Learn Hardcore French: Apparemment, la banque ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui. - Apparently, the bank is closing earlier today.

French often uses the present for scheduled or near-future events. Here, la banque ferme means “the bank closes (today),” implying a set schedule.

La banque va fermer plus tôt aujourd’hui = near future, very common.
La banque fermera plus tôt aujourd’hui = simple future, a bit more formal or neutral. All three are correct; the present feels immediate and natural in everyday speech.

What nuance does Apparemment add?

Apparemment signals that the information is based on appearances, hearsay, or deduction—not 100% certain. It’s like “apparently/seemingly.” It does not mean “obviously.”

Close alternatives: Il paraît que la banque ferme…, On dirait que la banque ferme…
Stronger probability: Probablement (“probably”)

Can Apparemment go elsewhere in the sentence, and do I need the comma?

Yes. Common, natural options:

Beginning: Apparemment, la banque ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui. (comma recommended)
Middle: La banque, apparemment, ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui.
End: La banque ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui, apparemment. Without commas it’s still understandable, but the comma is standard when it opens the sentence.

What’s the difference between plus tôt and plutôt?

plus tôt (two words) = “earlier (than usual/expected).”
plutôt (one word, circumflex) = “rather/quite/instead.” Pronunciation is very similar in fluent speech. Spelling distinguishes them:
Correct here: plus tôt
Example of the other: Je viendrai plutôt demain (“I’d rather come tomorrow.”)

Does plus tôt need a comparison like que d’habitude?

It doesn’t have to. Plus tôt alone usually implies “earlier than usual/than expected.” If you want to be explicit:

La banque ferme plus tôt que d’habitude.
… plus tôt que prévu.

Why use the verb ferme instead of est fermée?

La banque ferme… describes the action/time of closing (what time they shut the doors).
La banque est fermée describes the state of being closed. Saying La banque est fermée plus tôt aujourd’hui is odd. You’d say:
La banque a fermé plus tôt aujourd’hui (past action), or
La banque ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui (today’s schedule).

Should it be reflexive, like se ferme?

No. Businesses simply fermer (close). Se fermer is used for things that close by themselves (doors, lids):

La porte se ferme automatiquement.
La banque ferme à 16 h.

Why la banque and not une banque? And is there any capitalization rule?

La banque = “the bank” that’s contextually understood (e.g., your local branch). Une banque would mean “a bank” (any bank). No capital letter unless it’s part of a proper name:

la Banque de France
Otherwise: la banque

How do you pronounce the tricky bits?

apparemment: [a.pa.ʁa.mɑ̃] (final -ment like “mah̃” nasal)
banque: [bɑ̃k] (nasal “an,” final -que = k)
ferme: [fɛʁm]
plus tôt: [ply to] (the s in plus is silent before the consonant t)
tôt: [to] (closed “o”)
aujourd’hui: [o.ʒuʁ.dɥi] (the last part sounds like “dwee”)

Is the spelling of aujourd’hui correct? What’s with the apostrophe?

Yes. It’s one word with an apostrophe: aujourd’hui. It comes from au jour d’hui (“on the day of today”), where de elides before vowel-initial hui (h muet). Use either the straight apostrophe (') or the curly (’). Don’t add a space: not “aujourd’ hui.”

Is the word order with aujourd’hui and plus tôt flexible?

Preferred:

La banque ferme plus tôt aujourd’hui.
Aujourd’hui, la banque ferme plus tôt. Avoid: La banque ferme aujourd’hui plus tôt (sounds awkward). Keep plus tôt close to the verb it modifies.

How would I specify the time?

Use à with 24‑hour time:

La banque ferme à 16 h aujourd’hui. You can combine:
Aujourd’hui, la banque ferme plus tôt, à 16 h.

What’s the difference between apparemment and probablement here?

Apparemment = based on what seems to be the case (appearance/hearsay).
Probablement = likelihood/probability. Both hedge the statement, but probablement suggests a stronger estimation of probability, while apparemment highlights the source (appearance/report).