When you think of the word 'minute' in French, the first word that comes to mind is probably... well, minute! And you'd be right, it's the most direct translation. But the French language, with its characteristic charm and precision, offers a variety of other expressions to talk about short periods of time. Whether you're asking someone to wait just a second, describing a brief moment, or emphasizing the fleeting nature of time, there's likely a more specific and colorful phrase to use. Ready to expand your vocabulary beyond the basics and sound more like a native speaker? Let's dive into 9 different ways to say 'minute' in French!

1. The standard 'minute' – une minute

Une minute is the direct and most common translation for 'a minute' in French. It is a feminine noun, which is why it is preceded by une for 'a/one' or la for 'the'. It's the foundational term you'll use most often.

Its primary use is literal, referring to the specific unit of time that consists of 60 seconds. You'll use it for telling time, setting timers, or indicating a precise duration.

For example: L'œuf doit bouillir pendant six minutes. (The egg must boil for six minutes.)

Just like in English, une minute is frequently used colloquially to mean 'a moment' or 'hang on'. When someone says « Une minute ! », they rarely mean exactly 60 seconds. It's an idiomatic way to ask for a brief moment of patience.

Minute is a key part of several essential French expressions. A very common one is à la dernière minute, which means 'at the last minute'. Another is minute papillon ! (literally 'butterfly minute'), which is a playful way to say 'hold your horses!' or 'not so fast!'

Remember to make the word plural when talking about more than one minute. The plural form is minutes, and it's used with numbers, for example: Je serai là dans dix minutes. (I will be there in ten minutes).

💡 * Attends une minute, j'ai oublié mes clés.

Le train part dans vingt minutes.

Il a tout changé à la dernière minute.

« Minute papillon ! On n'a pas encore fini. »

Pourriez-vous me consacrer une minute de votre temps ?

The 'instant' or 'moment' – un instant / un moment

The 'instant' or 'moment' – un instant / un moment

Let's begin with un instant. This term refers to a very brief, almost immediate, sliver of time. It's the French equivalent of 'a second,' 'an instant,' or 'just a moment.' It emphasizes brevity and is often used to ask for a very short pause.

In contrast, un moment refers to a longer, less defined period. While it can also be translated as 'a moment,' it implies a duration that is more substantial than a split second. Think of it as 'a little while' or 'a period of time.'

The key difference is duration. Un instant is fleeting and precise—like a camera flash. Un moment is more flexible and can stretch from a few minutes to a longer experience. If someone says un instant, they mean 'hold on for a second.' If they say un moment, they might mean 'give me a few minutes.'

You would use un instant for quick, transactional requests: Un instant, s'il vous plaît, je vérifie votre dossier ('Just a moment, please, I'm checking your file'). You would use un moment to describe a shared experience or a period of time: Nous avons passé un bon moment ensemble ('We had a good time together').

Certain fixed phrases use one over the other. For example, en ce moment means 'right now' or 'currently,' while à tout moment means 'at any time.' Recognizing these patterns will help you master their usage.

💡 * Attendez un instant, je cherche mes clés. (Wait a second, I'm looking for my keys.)

J'ai besoin d'un moment pour terminer ce rapport. (I need a little while to finish this report.)

Il a hésité un instant avant de répondre. (He hesitated for an instant before answering.)

En ce moment, il travaille à Paris. (Currently, he is working in Paris.)

The 'second' (used colloquially for a minute) – une seconde

In French, une seconde literally translates to 'one second,' a standard unit of time. It's the most basic and smallest common measurement you'll encounter.

However, in everyday spoken French, une seconde is frequently used colloquially to mean 'a moment,' 'a short while,' or 'hold on.' It functions much like 'just a sec' or 'give me a second' in English, where the speaker doesn't literally mean sixty seconds.

The meaning is entirely dependent on context. If you are timing a race, une seconde means a literal second. But if you ask someone for help and they reply, 'Attends une seconde,' they are asking you to wait for a brief, unspecified amount of time.

