tu es en retard
The English phrase "you're late" is translated into French as tu es en retard.
This phrase is used to inform someone that they have arrived after the expected or scheduled time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en retard literally translates to "in delay" or "behind schedule".
Which one should you use?
Use vous êtes en retard instead of tu es en retard when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to be late' in French, you use the verb être (to be) followed by the prepositional phrase en retard. To specify how late someone is, use the preposition de after the phrase, such as tu es en retard de dix minutes (you are ten minutes late).
Did you know?
- In France, there is a cultural concept known as le quart d'heure de politesse or 'the polite quarter hour'. It is often considered polite to arrive 15 minutes late to a social invitation to allow the host extra time to prepare.
- The word retard in French is a noun that serves as the root for the English word 'retard', though in French it remains a common, neutral term for a delay or lateness.
- In very formal or administrative French, you might encounter the term en souffrance to describe something that is 'late' or overdue, such as a payment or a piece of mail.
Examples in context
- Tu es en retard.You're late.This sentence is useful for the simple statement of someone being late.Tatoeba #1407088 by sacredceltic, translation #1895603 by CK
- Tu es en retard à la fête.You're late to the party.This sentence shows how to specify the event that someone is late to.Tatoeba #1704196 by sacredceltic, translation #1699262 by Spamster
- Je veux savoir pourquoi tu es en retard.I want to know why you're late.This sentence shows how to ask for the reason behind the lateness.Tatoeba #5315524 by Aiji, translation #3733537 by CK
- Excusez-moi, Monsieur Dupont, mais vous êtes en retard pour la réunion.Excuse me, Mr. Dupont, but you are late for the meeting.
- Eh, t'es en retard pour le dîner chez maman !Hey, you're late for dinner at mom's!
- Non mais là, t'as du retard grave, ça fait une heure qu'on t'attend !No seriously, you're seriously late, we've been waiting for an hour!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas arrives at a cafe to meet Emma.
- EmmaSalut Lucas ! Tu es en retard.Hi Lucas! You're late.
- LucasDésolé, j'ai raté mon bus.Sorry, I missed my bus.
- EmmaCe n'est pas grave, assieds-toi.It's okay, sit down.
- LucasMerci, je me rattrape.Thanks, I'll make it up to you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, retard, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
