hors de la ville
The English phrase "out of town" is translated into French as hors de la ville.
This phrase is used to indicate that a person is currently outside of their town of residence.
Meaning: out of one's town of residence (prep_phrase)
Which one should you use?
While hors de la ville literally means "outside the city," the phrase en déplacement is often more natural when describing someone who is away for work or business purposes.
Did you know?
- The word ville actually traces its roots back to the Latin word for a 'country house' rather than a large urban center. This is because the term originally referred to a rural estate or villa.
- French speakers often distinguish between la ville (the town center) and la banlieue (the suburbs), meaning hors de la ville can sometimes just mean being in the outskirts.
- While hors de la ville describes a geographic state, the French language often uses the verb partir (to leave) to convey the same social meaning as the English 'out of town' when announcing one's absence.
Examples in context
- J'étais en vacances hors de la ville.I was out of town on vacation.This sentence shows how to use hors de la ville to describe being away on vacation.Tatoeba #1348146 by sacredceltic, translation #256834 by CK
- Je serai hors de la ville pour quelques jours.I'll be out of town for a few days.This sentence demonstrates using hors de la ville to state how long you will be away.Tatoeba #1186490 by sacredceltic, translation #1186486 by CK
- Tom est en voyage d'affaires hors de la ville.Tom is out of town on business.This sentence uses hors de la ville to describe someone traveling for business.Tatoeba #5660474 by Aiji, translation #3431140 by CK
- J'ai un rendez-vous à l'extérieur de la ville ce week-end.I have an appointment out of town this weekend.
- Je ne peux pas te rejoindre pour le déjeuner, je suis pas dans le coin aujourd'hui.I'm unable to meet you for lunch, I'm out of town today.
- J'ai besoin de faire quelques courses en dehors de la ville.I need to do some shopping out of town.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing their weekend plans.
- HugoTu veux aller au cinéma samedi ?Do you want to go to the cinema on Saturday?
- ManonDésolée, je serai hors de la ville ce week-end.Sorry, I will be out of town this weekend.
- HugoTu vas où, Manon ?Where are you going, Manon?
- ManonJe vais rendre visite à mes parents.I am going to visit my parents.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hors, la, ville, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
