French word

entre-temps

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃tʁətɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbmeanwhile

Example

Je préparais le dîner et, entre-temps, il a appelé.

I was preparing dinner and, meanwhile, he called.

Illustration for entre-temps (meanwhile)

More examples

J'étais en réunion; entre-temps, mon collègue m'a envoyé les documents.

I was in a meeting; in the meantime, my colleague sent me the documents.

Core concept

The intervening stretch of time in which a separate event takes place.

Common phrases

  • prendre un café entre-temps

    have a coffee in the meantime

  • répondre à des e-mails entre-temps

    answer emails in the meantime

Similar words

en attendant: Refers to something happening during a wait.
pendant ce temps: During the time that another event is taking place.
en même temps: Indicates that two events occur simultaneously.

Definition in French

Indique qu'un fait ou une action se produit dans l'intervalle séparant deux événements, sans insister sur la durée de cet intervalle.

Word origin

Historically, French formed entre-temps by joining entre with temps, creating an adverb rather than a noun phrase.

Usage tips

  • As an adverb, entre-temps takes no article and can modify a whole clause or a verb phrase.

Opposites

Word lists with this word