Une seconde is often used interchangeably with un moment ('a moment'). However, une seconde can feel slightly more immediate and brief. It's an informal and very common way to manage conversational flow.

💡 * Attends une seconde, je dois trouver mes clés. (Wait a second, I have to find my keys.)

J'arrive dans une seconde ! (I'll be there in a second!)

Donnez-moi juste une seconde, s'il vous plaît. (Just give me a second, please.)

Ça ne prendra qu'une seconde. (It will only take a second.)

The colloquial 'two secs' – deux secondes

The phrase deux secondes is the direct French equivalent of the English colloquialism "two seconds" or "just a sec."

It's an informal and very common way to ask someone to wait for a very short period. Think of it as the go-to phrase for "hold on a moment" or "hang on" in casual, everyday conversation.

In spoken French, you'll often hear this shortened even further to deux sec. This is purely an informal, conversational shortcut, much like saying "two secs" instead of "two seconds."

While deux secondes is perfect for friends and informal settings, in a more formal context, you would be better off using un instant, s'il vous plaît (one moment, please) or juste un moment.

💡 * Attends, j'arrive dans deux secondes. (Wait, I'll be there in two secs.)

Deux sec, je finis juste cet e-mail. (Two secs, I'm just finishing this email.)

Tu peux m'aider ? — Oui, donne-moi deux secondes. (Can you help me? — Yes, give me two seconds.)

Laisse-moi deux secondes, je dois trouver mes clés. (Give me two seconds, I have to find my keys.)

The 'little while' – un petit moment

The 'little while' – un petit moment

Un petit moment literally translates to 'a little moment' and is one of the most common ways to refer to a short, unspecified period of time in French.

This phrase is incredibly versatile and is used constantly in daily conversations. It's the go-to expression for asking someone to wait, indicating a task will be quick, or describing a brief event.

While similar to un instant (an instant), un petit moment often implies a slightly longer, though still brief, duration. It's less formal and more conversational than saying something like quelques minutes (a few minutes).

Use un petit moment whenever you would say 'a little while,' 'a short time,' or 'just a moment' in English. It's a safe and natural-sounding phrase for learners to use in almost any situation.

💡 * Attendez un petit moment, s'il vous plaît. (Wait a little while, please.)

Je reviens dans un petit moment. (I'll be back in a little while.)

Ça ne prendra qu'un petit moment. (It will only take a little moment.)

On a discuté un petit moment devant le café. (We chatted for a little while in front of the café.)

1. The 'blink of an eye' – un clin d'œil

The French equivalent for 'in the blink of an eye' is en un clin d'œil. The noun phrase un clin d'œil literally translates to 'a wink of an eye.' Both the English and French expressions convey the idea of something happening almost instantaneously.

Primarily, en un clin d'œil is used figuratively to emphasize that an action was completed very quickly. It's a common and widely understood idiom used in everyday conversation to describe rapid events.

Unlike its English counterpart, un clin d'œil has a very common second meaning. It can refer to a subtle hint, a nod, an inside joke, or an homage. For instance, a movie might contain a clin d'œil to a classic film. This dual meaning is crucial for understanding its use in cultural contexts.

Context is key to telling the meanings apart. If the sentence discusses the duration or speed of an action, it means 'in a flash.' If it talks about a subtle reference within a work of art, a book, or a conversation, it means 'a nod' or 'a wink'.

💡 * Le voleur a disparu en un clin d'œil. (The thief disappeared in the blink of an eye.)

J'ai rangé ma chambre en un clin d'œil. (I tidied my room in the blink of an eye.)

Le nom du personnage est un clin d'œil à un célèbre écrivain. (The character's name is a nod to a famous writer.)

Elle m'a fait un clin d'œil pour me rassurer. (She gave me a wink to reassure me.)

