Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| approximativement | /a.pʁɔk.si.ma.tiv.mɑ̃/ |
| à peu près | /a pø pʁɛ/ |
Both forms are used to express that a value, time or quantity is approximate. While approximativement is a direct cognate of the English word, à peu près is the more natural way to convey an approximate measure in most situations.
Which one should you use?
Approximativement is a direct cognate of the English 'approximately', whereas à peu près is a much more common and natural way to say 'about' or 'ish' in everyday spoken French.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Approximativement is a formal term typically reserved for technical, mathematical or scientific contexts. In casual conversation, à peu près is more common. For a more formal setting involving time or location, you might use aux alentours de or use vers for approximate time or direction. If you want to express a degree of approximation formally, you can use plus ou moins. In very informal settings, such as among friends or younger generations, the word genre is often used to express an approximate value or estimation.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of approximativement is /a.pʁɔk.si.ma.tiv.mɑ̃/ and it has 6 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word près in the phrase à peu près is etymologically linked to the Latin word for 'to press' or 'to condense'.
- The phrase à peu près literally translates to 'at little near', which uses the word 'près' to mean 'close' or 'near' in a physical or spatial sense.
- When describing an approximate time, French speakers use vers, which is the exact same word used to describe a physical direction or heading.
Examples in context
- La réunion commencera vers 10 heures.The meeting will start around 10 o'clock.
- Je serai là aux alentours de 7 heures.I'll be there around 7 o'clock.
- On se retrouve à l'école, vers 9h30.Let's meet at school, around 9:30-ish.
- J'ai besoin d'attendre genre dix minutes.I need to wait for, like, ten minutes.
- J'ai lu le livre en une heure à peu près.I read the book in about an hour.
- Il est approximativement midi.It is approximately noon.
- Cela coûte approximativement vingt euros.That costs approximately twenty euros.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing their meeting time.
- LucasÀ quelle heure arrives-tu ?What time are you arriving?
- EmmaJ'arrive approximativement à midi.I'll be there around noon.
- LucasC'est parfait pour moi, Emma.That is perfect for me, Emma.
- EmmaÀ tout à l'heure, Lucas !See you soon, Lucas!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ish” translations and entries approximativement, à peu près, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries approximativement, peu, près, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
