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How to say “to be late” in French

The French for “to be late”, with audio, grammar notes and the words that go with it.

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to be late

être en retard

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  • French

    être en retard

    to be late

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French words and phrases that go with it

Where this fits

“to be late” is word 277 of our most-common-words list in the 4ToSpeak French guides. Browse every French word and phrase A–Z or work through the common words in order.

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How do you say “to be late” in French?

“to be late” in French is “être en retard”.

What does “être en retard” mean in English?

“être en retard” is French for “to be late”.

How do I remember “être en retard”?

Say it out loud in a sentence, not on its own. Hear it, say it, then use it in a full French sentence. That is how every 4ToSpeak lesson works.

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Use “être en retard” in a sentence

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