"À plus tard" is a common and useful way to say "later" in French. But did you know there are many other options that can make your conversations more natural and nuanced?

Whether you're making future plans, saying a temporary goodbye, or simply referring to a point in time, mastering these variations will significantly boost your French fluency.

Let's explore 9 different ways to say "later" in French, and discover when to use each one!

The most common and direct 'later' – plus tard

The most common and direct “later” – plus tard

Plus tard is the most straightforward and frequently used French expression for “later.”

It literally translates to “more late,” combining plus (more) and tard (late).

This phrase is used to refer to an unspecified point in the future, meaning “at a later time” or “sometime later.”

Plus tard is highly versatile and can be used in almost any context where you want to express something happening at a future, unspecific moment.

It’s suitable for both formal and informal conversations, making it a reliable choice for learners.

You'll often find plus tard at the end of a sentence or clause, acting as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb.

💡 * Je te rappellerai plus tard. (I will call you back later.)

On se verra plus tard. (We will see each other later.)

Il est arrivé plus tard que prévu. (He arrived later than expected.)

Faisons ça plus tard. (Let's do that later.)

À plus tard ! (See you later! / Until later!)

The informal 'see you later' – à plus tard

When you want to say a casual 'see you later' in French, especially to friends or family, the phrase à plus tard is your go-to.

Literally translating to 'to later' or 'until later', à plus tard perfectly captures the sentiment of expecting to see someone again soon, but not necessarily specifying an exact time.

This phrase is widely used in informal settings. Think about waving goodbye to a colleague you'll see again that afternoon, or leaving a friend's house knowing you'll meet up again soon. It conveys a sense of familiarity and closeness.

For an even more informal and common variant, you'll often hear just à plus. This shorter version is extremely popular among younger generations and close friends.

A key pronunciation tip: in à plus tard and à plus, the 's' in plus is typically silent. It's pronounced like 'plu' (as in 'plew'). This is different from when plus means 'more' in a quantity sense, where the 's' is often pronounced.

While au revoir is a general goodbye, and à bientôt means 'see you soon' (implying a slightly more definite or anticipated future meeting), à plus tard is specifically about 'later' today or very soon, in a relaxed manner.

💡 * Je dois y aller, à plus tard!

On se voit à la pause café, à plus!

Appelle-moi ce soir, à plus tard ma chérie.

À plus, les amis!

Je reviens dans une heure, à plus tard.

The 'see you in a bit' (for later the same day) – à tout à l'heure

The 'see you in a bit' (for later the same day) – à tout à l'heure

À tout à l'heure is a very common French phrase used to say 'see you in a bit,' 'see you soon,' or 'see you later' when you expect to meet the person again on the same day.

This phrase is specifically reserved for situations where you anticipate seeing someone again within a few hours, or at least before the end of the current day. It implies a relatively short separation.

It's important to distinguish à tout à l'heure from other farewells like à bientôt (see you soon, but not necessarily today or even this week) or à demain (see you tomorrow). À tout à l'heure denotes a much shorter, same-day interval.

While it literally translates to something like 'until all at the hour,' its idiomatic meaning is firmly established as 'see you in a bit' or 'see you later today.' Don't try to translate it word-for-word.

This expression is informal and friendly, making it suitable for use with family, friends, or colleagues you know well. It conveys a warm expectation of a quick reunion.

Always remember: if you're parting ways but expect to cross paths again before the day is over, à tout à l'heure is the perfect and most natural French farewell.

💡 * Je dois partir maintenant, à tout à l'heure au bureau! (I have to leave now, see you later at the office!)

On se retrouve pour le déjeuner, à tout à l'heure! (We're meeting for lunch, see you in a bit!)

Ne t'inquiète pas, je reviens chercher les clés, à tout à l'heure! (Don't worry, I'll be back for the keys, see you later today!)

Allez, bonne journée, à tout à l'heure! (Okay, have a good day, see you in a bit!)

