French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Early" in French: tôt
tôt
Early in French is tôt. You say tôt le matin for early in the morning, and plus tôt for earlier. En avance means ahead of schedule, which is close but not the same word.
Setting an alarm
Demain je me lève tôt pour le train.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tôt
Say it
toh
/to/
Toh, with a closed o. The t is clear; there is no final consonant sound after it.
"Early" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tôt | early Time of day or schedule. | Time of day or schedule. |
| tôt le matin | early in the morning Very common set phrase. | Very common set phrase. |
| plus tôt | earlier Comparison. | Comparison. |
| trop tôt | too early When timing is wrong. | When timing is wrong. |
How to use tôt in real life
- 1Setting an alarm
Demain je me lève tôt pour le train.
Tomorrow I'm getting up early for the train.
Tôt with se lever.
- 2Leaving a party
On part tôt, j'ai cours demain.
We're leaving early; I have class tomorrow.
Partir tôt.
- 3Comparing schedules
Tu peux venir plus tôt que samedi ?
Can you come earlier than Saturday?
Plus tôt for earlier.
Mistakes English speakers make with tôt
Incorrect: Je suis tôt à la réunion.
Correct: J'arrive tôt à la réunion.
Say arriver tôt or être en avance. Je suis tôt is not natural.
Incorrect: Il est tôt que 7 heures.
Correct: Il est trop tôt, il n'est que 7 heures.
Use trop tôt or il n'est que… for clock time.
Good to know
French offices often start around 9, so tôt le matin can mean before the Métro rush. Shops may open later than in some countries, so "early" is relative.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning a weekend hike
ChatPal
On part tôt samedi, d'accord ?
We're leaving early Saturday, okay?
You
Oui, très tôt. Style 7 heures.
Yes, very early. Like 7 o'clock.
ChatPal
Parfait. Plus tôt on arrive, mieux c'est pour la vue.
Perfect. The earlier we arrive, the better for the view.
You
Je prépare mon sac ce soir alors.
I'll pack my bag tonight then.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Early" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Early" in French
What is the difference between tôt and en avance?
Tôt is early in the day or sooner than usual. En avance means ahead of a set time.
How do I say earlier?
Plus tôt.
How do you say too early?
Trop tôt.
How do you pronounce tôt?
Toh, like a short closed o.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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