Meaning
Refers to a past time.
Cultural Background
In French business culture, arriving 'plus tôt' (5-10 minutes) is seen as a sign of reliability and respect. In Quebec, you might hear 'plus de bonne heure' used interchangeably with 'plus tôt' in casual speech. The distinction between 'plutôt' and 'plus tôt' is a common spelling error even for native speakers in text messages.
The Space Matters
Always put a space between 'plus' and 'tôt' when talking about time. One word 'plutôt' is a different animal!
Que vs De
Remember: 'plus tôt QUE' (earlier than) but 'plus tôt DE 5 minutes' (5 minutes earlier).
Meaning
Refers to a past time.
The Space Matters
Always put a space between 'plus' and 'tôt' when talking about time. One word 'plutôt' is a different animal!
Que vs De
Remember: 'plus tôt QUE' (earlier than) but 'plus tôt DE 5 minutes' (5 minutes earlier).
Test Yourself
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'Je voudrais manger ___.'
Je voudrais manger ___.
'Plus tôt' refers to the time (earlier). 'Plutôt' would mean 'rather'.
Fill in the blank to say 'He arrived earlier than me'.
Il est arrivé plus tôt ___ moi.
In comparisons, 'plus tôt' is followed by 'que'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: On se voit à 10h ? B: Non, c'est trop tard. On se voit ___ ?
If 10h is 'too late', the person wants to meet 'earlier'.
Match the French to the English.
Match the terms.
These are the four most commonly confused time/preference terms.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Plus tôt vs Plutôt
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJe voudrais manger ___.
'Plus tôt' refers to the time (earlier). 'Plutôt' would mean 'rather'.
Il est arrivé plus tôt ___ moi.
In comparisons, 'plus tôt' is followed by 'que'.
A: On se voit à 10h ? B: Non, c'est trop tard. On se voit ___ ?
If 10h is 'too late', the person wants to meet 'earlier'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the four most commonly confused time/preference terms.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questionsNo, it is neutral and used in all contexts.
Yes! It means 'earlier than expected' and is very common.
It marks the historical disappearance of the 's' from the Old French word 'tost'.
Related Phrases
plus tard
contrastlater
au plus tôt
specialized formas soon as possible
de bonne heure
similarearly
