How to Ask How Long Delivery Takes in French
Learn to ask how long delivery takes in French, understand express shipping options, and use the key pattern 'Combien de temps' with real courier vocabulary.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you order something in a French-speaking country, the first question you will want to ask is how long the delivery will take. French uses a fixed question pattern for this: 'Combien de temps' (how much time) followed by a verb in the future or conditional. In this lesson you will learn to ask 'How long will it take to arrive?', understand answers about express and standard delivery, and use the vocabulary that French couriers and online shops actually use.
By the end, you can…
- ask how long a delivery will take using 'Combien de temps'.
- understand and ask about express versus standard delivery options.
- understand a short spoken answer about delivery times.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison ?
How long does delivery take?
kon-byen duh tahn foh-teel poor lah lee-vray-zon
The most general question. 'Faut-il' is an impersonal way to say 'is it necessary/it takes'. Use it before you have ordered.
Ça prend combien de temps pour arriver ?
How long does it take to arrive?
sah prahn kon-byen duh tahn poor ah-ree-vay
Conversational and very common. 'Ça prend' means 'it takes'. Use it when talking about a specific parcel.
Est-ce que la livraison express est disponible ?
Is express delivery available?
ess-kuh lah lee-vray-zon ex-press ay dees-pee-neebl
Use 'livraison express' for express shipping. The word 'express' is invariable in French: no extra -e.
En combien de temps est-ce que je vais recevoir mon colis ?
How long will it take for me to receive my parcel?
ahn kon-byen duh tahn ess-kuh zhuh vay ruh-suh-vwahr mon ko-lee
Formal and precise. 'Colis' is the standard word for a parcel or package.
Livraison en 24 heures, c'est possible ?
Is 24-hour delivery possible?
lee-vray-zon ahn vengt-kat ur say po-seebl
Useful for checking a specific timeframe. 'Heures' is pronounced 'ur', with a silent h.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 'Combien de temps' + a verb. With 'faut-il', you ask about the general process: 'Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison ?' With 'ça prend', you ask about a concrete object: 'Ça prend combien de temps ?' For a future event, use the near future: 'Combien de temps est-ce que ça va prendre ?' Notice that French does not need a word for 'will' here; the near future 'va prendre' covers it naturally.
When to use it
Use 'Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison ?' in a shop or on a website chat before ordering. Use 'Ça prend combien de temps pour arriver ?' when you already have a tracking number and want a realistic estimate. If you need speed, ask 'Est-ce que la livraison express est disponible ?' and then 'En combien de temps est-ce que je vais recevoir mon colis ?' In Belgium and Switzerland, 'colis' is also standard; in Canada, 'colis' is common too, though you may hear 'paquet' in everyday speech.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison standard ?
Hello, how long does standard delivery take?bon-zhoor kon-byen duh tahn foh-teel poor lah lee-vray-zon stan-darEn général, trois à cinq jours ouvrables. La livraison express prend 24 heures.
Generally, three to five working days. Express delivery takes 24 hours.ahn zhay-nay-ral trwah ah sank zhoor oo-vrabl lah lee-vray-zon ex-press prahn vengt-kat urD'accord. Est-ce que la livraison express est disponible pour ma région ?
Okay. Is express delivery available for my region?dah-kor ess-kuh lah lee-vray-zon ex-press ay dees-pee-neebl poor mah ray-zhyonOui, mais il faut commander avant 14 heures. Ensuite, ça prend un jour de plus.
Yes, but you have to order before 2 p.m. After that, it takes one more day.wee may eel foh ko-mahn-day ah-vahn katorz ur ahn-sweet sah prahn un zhoor duh pluhsA little context goes a long way
In France, 'jours ouvrables' means working days (Monday to Saturday in many businesses), while 'jours ouvrés' usually means Monday to Friday. Online shops often show both. 'Livraison express' or 'livraison rapide' are standard; 'Chronopost' and 'Colissimo' are brand names, not generic terms. In Belgium and Switzerland, delivery vocabulary is largely the same, but opening hours and courier companies differ.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Combien de temps' with a direct object without a verb, as in 'Combien de temps la livraison ?'
Try this instead: French needs a verb after 'Combien de temps'. Say 'Combien de temps prend la livraison ?' or 'Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison ?' The verb 'prend' or 'faut-il' is required.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask a shop how long standard delivery takes, using 'faut-il'?
Show a sample answer
Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison standard ?
This uses the impersonal 'faut-il' plus 'pour la livraison', which is correct and polite. 'Combien de temps prend la livraison standard ?' is also valid.
2Translate: 'Express delivery takes 24 hours.'
Show a sample answer
La livraison express prend 24 heures.
'Prend' is the third-person singular of 'prendre'. You could also say 'La livraison express est en 24 heures', but 'prend' is more natural.
3You want to know if you will receive your parcel tomorrow. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
Est-ce que je vais recevoir mon colis demain ?
The near future 'je vais recevoir' is the normal spoken way to ask about a future delivery. 'Vais-je recevoir' is more formal and less common in speech.
Ask 'Combien de temps faut-il pour la livraison ?' for a general estimate, and 'Ça prend combien de temps ?' for a specific parcel. Add 'express' for fast shipping and remember that French needs a verb after 'Combien de temps'.
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