The 'jiffy' – illico presto

The 'jiffy' – illico presto

Illico presto is an adverbial phrase used to mean 'immediately,' 'right away,' or 'in a jiffy.' It’s a playful and slightly emphatic way to express urgency. The term combines the Latin word illico (on the spot) and the Italian word presto (quickly), creating a sense of rapid action.

You'll often hear illico presto in informal, spoken French. It can be used as a command to tell someone to do something immediately, or to describe an action that happened very quickly. It adds a touch of flair and is more colorful than simply saying tout de suite (right away).

💡 * Va me chercher le journal, et illico presto ! (Go get me the newspaper, and in a jiffy!)

Quand le gâteau est sorti du four, il a été mangé illico presto. (When the cake came out of the oven, it was eaten right away.)

Fais tes devoirs illico presto si tu veux sortir ce soir. (Do your homework right now if you want to go out tonight.)

The 'short period of time' – un bref instant

To express a 'short period of time' or a 'brief moment' in French, a common and slightly formal phrase is un bref instant.

This phrase literally translates to 'a brief instant.' The adjective bref (masculine form of 'brief') emphasizes the fleeting and concise nature of the moment. It's more descriptive than simply saying un moment (a moment).

Un bref instant is often used in narrative or descriptive contexts to highlight how quickly something happens. Think of a momentary hesitation, a fleeting glance, or a sudden realization that lasts for only a second.

A close synonym is un court instant ('a short instant'). While very similar, bref can sometimes imply a more abrupt or sudden quality. For a more common, everyday alternative, you can simply use un instant.

💡 * J'ai aperçu son visage pendant un bref instant. (I caught a glimpse of his face for a brief moment.)

Elle a réfléchi un bref instant avant de donner sa réponse. (She thought for a brief moment before giving her answer.)

Le silence ne dura qu'un bref instant. (The silence only lasted for a brief moment.)

Pour un bref instant, j'ai oublié où j'étais. (For a brief moment, I forgot where I was.)

1. The 'no time at all' – un rien de temps

The French phrase for 'in no time at all' or 'in a jiffy' is en un rien de temps. It’s a wonderfully idiomatic expression that emphasizes impressive speed.

Literally, the phrase breaks down to un rien (a nothing) and de temps (of time). So, you're saying something happened in 'a nothing of time'. This structure highlights how insignificant the amount of time was.

This expression is typically used to describe an action that was completed very quickly, often surprisingly so. It almost always follows the preposition en (in), forming the complete phrase en un rien de temps. It's common in both spoken and written French.

While you could use alternatives like très rapidement (very quickly), en un rien de temps adds a more natural and fluent touch to your speech. It is suitable for most situations, from casual conversation to more formal storytelling.

💡 * Il a réparé la voiture en un rien de temps. (He fixed the car in no time at all.)

Ne t'inquiète pas, le gâteau sera prêt en un rien de temps. (Don't worry, the cake will be ready in a jiffy.)

Elle a lu le livre en un rien de temps. (She read the book in no time at all.)

Nous avons monté le meuble en un rien de temps. (We assembled the furniture in no time at all.)

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

Our guide has covered the most common ways to say 'minute' in French, from the literal une minute to the more general un instant. But the French language is rich with idiomatic expressions and contextual nuances that can add color and precision to your speech.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching for phrases like “expressions idiomatiques avec le temps” (idiomatic expressions with time). This will help you discover how concepts of time are woven into everyday French.

Context is everything. A chef yelling in a kitchen might use time-related words very differently than someone politely asking for a moment in an office. Always check the context to ensure you're using the right term.

Listen carefully to how time is referenced in French movies, songs, and conversations. You'll start to notice the rhythm and flow of how native speakers ask for, grant, and talk about small increments of time.

For a deeper dive into the subtleties of words like moment, instant, and minute, exploring a comprehensive dictionary like Larousse or checking the forums on WordReference can provide excellent examples and explanations from native speakers.

I hope this article has helped you make the most of every minute of your French learning! To finish, here’s a fitting French proverb to keep in mind: Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre. (All things come to those who wait.)

'9 ways to say "minute" in French'