French Expression · Advanced
Un contretemps
A setback / A hitch
Pronunciation: un kōn-trə-TĀN
Meaning
A minor unforeseen delay or obstacle that temporarily hinders progress.
Example
Nous avons eu un petit contretemps avec notre vol, il est retardé.
We had a small setback with our flight, it's delayed.
Practice tips
- Practice Un contretemps out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this French expression is for advanced-level learners.