bientôt
/bjɛ̃.to/
bientôt is the French word for "soon".
bientôt is used to indicate that something will happen in a short time from now.
Which one should you use?
While bientôt means 'soon' (implying a short time from now), tout de suite is used for 'right away' or 'immediately' to indicate an action starting now. The phrase À bientôt ! is a common way to say 'See you soon!' when parting from someone.
How do you pronounce it?
/bjɛ̃.to/. The word has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word bientôt is a compound of bien and tôt, which originally meant 'very' and 'early'.
- Because bientôt implies a vague, short period, it can sometimes be used as a polite way to avoid making a concrete commitment to a specific time.
- While English speakers use 'soon' in many contexts, a French speaker might switch to prochainement if they are announcing a formal event like a film release or a shop opening.
Examples in context
- Le rapport sera disponible prochainementThe report will be available soon
- Nous vous contacterons d'ici peu pour confirmer votre rendez-vousWe will contact you soon to confirm your appointment
- Je finis ce que je fais, et je te retrouve tout à l'heureI'll finish what I'm doing, and I'll meet you soon
- Je vais te rejoindre, ça ne va pas tarderI'll join you soon, it won't be long
- Je vais partir d'ici peu de tempsI will leave soon
- À bientôt !See you soon!
- Le train arrive bientôt.The train is arriving soon.
- Il va bientôt pleuvoir.It is going to rain soon.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are saying goodbye after a coffee date.
- LéaJe dois partir maintenant.I have to go now.
- NathanD'accord, on se voit bientôt ?Okay, will we see each other soon?
- LéaOui, à bientôt, Nathan !Yes, see you soon, Nathan!
- NathanSalut Léa !Bye Léa!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bientôt, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bientôt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
