Paul est toujours en retard.

to be

Breakdown of Paul est toujours en retard.

• Paul: Paul
• toujours: always
• en retard: late

Questions & Answers about Paul est toujours en retard.

Why do we use est instead of a in this sentence?

In French, être (est) is used to describe a state or condition—Paul is in a state of being late. Using avoir (a) wouldn't make sense in this context because it would imply having something rather than being in a certain condition.

What does en retard literally mean, and why use en instead of another preposition?

En retard literally translates to in lateness. The preposition en here helps express being in a specific condition: being in a late state.

Why do we say Paul est toujours en retard and not Paul est toujours tard?

Tard simply means late (as in time of day), while en retard specifically refers to the idea of being late for something. So Paul est tard would be ungrammatical and unclear in French. Using en retard expresses that he is late relative to an expected time.

Can we use encore instead of toujours here?

Encore can mean still in French, which might imply Paul is still late at this moment, but toujours means always, suggesting it's a habitual situation. Depending on context, you might say encore to stress that he remains late at this very moment, but toujours emphasizes the ongoing habit.

Why does toujours come before en retard and not after?

French adverbs often come right after the verb they modify (est), though adverb placement can vary. In this sentence, toujours naturally sits between est and en retard to emphasize always being in the condition of lateness. Placing it after en retard would sound unusual or change the focus in French.