What does à l'heure in French mean?
What is the meaning of the word à l'heure in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use à l'heure in French.
The word à l'heure in French means on time, at a snail's pace, right now, at this time, at the moment, at the time of, at mealtimes, at zero hour, at the hour of reckoning, now, these days, nowadays, Later! Laters!, be on time, be right, put right, set the record straight, set things straight, switch to summer time, putting the clocks back, ending British summer time, put the clocks forward, put the clocks back, paid per hour, paid by the hour, set the record straight, drive at a snail's pace, in a while, just now, directly, live life in the fast lane. To learn more, please see the details below.
Meaning of the word à l'heure
on timelocution adverbiale (à l'heure donnée) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") En partant tôt et en évitant les bouchons, j'ai réussi à arriver à l'heure à mon rendez-vous. C'est incroyable mais mon train est arrivé et parti à l'heure ! By leaving early and avoiding the traffic I managed to arrive at my meeting on time. Incredibly, my train arrived and left on time! |
at a snail's pacelocution adverbiale (familier (très lentement) (figurative) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") |
right now, at this time, at the momentlocution adverbiale (en ce moment) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") À l'heure actuelle, le ministre des Affaires étrangères doit survoler l'Atlantique. Nous n'avons pas plus d'informations à l'heure actuelle. We do not currently have any more information. |
at the time of(au moment de, à l'époque de) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") |
at mealtimeslocution adverbiale (au moment de manger) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") Prenez vos médicaments à l'heure des repas. |
at zero hour, at the hour of reckoninglocution adverbiale (au moment prévu) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") L'opération fut lancée à l'heure H. |
nowlocution adverbiale (maintenant) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") |
these days, nowadayslocution adverbiale (de nos jours) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") |
Later! Laters!locution adverbiale (à plus tard) (very informal) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") Je pars manger. À tout à l'heure ! I am going to eat. Laters! |
be on timelocution verbale (arriver à l'heure donnée) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") C'est bizarre que Thierry ne soit pas encore là : d'habitude, il est toujours à l'heure. Mon frère n'est jamais à l'heure, c'est fatigant. It is strange that Terry is not here yet; he is usually on time. My brother is never on time; it's annoying. |
be rightlocution verbale (donner l'heure juste) (clock) Voilà, j'ai réparé l'horloge, maintenant, elle est à l'heure. There you are; I've repaired the clock. It is now right. |
put rightlocution verbale (régler l'horloge) |
set the record straight, set things straightlocution verbale (figuré (corriger des idées fausses) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
switch to summer timenom masculin (changement d'heure estival) (noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.) Le passage à l'heure d'été a lieu le dernier week-end de mars. |
putting the clocks back, ending British summer timenom masculin (changement d'heure hivernal) (noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.) Le passage à l'heure d'hiver se fait le dernier week-end d'octobre. |
put the clocks forwardlocution verbale (avancer d'une heure les montres) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Je suis en retard car je ne suis pas passé à l'heure d'été. |
put the clocks backlocution verbale (reculer d'une heure les montres) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") Nous passerons à l'heure d'hiver fin octobre. |
paid per hour, paid by the hourlocution adjectivale (salaire horaire) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") |
set the record straightlocution verbale (figuré (mettre les choses au point) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
drive at a snail's pacelocution verbale (familier (rouler très lentement) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
in a whilelocution adverbiale (un peu plus tard) (expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.") J'irai faire la vaisselle tout à l'heure. I will do the dishes in a while. |
just nowlocution adverbiale (un peu plus tôt) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") Tiens, tout à l'heure, j'ai croisé le voisin à la boulangerie. By the way, I saw our neighbour at the bakery just now. |
directlylocution adverbiale (désuet (à l'instant, tout de suite) (adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.") « La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure, nous l'allons montrer tout à l'heure. » - Jean de la Fontaine. 'Might is right, we will show this to be true directly.' - Jean de la Fontaine. |
live life in the fast lanelocution verbale (vivre à toute allure) (verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.") |
Let's learn French
So now that you know more about the meaning of à l'heure in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.
Related words of à l'heure
Updated words of French
Do you know about French
French (le français) is a Romance language. Like Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, it comes from popular Latin, once used in the Roman Empire. A French-speaking person or country can be called a "Francophone". French is the official language in 29 countries. French is the fourth most spoken native language in the European Union. French ranks third in the EU, after English and German, and is the second most widely taught language after English. The majority of the world's French-speaking population lives in Africa, with about 141 million Africans from 34 countries and territories who can speak French as a first or second language. French is the second most widely spoken language in Canada, after English, and both are official languages at the federal level. It is the first language of 9.5 million people or 29% and the second language of 2.07 million people or 6% of the entire population of Canada. In contrast to other continents, French has no popularity in Asia. Currently, no country in Asia recognizes French as an official language.