tantôt

See also: tantost

French

Etymology

From tant +‎ tôt.

Pronunciation

• (Belgium, France) IPA^(key): /tɑ̃.to/

• Audio (France):

  (file)

Adverb

tantôt

1. soon, shortly (used with the present tense)

   On le voit tantôt.

   We're seeing him shortly.

2. sometimes (when doubled or multipled, suggesting contrasting possibilities each as likely to happen or happening as frequently as the others)

   Il était tantôt adulé, tantôt critiqué.

   He was sometimes lauded, sometimes criticized; he was both lauded and criticized.

3. this afternoon
4. (dated or Quebec, Belgium, Normandy) within a short time of now, either earlier or later

   On l’a vu tantôt.

   We just saw him.

   On le verra tantôt.

   We'll be seeing him shortly.

Synonyms

• (sometimes) parfois, quelquefois, de temps en temps
• (this afternoon) cet après-midi
• (later/earlier) tout à l’heure

Derived terms

• à tantôt

 

Further reading

• “tantôt”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.