French Phrase
La livraison met en général 3 à 5 jours.
Meaning
This sentence tells the listener that, under normal circumstances, the delivery of a product will take between three and five days. The phrase "en général" signals that the time frame is typical, not an absolute guarantee.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need to inform a customer, a colleague, or a friend about the expected shipping time for an order, especially in written e‑commerce communications or spoken customer‑service dialogs.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lalivraisonmetengénéral3à5jours.
Met (mettre)
The verb "mettre" is used impersonally to indicate how long something takes; here it means "takes".
En général
"En général" is an adverbial phrase meaning "generally" or "usually" and modifies the whole statement.
Range with à
When giving a range of numbers, French uses "à" (e.g., "3 à 5 jours").
Livraison
"Livraison" refers to the act of delivering goods, commonly used in e‑commerce contexts.
🗨In Conversation
Pouvez‑vous me dire combien de temps la livraison prendra ?
Can you tell me how long the delivery will take?
La livraison met en général 3 à 5 jours.
Delivery usually takes 3 to 5 days.
✕Common Mistakes
La livraison prend en général 3 à 5 jours.
Learners sometimes replace "met" with "prend"; both are correct, but "met" is more formal in written notices.
La livraison met général 3 à 5 jours.
Omitting "en" changes the meaning; "général" alone is not an adverb.
La livraison met en général 3-5 jours.
Using a hyphen or dash instead of "à" is incorrect in French numeric ranges.
↔Alternatives
La livraison prend généralement entre 3 et 5 jours.
Delivery generally takes between 3 and 5 days.
En général, la livraison dure de 3 à 5 jours.
Generally, delivery lasts from 3 to 5 days.
Il faut habituellement 3 à 5 jours pour la livraison.
It usually takes 3 to 5 days for delivery.
Cultural Tip
In French e‑commerce, stating the delivery window with "en général" or "généralement" is considered polite because it leaves room for occasional delays (e.g., holidays, customs). Avoid promising an exact date unless you can guarantee it, as French consumers appreciate transparency about possible variations.