What does it mean word for word?
The phrase j'ai hâte de literally translates to "I have haste to".
Which one should you use?
In Quebec, you might hear J'ai bien hâte de. For highly formal situations, use Je me réjouis de or J'attends avec impatience. In casual speech, people often add intensifiers such as J'ai trop hâte de or J'ai super hâte de.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For professional settings or formal correspondence, it is more appropriate to use je me réjouis de or J'attends avec impatience. In very informal settings, you can use J'ai trop hâte de or J'ai super hâte de.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the variation J'ai bien hâte de is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, j'ai hâte de is followed by an infinitive verb. This differs from the English structure where the "to" in "looking forward to" is often followed by a gerund, such as in "looking forward to seeing".
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'look forward to' to mean they are waiting with pleasure, using the literal French translation regarder en avant vers would sound like you are physically staring at a direction in front of you.
- The spelling of hâte with a circumflex accent over the 'a' serves as a historical marker for a letter that used to exist in the word.
- The word hâte is a linguistic relative of the English word 'haste'.
Examples in context
- J'ai hâte de te voir danser.I look forward to watching you dance.This sentence shows how to use j'ai hâte de with an infinitive to express looking forward to watching someone dance.Tatoeba #6849854 by GB3, translation #6849407 by CK
- J'ai hâte de parler avec toi.I look forward to speaking with you.This sentence demonstrates the use of j'ai hâte de when looking forward to speaking with someone.Tatoeba #6575471 by GB3, translation #6575246 by Eccles17
- J'ai hâte de vous voir à Noël.I look forward to seeing you at Christmas.This sentence illustrates using j'ai hâte de to express looking forward to seeing someone at Christmas.Tatoeba #15240 by Barbiche0, translation #62813 by CK
- Je me réjouis de vous rencontrer prochainement.I look forward to meeting you soon.
- J'ai hâte de collaborer avec vous.I look forward to collaborating with you.
- J'attends avec impatience votre réponse.I look forward to your response.
- J'espère vivement travailler avec vous.I look forward to working with you.
- J'ai trop hâte de te revoir.I can't wait to see you again.
- J'ai super hâte de commencer nos vacances.I'm really excited to start our vacations.
- Je brûle d'envie de découvrir cette nouvelle série.I can't wait to discover this new series.
- J'ai bien hâte de goûter à cette spécialité québécoise.I'm really looking forward to trying this Quebec specialty.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are planning a trip together.
- LéaJ'ai hâte de partir en vacances avec toi !I look forward to going on vacation with you!
- HugoMoi aussi, ça va être génial.Me too, it is going to be great.
- LéaOn part quand exactement ?When exactly are we leaving?
- HugoOn part samedi matin, Hugo.We leave Saturday morning, Hugo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hâte, j'ai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
