
New here? This is lesson 91 of a free 240-lesson French course.
Maybe and almost there in French
Sam is on the stairs again, phone in hand. Inès is already at Café des Tilleuls, and the croissants will not wait.
You will say you are on your way, on time, or five minutes late.
You will also say a plan might work, or that it is simply too late.
J'arrive means you are coming, not that you are at the door yet.
By the end of this lesson
Say you are on your way, on time, or a few minutes late.
- J'arrive.I'll be right there.
- Je suis en route.I'm on my way.
- Je suis à l'heure.I'm on time.
- J'ai cinq minutes de retard.I'm five minutes late.
- Ça peut marcher.It might work.
- C'est trop tard.It's too late.
Scene — four flights
Sam ducked back up the walk-up for his jacket. He is on the fourth-floor stairs, no lift, mustard backpack bumping the rail.
Inès is already at Café des Tilleuls. Gaspard sits at the table next to the window table, still chewing.
The blank brass sign stays on the window table. Sam texts from a landing.

Learn — on the way and too late
Six lines cover on my way, on time, five minutes late, it might work, and too late.
J'arrive is for when you are still coming, not already at the door.

J'arrive.
I'll be right there.
When to use it: Use this to say you are on your way.
It means you are coming, not already at the door.
Say it: Je drops its e, so you hear j'arrive.

Je suis en route.
I'm on my way.
When to use it: Say this when you have left and are travelling.
En route is one piece for being on the way.
Say it: The en in en route is a nasal sound.

Je suis à l'heure.
I'm on time.
When to use it: Say this when you are not early and not late.
À l'heure is one piece for being on time.
Say it: The h in heure is silent, so it is l'heure.

J'ai cinq minutes de retard.
I'm five minutes late.
When to use it: Say this when you are late by five minutes.
Put the number after j'ai, then minutes de retard.
Say it: The vowel in cinq is nasal.

Ça peut marcher.
It might work.
When to use it: Say this when a plan might still work.
This is a maybe, not a sure yes.
Say it: The t in peut stays silent before marcher.

C'est trop tard.
It's too late.
When to use it: Say this when the moment for something has passed.
Trop tard means too late, not a little late.
Say it: The p in trop is silent.
Story — the croissant is gone
Sam texts from the stairwell while Inès waits at the café. Gaspard keeps chewing.
The highlighted words are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you need it.
- Sam stops on a landing and texts Inès.
InèsTu es où ?Where are you?
SamJe suis en route.I'm on my way.
InèsTu montes encore ?Are you still going up?
SamJ'arrive.I'll be right there.
InèsC'est trop tard pour le croissant.It's too late for the croissant.
SamJe suis en retard.I'm late.
InèsCombien ?How long?
SamJ'ai cinq minutes de retard.I'm five minutes late.- Sam pushes the café door. Gaspard is still chewing. The window table stays empty.
InèsJe suis à l'heure. On prend un café ?I'm on time. Shall we have a coffee?
SamÇa peut marcher.It might work.
GaspardLe croissant est bon.The croissant is good.
Practice — late or on time
Ten short exercises mix listening, gaps, a swap, and a build.
You will also pick the line that fits a café text from Inès.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
Ça peut marcher.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Inès asks where you are. You have left the landing and are still moving.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
I'm five minutes late.
J'ai ____ minutes de retard.
Pick the reply
Inès says:
Pick the reply
La boulangerie est fermée et il n'y a pas d'autre endroit ouvert pour acheter un croissant. On peut encore en acheter un ?
The bakery is closed and nowhere else is open for a croissant. Can we still buy one?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
I'm on time.
.
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Tell Inès you are on your way, not that you are late.
Je suis en ____.
True or false?
True or false?
This line means you are late, with no number of minutes.
Match the pairs
French
J'arrive.Drop the English hereJe suis à l'heure.Drop the English hereC'est trop tard.Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
You cannot see Inès yet. Ask where she is.
Say it — text her back
Now you are Sam on the stairs, then at the café. When it is your turn, tap the microphone and speak.
Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.
InèsTu es où ?Where are you?- Sam (you)Tell her you are on your way.

Tell her you are on your way.
Je suis en route.
I'm on my way.
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| French | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| J'arrive. | I'll be right there. | |
| Je suis en route. | I'm on my way. | |
| Je suis à l'heure. | I'm on time. | |
| J'ai cinq minutes de retard. | I'm five minutes late. | |
| Ça peut marcher. | It might work. | |
| C'est trop tard. | It's too late. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
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A short Yak Cards round keeps on my way and too late ready for texts.
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