Which one should you use?
While the English phrase focuses on the speaker's action, the French version on se parle plus tard implies a reciprocal action, meaning "we talk to each other later".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
on se parle plus tard is informal and is best used with friends, family or colleagues you know well. For a more formal way to express the sentiment of hoping to speak with someone again soon, you can use En espérant vous parler à nouveau bientôt.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the pronoun on is used to mean "we", which is a common practice in casual spoken French.
When do people say it?
In informal settings, you might also hear Salut. used as a casual way to say both hi or bye, or À plus. used among friends or acquaintances to mean something similar to "catch you later." To add affection when saying goodbye, you can use Bisou, which means "kiss". For a slightly different informal phrasing, you can say On se reparle plus tard, which translates to "let's talk again later".
Did you know?
- In France, the number of kisses exchanged during la bise varies by region, with some areas traditionally doing two, three or even four.
- The pronoun on in on se parle plus tard is a descendant of the Latin word homō, meaning 'human being'.
- Using on instead of nous to mean 'we' in on se parle plus tard is so dominant in spoken French that nous can sound overly stiff or academic in a casual setting.
Examples in context
- Salut Marie, à plus tard! Bisou!Bye Marie, talk to you later! Kiss!
- On se parle plus tard, d'accord ?Talk to you later, okay?
- Je pars maintenant, on se parle plus tard.I'm leaving now, talk to you later.
- Ok, on se parle plus tard !Ok, talk to you later!
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are finishing a phone call.
- GabrielJe dois y aller, Manon.I have to go, Manon.
- ManonPas de problème, Gabriel.No problem, Gabriel.
- GabrielOn se parle plus tard.Talk to you later.
- ManonÇa marche, à plus tard !That works, see you later!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries on, plus, se, tard, CC BY-SA 4.0.
