à tout à l'heure
/a tu.t‿a l‿œʁ/
The English phrase "see you then" can be translated into French as à tout à l'heure.
The phrase à tout à l'heure is used to say "See you in a little while." It is specifically used when you expect to see the person again later on the same day.
Which one should you use?
While à tout à l'heure specifically means "see you later" in the context of later today, you might also use On se voit alors to say "We'll see each other then."
How do you pronounce it?
/a tu.t‿a l‿œʁ/
Did you know?
- The word tout in this phrase is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'total', as both derive from the same Latin root for 'all' or 'entire'.
- If you see someone again within a few minutes, you might use à tout de suite instead of à tout à l'heure. While both mean 'see you soon', à tout de suite implies an immediate reunion.
- Unlike the English 'see you', which focuses on the visual act of seeing, à tout à l'heure focuses on the point in time when the reunion will occur.
Examples in context
- À tout à l'heure !See you later!
- On se voit pour le déjeuner, à tout à l'heure.We'll see each other for lunch, see you then.
- Je passe te voir à seize heures, à tout à l'heure.I'll stop by to see you at four, see you then.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are leaving the office for a quick lunch break.
- GabrielJe reviens dans une heure.I will be back in an hour.
- ManonD'accord, à tout à l'heure, Gabriel.Okay, see you then, Gabriel.
- GabrielÀ tout à l'heure, Manon.See you later, Manon.
- ManonBon appétit !Enjoy your meal!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry à tout à l'heure, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tout, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
