French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Late" in French: tard
tard
Note: "to be late": être en retard
Late as a time adverb in French is tard : trop tard, plus tard, se coucher tard. Être en retard means to be late for an appointment—that uses retard, not tard alone.
Night routine
Je me couche trop tard en ce moment.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tard
Say it
tar
/taʁ/
Tar, with a soft French r. No final d sound in everyday speech.
"Late" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tard | late Time of day / schedule. | Time of day / schedule. |
| trop tard | too late Missed the window. | Missed the window. |
| plus tard | later Postponing. | Postponing. |
| très tard | very late Intensity. | Intensity. |
How to use tard in real life
- 1Night routine
Je me couche trop tard en ce moment.
I've been going to bed too late lately.
Trop tard.
- 2Leaving a bar
Il est déjà tard, on y va ?
It's already late; shall we go?
Il est tard.
- 3Postponing a call
On en parle plus tard, d'accord ?
We'll talk about it later, okay?
Plus tard.
Mistakes English speakers make with tard
Incorrect: Je suis tard pour le cours.
Correct: Je suis en retard pour le cours. / J'arrive tard.
For appointments use en retard. Tard alone is the adverb.
Incorrect: Il est une heure tard.
Correct: Il est tard. / Il est une heure du matin.
Say il est tard, not une heure tard.
Good to know
Dinner can start late by some standards—20h is normal. Saying on se voit plus tard is a flexible plan, not always a clock time.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Wrapping up a study night
ChatPal
Il se fait tard. On arrête ?
It's getting late. Shall we stop?
You
Oui. Je rentre, c'est trop tard pour le dernier métro sinon.
Yes. I'm heading back; otherwise it's too late for the last Métro.
ChatPal
Tu as raison. On révise plus tard demain.
You're right. We'll revise later tomorrow.
You
Vers seize heures chez moi.
Around four at my place.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Late" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Late" in French
What is the difference between tard and en retard?
Tard is late as a time. Être en retard is to be late for something scheduled.
How do I say later?
Plus tard.
How do I say too late?
Trop tard.
How do you pronounce tard?
Tar, soft r, silent d in speech.
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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