Je passe te voir après les courses, à tout à l'heure. (I'll come see you after shopping, see you in a bit.)

The general 'see you soon' (implying later) – à bientôt

The phrase à bientôt is one of the most common and versatile ways to say “see you soon” in French. It's a staple in everyday conversations.

À bientôt literally translates to “until soon” or “to soon”. It is used when you expect to see someone again in the near future, but without specifying an exact time or date. It conveys a general, friendly farewell.

Unlike more specific goodbyes such as à demain (see you tomorrow), à tout à l'heure (see you in a bit/later today), or à la semaine prochaine (see you next week), à bientôt is less precise. This makes it suitable for a wide range of situations where a future meeting is anticipated but not strictly scheduled.

Its flexibility makes à bientôt a go-to phrase in both casual and slightly more formal contexts. It expresses a hopeful and polite expectation of a future encounter, making it a warm way to end a conversation.

💡 * Au revoir, à bientôt! (Goodbye, see you soon!)

Je dois partir maintenant. À bientôt! (I have to leave now. See you soon!)

Merci pour le café, à bientôt j'espère! (Thanks for the coffee, see you soon I hope!)

On se verra la prochaine fois. À bientôt! (We'll see each other next time. See you soon!)

The formal 'subsequently' or 'at a later time' – ultérieurement

The formal 'subsequently' or 'at a later time' – ultérieurement

Ultérieurement is a French adverb that translates to 'subsequently,' 'later,' or 'at a later time' in English.

This adverb carries a distinctly formal tone, making it suitable for official, administrative, or written communications, rather than casual conversation.

You will frequently encounter ultérieurement in legal documents, formal correspondence, public announcements, and professional settings where precision and formality are key.

Unlike the common and informal plus tard (later), ultérieurement implies a more structured, planned, or official 'later' event, elevating the register of the discourse.

When aiming for a formal and precise expression of something happening 'at a later time,' ultérieurement is the appropriate and preferred choice.

💡 * Nous vous contacterons ultérieurement pour confirmer les détails. (We will contact you subsequently to confirm the details.)

Le dossier sera examiné ultérieurement par la commission. (The file will be examined later by the committee.)

Toute modification sera communiquée ultérieurement. (Any modification will be communicated at a later date.)

Les résultats de l'enquête seront publiés ultérieurement. (The results of the inquiry will be published subsequently.)

The 'a little later' – un peu plus tard

The French phrase un peu plus tard directly translates to 'a little later' or 'shortly after' in English. It's a fundamental expression for indicating a slight, unspecified delay or a short interval before an event.

This phrase is incredibly common in daily French conversation. You'll hear it used when someone wants to postpone something briefly, when they expect something to happen soon but not immediately, or when they're simply being a bit vague about timing.

While plus tard also means 'later,' the addition of un peu (a little) specifically emphasizes a shorter delay. Think of un peu plus tard as 'in a little while' or 'a bit later today,' whereas plus tard could imply 'much later' or 'at some point in the future.'

Grammatically, un peu plus tard typically functions as an adverbial phrase of time. It can be placed at the end of a sentence or immediately after the verb it modifies, making it versatile for various sentence structures.

Using un peu plus tard can also soften a request or a statement about a delay. It often conveys a sense of politeness or consideration, suggesting the wait won't be overly long or inconvenient.

💡 * Je te rappellerai un peu plus tard. (I'll call you back a little later.)

On va manger un peu plus tard, j'ai pas faim tout de suite. (We're going to eat a little later, I'm not hungry right away.)

Elle arrivera un peu plus tard que prévu à cause des embouteillages. (She will arrive a little later than expected because of traffic jams.)

Peux-tu me donner le document un peu plus tard ? Je suis occupé là. (Can you give me the document a little later? I'm busy right now.)

Il faut attendre un peu plus tard pour voir si la météo s'améliore. (We have to wait a little later to see if the weather improves.)

The 'in a moment' or 'shortly' – dans un instant

The French phrase dans un instant literally translates to 'in an instant' and is commonly used to mean 'in a moment' or 'shortly'.

