French Phrase
Le délai de livraison dépend de la distance.
Meaning
The sentence states that how long it takes for a package to arrive is determined by how far it has to travel. It is a neutral, factual statement often used in logistics or customer‑service contexts.
When to use
Use this phrase when explaining shipping times to a client, answering a question about order status, or describing factors that affect delivery in a business meeting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ledélaidelivraisondépenddeladistance.
Definite article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article used before a masculine noun like délai.
Noun (délai)
Délai means ‘deadline’ or ‘time limit’; here it refers to the delivery time.
Preposition (de)
De links the noun délai to the noun livraison, forming a compound noun ‘délai de livraison’ (delivery time).
Verb (dépend)
Dépend is the third‑person singular present of dépendre ‘to depend’. It agrees with the singular subject délai.
Prepositional phrase (de la distance)
De la distance means ‘on the distance’; it indicates the factor on which the delivery time depends.
🗨In Conversation
Quel est le délai de livraison pour ma commande ?
What is the delivery time for my order?
Le délai de livraison dépend de la distance.
The delivery time depends on the distance.
✕Common Mistakes
Le délai de livraison est de la distance.
‘Est’ means ‘is’; the correct verb for ‘depends’ is ‘dépend’ (from dépendre).
Le délai de livraison dépend de distance.
In French a noun needs an article; you must say ‘de la distance’.
Le délai de livraison dépend de la livrer.
The phrase ‘délai de livraison’ is a fixed collocation; swapping the order changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Le temps de livraison varie selon la distance.
The delivery time varies according to the distance.
La durée de la livraison est fonction de la distance.
The length of the delivery is a function of the distance.
Le délai de livraison change en fonction de la distance.
The delivery time changes based on the distance.
Cultural Tip
In French business communication, ‘délai de livraison’ is the standard term; avoid using ‘temps de livraison’ in formal emails as it sounds less precise. Also, French speakers often add a polite disclaimer such as ‘sous réserve de conditions de transport’ when discussing variable delivery times.