, que, tard, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