It emphasizes an action or event that will happen very soon, often implying a matter of minutes or a very brief period. It's more immediate than tout à l'heure (later/shortly, but can be a bit longer).

You'll often hear it in everyday conversations when someone is about to do something immediately or needs just a few seconds. It's a polite way to indicate a very short delay.

💡 * J'arrive dans un instant. (I'll be there in a moment.)

Le dîner sera prêt dans un instant. (Dinner will be ready shortly.)

Elle revient dans un instant. (She'll be back in a moment.)

Pouvez-vous attendre dans un instant ? (Can you wait for a moment?)

The 'afterwards' or 'subsequently' – par la suite

The adverbial phrase par la suite translates to "afterwards" or "subsequently" in English. It's used to indicate something that happened or will happen after a preceding event or point in time.

This phrase is commonly employed to describe a sequence of events, often implying a development or consequence that follows an initial action or situation. It suggests a progression over time.

While similar to ensuite (then) or après (after), par la suite often carries a slightly more formal tone and can imply a longer or more significant interval of time between events. It emphasizes a later outcome or continuation.

💡 * Il a d'abord refusé, mais par la suite, il a changé d'avis. (He initially refused, but afterwards, he changed his mind.)

Nous avons visité le musée et par la suite, nous avons déjeuné. (We visited the museum and subsequently, we had lunch.)

La réunion fut reportée et la décision fut prise par la suite. (The meeting was postponed, and the decision was made afterwards.)

Elle a étudié le droit, et par la suite, elle est devenue avocate. (She studied law, and subsequently, she became a lawyer.)

The simple 'after' (often implying later) – après

The French word après is your go-to for expressing "after" in most situations. It primarily indicates a sequence in time or order, meaning following or subsequent to.

As a preposition, après is directly followed by a noun or a pronoun to signify what comes after something or someone. This is its most straightforward use. For instance, après le travail (after work) or après toi (after you).

When you want to say "after doing something" in French, après is followed by a past infinitive (e.g., après avoir mangé - after having eaten, après être parti - after having left). This is a key grammatical structure.

Après can also function as an adverb, standing alone to mean "later" or "afterwards." This is useful when the context of what comes after is already clear. For example, On en parle après. (We'll talk about it later.)

Beyond its basic uses, après appears in many everyday French expressions, such as après-midi (afternoon) or l'un après l'autre (one after another), further solidifying its role in French temporal expressions.

💡 * Je te verrai après le cours. (I will see you after class.)

Elle a téléphoné après son départ. (She called after his departure.)

Après avoir fini mon travail, je suis allé me promener. (After having finished my work, I went for a walk.)

Après être arrivée, elle a préparé le dîner. (After having arrived, she prepared dinner.)

On peut manger maintenant ou après? (Can we eat now or later?)

L'après-midi, nous allons à la plage. (In the afternoon, we are going to the beach.)

Are there other ways to say 'later' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'later' in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, offering various expressions from formal to very casual slang, and even regional terms that express the idea of 'later' or 'soon'.

For a deeper dive into regionalisms, you can explore by searching online for phrases like 'comment dire plus tard en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region, such as 'comment dire plus tard en Belgique' or 'comment dire plus tard au Québec'.

You might discover some interesting alternatives to plus tard or à plus tard as you learn. Always make sure to check a word or phrase's specific meaning and observe it in context before incorporating it into your own speech.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading books, watching films, and listening to podcasts — pay close attention. You'll likely encounter diverse and creative ways native speakers express the concept of 'later' or 'soon'.

If you're looking for an extensive list of phrases related to time, the future, or different ways to say 'later', the WordReference entry for plus tard or à plus tard can be an excellent starting point for further exploration.

I hope this article has shed some light on the various ways to say 'later' in French. To conclude, here's a timeless French proverb that speaks to the future: Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre. (All things come to him who waits.)

9 ways to say "later" in French