avoir hâte
The English phrase 'looking forward' can be expressed in French as avoir hâte.
avoir hâte is used to express that you are feeling excited and impatient about something that is going to happen in the future.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally translated, the phrase means 'to have haste', where hâte refers to a sense of urgency or eagerness.
Which one should you use?
While avoir hâte is purely positive and expresses excitement, the alternative phrase être impatient de can sometimes imply a sense of annoyance or restlessness caused by a delay.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using this phrase, you must use the preposition de. Use avoir hâte de + infinitive to say you are looking forward to doing something, and use avoir hâte de + noun to say you are looking forward to something.
Did you know?
- Unlike English where 'looking forward' can be a polite way to end a letter, avoir hâte is an expression of genuine emotion and is rarely used as a mere social formality.
- The word hâte in avoir hâte comes from the Frankish word *hai(f)st, making it a Germanic addition to the French vocabulary.
- The word hâte is the root for the French word hâtif, which describes plants or fruits that ripen early.
Examples in context
- J'ai hâte de vous rencontrerI'm looking forward to meeting you
- Je suis impatient(e) de commencer ce projetI'm looking forward to starting this project
- Nous attendons avec impatience votre réponseWe are looking forward to your response
- Je suis pressé(e) de te voirI can't wait to see you
- J'ai trop envie de partir en vacancesI'm really looking forward to going on vacation
- Je suis super excité(e) pour la fête ce soirI'm really excited about the party tonight
- Rien de spécial. J'ai hâte de me reposer à la maison. Et toi?Nothing special. I'm looking forward to relaxing at home. How about you?
- J'ai trop envie d'aller faire du shopping.I'm really looking forward to going shopping.
- J'ai hâte de te voir !I'm looking forward to seeing you!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries avoir, hâte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
