Skip to content

instant

moment

noun an-STAHN Common
Time Time Expressions

Origin: From Latin instans, present participle of instare (to stand upon).

Also means

instant

Usage Note

Instant is most often heard in the phrase pour l'instant (for the moment, for now), one of the most useful filler phrases in French. Dans un instant means 'in a moment,' while à l'instant means 'just now' or 'this instant.' The adjective instantané (instantaneous) shares the same root.

Examples

"Attends, j'arrive dans un instant."

Natural Translation

Wait, I'll be there in a moment.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic