sur des temps

You use this phrase when you want to talk about how an activity is distributed or when it specifically takes place within a larger framework. It almost always pairs with an adjective or a 'de' phrase to define what kind of time we're talking about. For example, sur des temps de repos (during rest periods) or sur des temps courts (over short durations). It’s incredibly common in work contexts (Zoom calls, project management) and education (school schedules), where time is treated as a resource to be managed. Just remember: it’s about the *slots*, not the clock itself.

Imagine you're checking your work-life balance on an app. You might see a notification saying: 'Vous passez trop de temps sur des écrans sur des temps de pause' (You spend too much screen time during your break periods). Or picture a TikTok fitness influencer shouting: 'On travaille l'explosivité sur des temps très courts !' (We’re working on explosivity over very short intervals!). It also pops up when you're discussing the long-term evolution of something, like a YouTube channel's growth: 'Ça s'est construit sur des temps longs' (It was built over long periods). Even in gaming, you might hear a streamer talk about 'looter sur des temps morts' (looting during downtime/dead times).

Reach for this phrase when you are being specific about *when* or *for how long* something happens in a structured way. It’s perfect for professional settings like job interviews when explaining your workflow ('Je préfère travailler sur des temps concentrés'). It’s also the go-to for discussing habits or routines. If you're talking about a Netflix binge, you could say you watch 'sur des temps de libre' (during free time slots). It’s essentially the 'calendar view' of your life—if you can see it as a block on a grid, you can use sur des temps.

Don't use this if you just mean 'on time' or 'punctual'—that’s à l'heure. If you want to say 'in the olden days,' use dans le temps. Also, avoid it for general durations where pendant (during) or pendant longtemps (for a long time) would be simpler. If you tell a friend 'I'll see you on time,' and you say sur des temps, they might think you're planning to meet them across several parallel dimensions or specific intervals rather than just at 8 PM. Unless you're a time traveler, stick to the basics for punctuality!

Learners often confuse this with other 'time' expressions because French has about a dozen ways to say 'time.'

If you want to vary your vocabulary, you can use pendant des périodes (during periods), which is very close but slightly more formal. Par intermittence (intermittently) works if the 'times' are irregular. Sur des créneaux (on slots/time windows) is the techy, modern version you'll hear in offices—like when someone says, 'I have a slot for you at 3 PM.' Au fil du temps (over time/as time goes by) is more poetic and flowy, whereas sur des temps is more 'chopped up' and segmented.

The most frequent variation is changing the adjective following it. Sur des temps pleins (on full-time hours) vs. sur des temps partiels (on part-time hours) is huge in the job market. You'll also hear sur des temps de parole (during speaking times), often used in politics or media to track who talked for how long. In music, you’ll hear sur des temps forts (on the strong beats/downbeats), which is essential if you don't want to be the person clapping off-beat at a concert. We've all been there, and it's awkward.

Is this formal? It’s neutral to professional; you’ll hear it in meetings more than at a rowdy bar. Can I use it for one single period? Usually, it's plural because it refers to a recurring pattern or multiple segments. Does it mean 'on the clock'? Not exactly, it’s more about the *distribution* of time. Is it used in sports? Absolutely, for intervals and training phases. Can I use it for the past? Only if you're talking about 'periods of time' in the past, not 'long ago.'