Meaning
To arrive or do something at the precise scheduled moment.
Cultural Background
In Paris, 'être à l'heure' for work is strict, but for social events, the 'quart d'heure de politesse' is standard. Arriving exactly at 8 PM for an 8 PM dinner is often too early. In French-speaking Switzerland, punctuality is legendary. 'À l'heure' means exactly on the minute, even for social gatherings. Quebecois culture blends French traditions with North American business standards. Being 'à l'heure' is very important in professional settings, similar to English-speaking Canada. In many West African French-speaking countries, the concept of time can be more flexible ('l'heure africaine'). 'Être à l'heure' might refer to a broader window of time than in Europe.
The 'Pile' Trick
Add 'pile' at the end to sound more native when you are exactly on time: 'Je suis à l'heure pile !'
Don't say 'sur'
Never say 'sur l'heure'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake.
Meaning
To arrive or do something at the precise scheduled moment.
The 'Pile' Trick
Add 'pile' at the end to sound more native when you are exactly on time: 'Je suis à l'heure pile !'
Don't say 'sur'
Never say 'sur l'heure'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake.
The 15-minute rule
In France, for a social dinner, being 15 minutes late is actually being 'on time'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to say 'I am on time'.
Je ______ ______ l'heure.
The verb 'être' must be conjugated for 'je' (suis) and the preposition is 'à'.
Which sentence is correct for a train that is not late?
Le train...
'À l'heure' is the standard phrase for transport schedules.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You arrive at 8:00 for an 8:00 meeting.
Arriving exactly at the scheduled time is 'à l'heure'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Vite ! Le bus arrive ! B: Ne t'inquiète pas, nous ______ ______ l'heure.
We use the verb 'être' (sommes) with 'à l'heure'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Punctuality Spectrum
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJe ______ ______ l'heure.
The verb 'être' must be conjugated for 'je' (suis) and the preposition is 'à'.
Le train...
'À l'heure' is the standard phrase for transport schedules.
You arrive at 8:00 for an 8:00 meeting.
Arriving exactly at the scheduled time is 'à l'heure'.
A: Vite ! Le bus arrive ! B: Ne t'inquiète pas, nous ______ ______ l'heure.
We use the verb 'être' (sommes) with 'à l'heure'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsUsually, we use 'respecter les délais' for projects, but you can say a project is 'à l'heure' if it's following the schedule.
It is always 'à l'heure'. 'En l'heure' does not exist in French.
The opposite is 'être en retard' (to be late).
You say 'J'ai cinq minutes de retard'.
Yes, it can also mean 'per hour' in contexts like '10 euros à l'heure' (10 euros per hour).
Related Phrases
être en avance
contrastTo be early
être en retard
contrastTo be late
être ponctuel
synonymTo be punctual
être à temps
similarTo be in time
être pile à l'heure
specialized formTo be exactly on time
